June's newsletter goes out next Wednesday. I'm looking for articles again and have room for a couple this time. Looking for between 400-800 words. You are welcome to include a link to your personal blog or web site, and I'll feature your article on the homepage if I choose to run it in the newsletter.

Good ideas for articles include new technology, reviews, how-tos, information articles (security, news, etc.), anything controversial, comparisons, etc.

Try to appeal to the broadest audience possible.

I'll pick 1 or 2 of the best and run them in the newsletter. Circulation last time was 70,945 members.

I won't be able to make this one, but maybe next month.

too bad

An Enabler, Nothing More
Microsoft Should Do Two Jobs and Do Them Well

Written by Martyr2 on June 7, 2008 - Dream.In.Code Mentor

The market has changed for Microsoft, but I do not think they have fully realized that yet. They have been labeled as a visionary company in the past where the market looked to them for guidance on the future of computing. But I think that time has come and gone. Instead I think Microsoft should shift gears and do two important jobs, and nothing more, to help push innovation along a wonderful and healthy path.

First they should provide security for their products. Fine, great, they are attempting to do that now. Hopefully they will become successful at it in the future. By providing great security features, they can help developers develop stuff in confidence that "Microsoft has my back." They would also be working on protecting the user. A goal they have already admitted they need to do.

The second thing is to enable developers to develop. Leave developing applications, services, tools, and anything designed to make user's life "easier" up to the developers. Only develop the tools to help them develop. It makes sense right? As a developer I am most likely going to be developing for my client who will use the product. I might be even developing my own tool for me. Who knows me better than me? If I do have a client, I will be the one asking them what they need out of the software and what bells and whistles they would like to see. Why should Microsoft be in a position to "tell" what people want or need?

I think if Microsoft can position themselves in such a way that they offer products which do not push a feature on anyone but instead allow developers to easily tap into the operating system or browser etc and let their imagination run wild, it would benefit everyone.

They have done a fabulous job with tools such as visual studio .NET, Silverlight, and their work in a plethora of standards. Stick to that! Do not tell people what they want for the future and throw it into something like Vista. Half of Vista's features could have been done by developers themselves and probably better. The operating system should become more like a framework than "We did this for you" type of system. Then maybe developers will be happy to see their stuff working great, the open-source community can get involved, Microsoft can focus their resources on what they are good at and everybody wins. Got an opinion on this?

Example code, discussions, and tips - Martyr2's Programming Underground Blog

This post has been edited by Martyr2: 7 Jun, 2008 - 07:16 PM

That is an excellent read, Martyr2. I also couldn't agree with you more on every count. Well done, sir!

Last call for articles.

Newsletter will go out tomorrow morning.