4 ms·

I just started working for Microsoft so that I can be a voice inside the company for startups. I'm forwarding this thread to my legal contact.

• eob 17y ago
  Was that really the prime motivator in joining MS? How do you mean "be a voice for startups"? Cool. People usually cite this reasoning for joining the government -- an organization whose mandate is toward the greater good of its people, but I've never heard it applied toward a corporate entity, whose mandate is solely profit. Would you mind posting a bit more about your motivations and thinking? I would really like to hear.
  • clemesha 17y ago
    Here's some more info: http://jf.posterous.com/after-5-years-of-using-linux-and-mac-os-x-ive http://jf.posterous.com/after-5-years-of-using-linux-and-mac...
    • abossy 17y ago
      Joel sounds like he's replacing Don Dodge.
      • robryan 17y ago
        Sounds like a better role though, not necessarily pushing Microsoft products.
        • gcb 17y ago
          two months from here he will realise that the VPs expect him to know from startups why they aren't using IIS.
          • dhs 17y ago
            So Microsoft VPs want to find out why people do not accept their products. Could be a good thing, if they would then insist on improvement of the products guided by the data that the "dev evangelist" provides. You, though, make it sound like it's a bad thing. Care to explain?
            • jf 17y ago
              I've already started to have conversations inside Microsoft about why startups in the Silicon Valley don't want (or need) to use Microsoft products.
      • deleted 17y ago
        [deleted]
      • jf 17y ago
        I was not hired to replace Don Dodge. I was hired because the person who previously held my role moved internally. I actually don't know much about Don Dodge - I haven't met him yet. All that I know is that he is well liked and respected. I can only hope to earn a similar level of respect from the startup community.
        • thefool 17y ago
          were you hired, or were you moved internally? Its cool that they have someone devoted to worrying about these issues.
          • jf 17y ago
            I was hired: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelfranusic http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelfranusic
    • netcan 17y ago
      What an excellent place to start (this thread/problem). This certainly requires some diplomacy.
  • tptacek 17y ago
    A reasonable person might conclude that they could have more influence over the industry in 4 years at Microsoft than in 2-3 more small startups.
• deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
• FreeRadical 17y ago
  Cool, I hope you keep visiting HN often to stay in touch with the start up scene here.
  • jf 17y ago
    You can count on it!
    • blantonl 17y ago
      karma?