I will make a guess and say, that most of you have not been to a Microsoft executive meeting.
Just a wild guess; okay? But please, bear with me.
A bunch of Microsoft guys will come in to a meeting with a bunch of your company's guys. And they will do their damnedest best to make your bunch of guys feel supported! Now, some of these Microsoft guys' involvement with your company may normally be slim. But when they are present, they are there for you one-hundred percent. That's something that Open Source can't beat. The appearance of availability can often stand-in for the real thing, and most will not be the wiser. You'll pay through the nose eventually, but that's not the point.
I mean, they are "wasting" some of their employees' productive time so they can be in a room with you and make you feel good about what Microsoft is doing for your company? It's social networking at its best; it's do-like-a-puppy roll over and lick your face tricks. But they work, they earn your thrust and they get it. Kudos to Microsoft people on that.
Open Source? I am the only one talking open source on a one-to-one way that I personally know of…
I sure can't beat four well-dressed Microsoft guys with a CD inside a snappy-looking box. Not to mention that, even if these guys may not all be technically oriented, they also serve as proxy for another bunch of guys that are experts in one of more of Microsoft core product lines.
Social Networking.
Social Networking is key.
I will write about that tomorrow.
