[torben-friis]

I was expecting sudden clarity on the contrast between this team of elite succeeders and the general perception of Microsoft products today.

Nope, this is the Super Bowl, period. I guess at those levels real life does not matter anymore, just _success_.

[vessenes]

Anybody in that room has personally driven in excess of $100mm in value - maybe closer to $1b. You may not like what they deliver (I haven’t really used windows since windows 7 for instance) but beware the nerd trap of thinking your assessment of the product is what matters to a corporation ..

[torben-friis]

I understand it doesn’t matter to the game they’re playing. It just seems off putting from my side, to brag in a way that is so divorced from the good or bad you’re doing to the world.

Perhaps it’s the use of general terms like success and value what irks me about corporate culture. Making millions in place of making the world better is ok, but idealizing it this way is another matter.

[vessenes]

Makes sense.

I personally feel like it's best to a) hold on to that ethics/values based perspective, b) simultaneously hold on to the idea that at some fundamental level, companies and buyers are not a-priori stupid, and may see some value (even if that value is dealing with a monopoly they hate) and therefore the money generated, while not proof of real value add, is at least a sort of strong nod and eyebrow wiggle toward "you should probably assume by default this adds value for the people buying it as your first prior".

Anyway, I guess my point is, many people felt Sharepoint improved their lives measurably, and paid billions for that over the years. I try to stay open to the idea that's useful information, rather than be like "blecccch".

[rawgabbit]

Exactly. In this case “outsized success” means selling shitty products riddled with security vulnerabilities.

[the_real_cher]

Xbox zune axure...don't forget copycatting all their innovation.

also creating monopolies.

they also use shitty scammy business practices