Jeff Sandquist scores one for Microsoft

December 8, 2006 By

I told you Jeff Sandquist is smart and is one guy I could rely on at Microsoft to get shit done (he was my boss when I was at Microsoft). He just convinced Jon Udell to come to Microsoft. Wow. I think it’s funny that Jon asked himself whether he’d be Microsoft’s new “Scoble.” Hell, I was trying to be as good as Jon Udell was (and I came up short — he’s a coder that can explain how to program to other people, and has far more influence among developers than I’ll ever hope to have).

In other Microsoft news, Mike Sax says Microsoft just signed away custody of its third-born child: All the file formats for Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are now under the custody of ECMA, an independent standards body.

One other thing about Jon Udell: to me he was InfoWorld. He’s the only reason I’ve been following that brand. It’s a HUGE loss for InfoWorld.

I haven’t commented much on the other hire that Jeff Sandquist made: Larry Larsen. But he rocks too. This team has raised my expectations for what will happen at Microsoft now. Two rock stars from the journalism world. Larry worked for Poynter Institute and is a major geek.

One thing I’ve learned: a manager is judged by the quality of people he hires and/or keeps happy. Jeff Sandquist has two three grand-slam home runs. (I forgot about Rory, thanks Dare for reminding me).

Yes, Rex, Microsoft just acquired a superstar media brand.

Techmeme link.

Filed Under: 1
  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/default.aspxhttp://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/default.aspx paul

    Hiring such a well respected Tech guy is a great move by Jeff and a good move for Jon as he is now placed at the nexus between open source, OSX and Microsoft.

    What was the name of that blogger from the Valley who blogged for Microsoft for two years?

  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/default.aspxhttp://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/default.aspx paul

    Hiring such a well respected Tech guy is a great move by Jeff and a good move for Jon as he is now placed at the nexus between open source, OSX and Microsoft.

    What was the name of that blogger from the Valley who blogged for Microsoft for two years?

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  • http://mndoci.com/ Deepak

    This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.

  • http://mndoci.com Deepak

    This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.

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  • http://www.parand.com/say/ Parand

    That’s huge – Jon is a great combination of writing skills, nose for trends, and technical skills wrapped into one. Nicely done.

  • http://www.parand.com/say/ Parand

    That’s huge – Jon is a great combination of writing skills, nose for trends, and technical skills wrapped into one. Nicely done.

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  • Joe Baressi

    Robert, on the one hand I simply love you — You have a selflessness, a Thomas-Aquinas-type view of the world, that is all too rare today.

    But you can also be blind…Did you listen to Udell’s audio blog on why he took your job at Microsoft? All the reasons you never should have left that company in the first place.

  • Joe Baressi

    Robert, on the one hand I simply love you — You have a selflessness, a Thomas-Aquinas-type view of the world, that is all too rare today.

    But you can also be blind…Did you listen to Udell’s audio blog on why he took your job at Microsoft? All the reasons you never should have left that company in the first place.

  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Joe: yes, I did.

    But, I’m having a ball. Have you missed how many CEOs I’ve interviewed in the past three months?

    Not to mention I don’t have to fly twice a month just to see my son.

    Not to mention I live near a beach now.

    Not to mention that I get to study what it’s like to work for the VC-funded industry now.

    Not to mention I am in the middle of Silicon Valley and get to hang out at Google’s and Yahoo’s headquarters now (so can study the tech industry from a whole different point of view than if I were up in Redmond).

  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Joe: yes, I did.

    But, I’m having a ball. Have you missed how many CEOs I’ve interviewed in the past three months?

    Not to mention I don’t have to fly twice a month just to see my son.

    Not to mention I live near a beach now.

    Not to mention that I get to study what it’s like to work for the VC-funded industry now.

    Not to mention I am in the middle of Silicon Valley and get to hang out at Google’s and Yahoo’s headquarters now (so can study the tech industry from a whole different point of view than if I were up in Redmond).

  • Joe Baressi

    Robert, I am most persuaded by not having “to fly twice a month just to see my son.” I have two daughters, one born just over a week ago, and fully acknowledge that children give meaning to life.

    That said, I also think that, from a long-term perspective, “having a ball” falls short of working for a company with a future.

    If your position is that being near (1) Patrick and (2) Silicon Valley’s career trappings outweigh having a job in a year when web 2.0 crashes, I can appreciate that. It’s a “reasonable position,” as they say, but it’s not one I would choose.

    Finally, praying this doesn’t come across as self-promotion, feeling I owe you some insight as to where I come from: I’m a lawyer working for the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC. (You can go to federalreserve.gov and search on “joseph p. baressi” to be buried in all the numbing paperwork I’ve been involved with.) Anyway, my background is one of financial analysis…thus, my continual harping about companies with futures.

  • Joe Baressi

    Robert, I am most persuaded by not having “to fly twice a month just to see my son.” I have two daughters, one born just over a week ago, and fully acknowledge that children give meaning to life.

    That said, I also think that, from a long-term perspective, “having a ball” falls short of working for a company with a future.

    If your position is that being near (1) Patrick and (2) Silicon Valley’s career trappings outweigh having a job in a year when web 2.0 crashes, I can appreciate that. It’s a “reasonable position,” as they say, but it’s not one I would choose.

    Finally, praying this doesn’t come across as self-promotion, feeling I owe you some insight as to where I come from: I’m a lawyer working for the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC. (You can go to federalreserve.gov and search on “joseph p. baressi” to be buried in all the numbing paperwork I’ve been involved with.) Anyway, my background is one of financial analysis…thus, my continual harping about companies with futures.

  • http://neopoleon.com/ Rory

    Deepak -

    “This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.”

    Two reasons this won’t happen:

    1. Jeff is too good at what he does, so promoting him out of this position would be nuts

    2. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had, and I’m not letting anybody take him away

    Item #2 is the most important reason. Item #1 is just something I threw in so that it wouldn’t appear as though I’m *totally* biased.

    I’m only, like, 98% biased.

    That’s all.

    (He *should* get a pay raise and a nice bonus, though.)

  • http://neopoleon.com Rory

    Deepak -

    “This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.”

    Two reasons this won’t happen:

    1. Jeff is too good at what he does, so promoting him out of this position would be nuts

    2. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had, and I’m not letting anybody take him away

    Item #2 is the most important reason. Item #1 is just something I threw in so that it wouldn’t appear as though I’m *totally* biased.

    I’m only, like, 98% biased.

    That’s all.

    (He *should* get a pay raise and a nice bonus, though.)

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  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Joe: I know I’m taking a risk, but I also believe PodTech is a company with a future. Certainly I’ve already been able to pull in enough revenue with my Seagate sponsorship to go for a while.

  • http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ Robert Scoble

    Joe: I know I’m taking a risk, but I also believe PodTech is a company with a future. Certainly I’ve already been able to pull in enough revenue with my Seagate sponsorship to go for a while.

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  • http://www.xaluan.com/ tin việt nhạc giải trí

    I agree with Deepak “This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.”

  • http://www.xaluan.com tin việt nhạc giải trí

    I agree with Deepak “This is a great hire. Jeff deserves a promotion just for pulling this off.”

  • Pingback: Huh? Udell’s Going Where? — And He Blogs Archive

  • http://mndoci.com/ Deepak

    Rory

    Can’t say I disagree with the analysis. Maybe a raise, a fancier title, but keep him in the same role. That would work.

  • http://mndoci.com Deepak

    Rory

    Can’t say I disagree with the analysis. Maybe a raise, a fancier title, but keep him in the same role. That would work.

  • http://StanleyDaily.com/ Stanley Krute

    RE Joe Baressi’s thoughts:

    Joe: You’re a lawyer. You work for the Feds. To put it mildly, you’re not a risk-taking guy.

    Some folks are. They’re driven by a vision. Surprisingly to some, things often work out as well for them in life as for the risk-averse. And they’re the folks that make new stuff happen.

    – stan

  • http://StanleyDaily.com Stanley Krute

    RE Joe Baressi’s thoughts:

    Joe: You’re a lawyer. You work for the Feds. To put it mildly, you’re not a risk-taking guy.

    Some folks are. They’re driven by a vision. Surprisingly to some, things often work out as well for them in life as for the risk-averse. And they’re the folks that make new stuff happen.

    – stan

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