Seattle PI, Microsoft getting on its video Soapbox:

Microsoft’s MSN division is developing its own free site where people will be able to submit and watch videos. Dubbed “Soapbox,” it’s set to be released today for testing by invited users before it’s rolled out more broadly in the coming months.

One of the reasons I left Microsoft was because too often Microsoft’s strategy is to wait for a startup/competitor to test a market. If the startup proves to be successful, Microsoft then swoops in with a lowest common denominator version for the application and goes from zero to majority market share. Personally, I found this very frustrating because I love innovation, but I of course understood why it made fiscal sense and it’s why I continue to hold a sizable portion of my investment portfolio in Microsoft stock. Now keep in mind Media Center did not follow this pattern; we defined the PCs role in the living room. However, at the beginning of the year I rolled off core Vista functionality to work on future looking Media Center realted projects and eventually grew tired of our in ability to ship even copy cat functionality.

What does this have to do with Soapbox? It’s relevant because I do not hear people asking, ‘Where’s the Media Center version of Soapbox?’ I also don’t hear people asking, ‘Will Media Center play my Zune music?’, ‘Can I purchase Zune music through Media Center?’, ‘Why does iTunes let you buy TVs and movies and Microsoft doesn’t?’, ‘Why is Microsoft’s Apple compete story competing with what Apple released three years ago?’

Where is the connected home story so often pitched by Bill Gates? Sadly, I think there is a large possibility that new comer to the living room game, Steve Jobs, is going to kick Microsoft’s ass. (Notice how he’s carefully side stepping resource and legal time sinks like CableCARD support! But our UI really is superior). Though I have to say I do not think Apple’s pay per download business model will be the business model that succeeds. Just compare iTunes TV show download numbers to the amount of streams that content providers like ABC get for their on-demand advertising supported content. And so, I think the long term business model will be one built on advertising innovations (as much as I hate ads and want to be able to pay to remove them the majority of American’s disagree with me).

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A friend at Microsoft pointed out that the Sony DVD Changer is now in the top 10 list for computer hardware on Amazon. Most likely because it’s dipped down to $300. A price now competitive with traditional CE DVD changers. The funny thing is that we originally paid $3000/each for PowerFile R200DL units to develop the software side of this changer :).

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Consistent Vista Media Center UI Please:

For whatever reason, the Now Playing UI (for My Music) doesn’t match the rest of the Media Center UI. The background is blackish and very muddy looking.

This is the correct background. The team choose a different background to distinguish between ‘the browsing’ and the ‘now playing experience’. Since in MCE 2005 many screens in music looked very similar, i.e. album details compared to the now playing experience for an album, users could get confused and we wanted to clearly distinguish between the two.

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On my personal blog I have a post with what I’m doing next: I’ve joined Redfin.

It’s probably odd for me to go join a real estate tech company instead of one in the digital media space but after working in the digital media space since 2001 (prior to Microsoft I founded two music related startups) it’s time to deal with a new set of challenges. Instead of fighting the record labels and movie studios it’s time to take on challenges like the MLS system and 6% comissions.

Though of course, I’ll still blog here from time to time. I still owe you all posts on the new media discovery wizards and a post on how we screwed up the different video libraries (oops!) and of course, how could I forgot, an exposé on why I really left!

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Friday was my last day at Microsoft. How did my last week pan out? Monday I had a meeting with our group’s general manager and had a good discussion about why I was leaving and what the future looked like for both my old group and for myself. The nicest thing about leaving has been the resounding support from all levels of my management chain. We all wish things had turned out differently, but Microsoft just can’t compete with my new opportunity. Though it sounds like they’ll always have a spot for me if I decide the startup life isn’t for me.

After that meeting I sent out a note to my group with the subject ‘Leaving Microsoft’ (as a template I read through some of the Leaving Microsoft emails that ex-co-workers had sent.):

Thanks everyone for a great two and half years but the time has come for me to move on. Looking back I have learned a tremendous amount from all of you about what it takes to ship great software. I don’t think there’s any other group where I would have had the chance to ship three versions in such a short amount of time. I’m really going to miss working on such a great product, but even more I’m going to miss working with such great people.

Where am I headed? I recently accepted a program management position at Redfin, a real estate startup company in Pioneer Square. And so, this Friday is going to be my last day commuting over to the east side.
Hopefully my car can hold out for a few more bridge crossings because after Friday I’ll be able to walk to work :-).

Please keep in touch,

Matt

I return I received lots of nice emails (many of you also sent nice emails and left comments), thanks!

I then took it easy for a couple days working just a few hours. Mainly I came in to have lunch with my friends. During this time everyone jokingly referred to me as a ’short-timer’. On Wednesday I took my Aeron chair home, because I didn’t want any co-workers stealing it thinking it was an MS Asset when it wasn’t. Thursday a small group of us went out for lunch. Friday was an odd day since it was the Friday before Labor Day. So not many people were in the office. But I showed up for a an hour, formatted my notebook’s hard drive (sad that all my specific knowledge about Media Center will be lost), and met one last time with my manager who gave me my review and ‘numbers’. I learned all about the promotion and raise I would have received had I stayed; oh well :). Then several people tried to get me to work but without a notebook and the long weekend looming that just wasn’t going to happen (tip: if someone you rely on is leaving approach them before their last day). Next a few of us went off to a big BBQ in the middle of campus and I got one last look at the thousands of people all working on Windows Vista. It was quite an incredible scene. I wish I had remembered my camera but I had a lot on my mind that morning hauling back lots of the equipment loaned to me over the years.

Later that day my friends held a ‘memorial service’ for me at The Chapel (local bar) and we drank from 5pm to 1am. A great time was definitely had by all. (Thanks for the Champagne Charlie!).

It’s without a doubt that I will miss interacting with some of my old co-workers on a day to day basis. Fortunately most of us live in the same neighborhood so I’m sure we will still hang out and get in trouble when not working.

Bye Microsoft. I’ll miss you! It was a great two and half years. And thanks for letting me sign up for the beta program :).

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