Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: It's a lovely day in the neighborhood

Author:David McCusker
Posted:9/16/2000; 7:36:40 PM
Topic:It's a lovely day in the neighborhood
Msg #:21417 (In response to 21414)
Prev/Next:21416 / 21418

Dave Winer: I ask them to step back about 20 percent, take a deep breath, and self-edit.

Okay, sorry if what I've written seemed to have a hard edge. I wasn't trying to be difficult. I've been mean before in other contexts, and I try hard not to do that. (You can tell when I'm being mean, because it hurts sharply as if I know what will sting.) My emotions aren't up right now, so I have no reason to be mean, but I could be accidentally callous. My apologizes if I hurt Josh or someone else.

Dave Winer: David, you are saying some things that you don't know. Josh cares about the company he works for, and he shouldn't have to respond to such things.

You're right I'd phrase things differently if I knew more. I don't know what company John works for, though your remark here implies the answer. I normally don't research folks when I talk to them. If folks want me to know something that's relevant, I might foolishly expect them to tell. For example, I work for company XYZ.

It was not my intention that Josh answer for any company. When I worked for Apple, I could not speak for Apple the company, and I strongly doubt that anyone can speak for a company simply because they work someplace. Typically only high executives can profess to know company policy.

Dave Winer: It's possible that we can create some new bridges here too. I know a lot of Microsoft people, and even more ex-Microsoft people. It's not as simple as you say it is.

I have no Microsoft acquaintances at all, except for past colleagues who went to work there and stopped talking to me. So I definitely don't have a pipeline of information. (I only have a vivid imagination I can't control consciously other than by asking questions.)

I confess to making things sound simpler than they are at times. It's often useful and makes things move. Typically I'm the only one put at risk, since I'm exposed to correction, which I don't mind.

Dave Winer: Continue the debate if you want, but it's borderline flame stuff.

My laundry list was definitely near flame stuff, but it was abstracted and explicitly noted as flame stuff. I was saying here's the fire, put it out and things will cool off. The way I said it wasn't intended to fan the flames. Often saying things baldly can cause things to cool off after folks see there's no way to take it further.

But I'm not trying to flame anyone here, and I don't want to flame Microsoft. I was trying to represent the anti-Microsoft sentiment accurately without actually advocating that sentiment.

Anyway, now that I suspect Josh Allen works for Microsoft, I have one question. If I ask this question, then I will use the answer as the basis of how I form judgments about a person who answers it (or fails to answer it). So this is tricky. I'm not sure folks actually want me to ask it. But it's directly relevant to the misunderstanding.

Can Josh characterize the official Microsoft policy with respect to how Microsoft employees represent themselves in public forums?

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