Microsoft copies Google

September 6, 2007 By

Microsoft now is getting wifi-enabled busses to carry around its workers.

Heheh. Google had that, what, two years ago? So does Yahoo.

I wonder when Microsoft is going to get free meals for its workers?

That said, Microsoft brought out a new beta of Windows Live Writer, a good offline blog editing tool. Does Google have one of those? Very nice.

Filed Under: 1
  • http://www.thenextcorner.com/2007/02/shuttle_to_work.html DennisG

    Also eBay has a two shuttle with wifi :)
    I just love it, never take the car anymore to work :)

  • http://www.thenextcorner.com/2007/02/shuttle_to_work.html DennisG

    Also eBay has a two shuttle with wifi :)
    I just love it, never take the car anymore to work :)

  • http://www.eyejot.com/users/davidg David Geller

    These moves are great for Microsoft. The tone of your note seems to be critical of their initiative. Maybe I’m just reading into it. Anyhow, BusinessWeek, this week, had a nice article on their now-2-year HR head (I forget her name) and all the good things she’s been doing to boost morale. Apparently it’s working, to some degree. So, no need to scoff. Be happy for them.

  • http://www.eyejot.com/users/davidg David Geller

    These moves are great for Microsoft. The tone of your note seems to be critical of their initiative. Maybe I’m just reading into it. Anyhow, BusinessWeek, this week, had a nice article on their now-2-year HR head (I forget her name) and all the good things she’s been doing to boost morale. Apparently it’s working, to some degree. So, no need to scoff. Be happy for them.

  • http://adronbhall.com/blogs/ Adron

    Now, if Microsoft really wanted to make headway and prove they where serious, they’d build themselves some light rail and real logistical capabilities. Best they could do is at least provide wireless for the light rail that will eventually be provided by Sound Transit. :)

  • http://adronbhall.com/blogs/ Adron

    Now, if Microsoft really wanted to make headway and prove they where serious, they’d build themselves some light rail and real logistical capabilities. Best they could do is at least provide wireless for the light rail that will eventually be provided by Sound Transit. :)

  • Bob

    David, Scoble somehow got it into his head that if Company A does something then any other company that does the same thing later is to be mocked for not being first. It’s quite childish, but typical of geeks whose lives revolve around pissing-contests ala “Company A SUCKS! Company B RULZ!!”. And Scoble’s very livlihood is based on initiating, participating, or reporting on such pissing-contests.

  • Bob

    David, Scoble somehow got it into his head that if Company A does something then any other company that does the same thing later is to be mocked for not being first. It’s quite childish, but typical of geeks whose lives revolve around pissing-contests ala “Company A SUCKS! Company B RULZ!!”. And Scoble’s very livlihood is based on initiating, participating, or reporting on such pissing-contests.

  • http://michael.sivers.co.uk/ Michael Sivers

    Apparently, Microsoft also have cups for employees to put coffee in and have chairs for people to sit on and everything! :0

  • http://michael.sivers.co.uk Michael Sivers

    Apparently, Microsoft also have cups for employees to put coffee in and have chairs for people to sit on and everything! :0

  • http://michael.sivers.co.uk/ Michael Sivers

    … oh! oh! and computers!!! Did they ‘steal’ that idea from Google or Yahoo too?

  • http://michael.sivers.co.uk Michael Sivers

    … oh! oh! and computers!!! Did they ‘steal’ that idea from Google or Yahoo too?

  • http://garydenness.co.uk Gary Denness

    I can’t take Google or Microsoft bus rides, let alone use the WiFi. Nor any free meals.

    On the other hand I do use Live Writer, which is an excellent piece of kit. It even works with MyOpera blogs with zero fiddling – not something any of its rivals (that I know of) can claim.

  • http://mexile.blogspot.com Gary Denness

    I can’t take Google or Microsoft bus rides, let alone use the WiFi. Nor any free meals.

    On the other hand I do use Live Writer, which is an excellent piece of kit. It even works with MyOpera blogs with zero fiddling – not something any of its rivals (that I know of) can claim.

  • http://farhanahmed.com/blog Farhan

    That’s such a sensationalist title … wow.

  • http://farhanahmed.com/blog Farhan

    That’s such a sensationalist title … wow.

  • http://edogadvice.com/blog/ Kadir

    Hi,

    I think Microsoft now only realizes the power of GOOGLE. Hope they will try to unleash the power of google to made them at least No-2 in position surpassing Yahoo…

  • http://edogadvice.com/blog/ Kadir

    Hi,

    I think Microsoft now only realizes the power of GOOGLE. Hope they will try to unleash the power of google to made them at least No-2 in position surpassing Yahoo…

  • http://evildoctorporkchop.spaces.live.com/ Treb Gatte

    It’s a great idea, it’s a green idea and a productive idea. Since I normally am on the road 1.5 to 2 hours total a day commuting to Redmond, I can turn that time back into productive time. This means more family time to me in the end.

    As for free meals, no thank you. Sometimes, the best conversations and ideas come from being hunched over teriyaki at a local restaurant. Eating free food at my desk won’t yield the same results.

  • http://evildoctorporkchop.spaces.live.com Treb Gatte

    It’s a great idea, it’s a green idea and a productive idea. Since I normally am on the road 1.5 to 2 hours total a day commuting to Redmond, I can turn that time back into productive time. This means more family time to me in the end.

    As for free meals, no thank you. Sometimes, the best conversations and ideas come from being hunched over teriyaki at a local restaurant. Eating free food at my desk won’t yield the same results.

  • http://shawnsblog.wordpress.com/ Shawn Christopher

    Hey Robert, How long are you going to kiss Google’s rear? After you quit Microsoft I wouldn’t want you working with me if you talk about your old employers in this manner.

  • http://shawnsblog.wordpress.com Shawn Christopher

    Hey Robert, How long are you going to kiss Google’s rear? After you quit Microsoft I wouldn’t want you working with me if you talk about your old employers in this manner.

  • http://www.sriramkrishnan.com/ Sriram Krishnan

    I wanted to leave a comment but I see that enough people here have covered what I wanted to say. Robert – I’m not sure whether you were around when Lisa Brummel started to do her thing but if you were, you would know that a lot of this comes from a lot of internal focus (as opposed to some competitive reason).

  • http://www.sriramkrishnan.com Sriram Krishnan

    I wanted to leave a comment but I see that enough people here have covered what I wanted to say. Robert – I’m not sure whether you were around when Lisa Brummel started to do her thing but if you were, you would know that a lot of this comes from a lot of internal focus (as opposed to some competitive reason).

  • http://thesledgehammer.wordpress.com/ Brian Lutz

    Forget free food, how about bringing in someone that isn’t Eurest to handle the cafeterias first?

  • http://thesledgehammer.wordpress.com Brian Lutz

    Forget free food, how about bringing in someone that isn’t Eurest to handle the cafeterias first?

  • http://dailyconnect.in/ Aditya Kuber

    About that Windows Live Writer… why isn’t there a Mac version? It’s one of the few MS apps I enjoy and am really sad there isn’t a Mac version. Qumana is good, but I would love to use WLW… anything in the works?

  • http://dailyconnect.in Aditya Kuber

    About that Windows Live Writer… why isn’t there a Mac version? It’s one of the few MS apps I enjoy and am really sad there isn’t a Mac version. Qumana is good, but I would love to use WLW… anything in the works?

  • http://dailyconnect.in/ Aditya Kuber

    Oh and the free food at Yahoo! (esp in India where I worked) sucked. So we went out for lunch anyways!

  • http://dailyconnect.in Aditya Kuber

    Oh and the free food at Yahoo! (esp in India where I worked) sucked. So we went out for lunch anyways!

  • http://miniaturemage.blogspot.com/ MiniMage

    Do Softies NEED free meals? It’s not like they’re public educational institution employees or anything like that, and none of them would have to spend $700 for Office Ultimate (hmm…if I took advantage of my employee benefits and took 6 hours of classes next semester, could I participate in the ultimate Steal deal? heheh).

    Disclaimer: if anyone in my management sees this, I happen to be responding to a virus call, and I have only one ticket at this particular site, so I have to do SOMETHING to occupy my mind while waiting for the scan to complete! Besides, don’t you think reading tech blogs is professional development?

  • http://miniaturemage.blogspot.com MiniMage

    Do Softies NEED free meals? It’s not like they’re public educational institution employees or anything like that, and none of them would have to spend $700 for Office Ultimate (hmm…if I took advantage of my employee benefits and took 6 hours of classes next semester, could I participate in the ultimate Steal deal? heheh).

    Disclaimer: if anyone in my management sees this, I happen to be responding to a virus call, and I have only one ticket at this particular site, so I have to do SOMETHING to occupy my mind while waiting for the scan to complete! Besides, don’t you think reading tech blogs is professional development?