Tag: Microsoft culture

From Windows 7 to working with product groups customer satisfaction

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 28/10/2009

A little more than three years ago as I noted here, I joined the Windows division working in COSD for Jon DeVaan with the rest of his management team (as I initially noted here) to work on Windows 7. I’ve certainly enjoyed the run in Windows, this being my second stint: I joined the engineering program management group when I first moved to Redmond back in 2003. More details are on the blog if you must know.

A couple of months ago as we discussed new roles, one of the positions that interested me was in returning to a corporate role in the company. In my new capacity, I’ll work with product and services groups across the company to improve satisfaction with our customers and partners. These customer-focus efforts are some of key tenets of our work that we refer to inside Microsoft (in both the business groups and SMSG) as the Customer and Partner Experience (CPE).

This has been an area I truly enjoy, and one that Kevin Turner, our COO sponsors across our sales and marketing groups in close partnership with our product group sponsor Stephen Elop, the president of the Microsoft Business Division (aka, MBD, home of Office, SharePoint, Exchange, OCS, Dynamics and many other products).

With this move comes a move from my office in the Windows division and later this week across campus to my new home. Sad to leave Windows but excited to move to this new role on the heels of one of the most successful product launches the company has seen in some time.

So over the next few days will be busy as I move offices, shed parts of my old position and move on to my new role. I want to thank my friends in Windows for a wonderful time in the division and I look forward to working with them in a broad capacity.

What this means for folks reading this blog should be a broad view of the work we’re doing across the company to improve customer satisfaction from the perspective of our product teams, and perhaps a few insights as I learn even more about my new surroundings in MBD.

And yes, that includes finding a new parking strategy on days I drive: the commute stays the same.

Tags: announcements, Office, Microsoft, Windows 7.

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Tags Announcements, customer satisfaction, Microsoft, Microsoft culture, People, Windows 7

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Gizmodo offers a look at several Windows 7 Launch Parties

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 25/10/2009

Did you have a Windows 7 Launch Party? Gizmodo offers a gallery of photos from several different Windows 7 launch parties although most/all are uncredited with original owners/URLs.

This one is certainly my favourite (is it yours?):

Note to self: need to post more details of our own launch event.

Tags: articles, what I read, twitter, Microsoft, Windows 7.

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Tags blogs, Microsoft culture, of interest, People, photos, what i read, Windows 7

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Microsoft Giving Campaign: a couple of auction items generating interest arrived today (on Windows 7 GA-Day)

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 22/10/2009

Today really is a great day.

Not only have we arrived at the launch of Windows 7 today, I also received in today’s mail Adam Koford’s LOL Cats “Extra Leafy Edition” and the truly limited edition of the popular TechFlash Geek’s Guide to Seattle poster (as seen at http://bit.ly/PAYOM).

Very cool – thanks, guys!

Now Microsofties: bid high!

Tags: articles, what I read, twitter, Microsoft, Windows 7, Giving Campaign.

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Tags Announcements, Microsoft culture

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Windows 7 available today, Kylie gets a new PC and other musings from GA-Day

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 22/10/2009

Welcome to Windows 7 Release!

OK, now you have your copy of Microsoft Windows 7. First, check that your PC will run it with Upgrade Advisor http://bit.ly/rP24L. And if you’ve got questions about Windows 7, look thru the posts from community experts on the Microsoft Answers site about Windows 7 (in 11 languages!) at http://bit.ly/ZbSp6

There was an awesome Kylie moment from the Windows 7 Launch today. She got a new Windows 7 mini notebook from none other that Steve Ballmer: Steve gave her very own pink Windows 7 laptop: http://bit.ly/fXY1D (we <3 Kylie!). (Head nod to Mark Relph for the link, who I expect has interesting friends on his flights this week ;) For your own new Windows 7 PC, check out the "7 days of Windows 7 savings" (quantities are limited and the program ends October 28, 2009) http://bit.ly/2C1a8o

I had fully intended today to attend the festivities on main campus at 5AM, and there was only one thing that could keep me from B37 and the NASDAQ opening this morning did: kids. Perhaps a remote feed to the house would’ve helped. Here’s a clip of the folks and friends in Building 37 today with Chris Liddell, our CFO, celebrates Windows 7 launch by ringing the NASDAQ opening bell remotely.

You can also check out the new social media "hub" to see what people are saying about Windows 7! http://bit.ly/2Xl3xi via @brandonleblanc. And here’s a direct link to the new social media "hub" to see what people are saying about Windows 7 http://bit.ly/3kw0uE.

Here are a few top stories from Microsoft Presspass:

Microsoft Simplifies the PC With Windows 7, Oct. 22, 2009

New Retail Stores Connect Consumers With the Best of Microsoft, Oct. 22, 2009

Here are a few interesting Tweets from today (you can also find more in my twitter feed here).

@MicrosoftStore: Microsoft fans take over the Scottsdale mall. http://post.ly/9jqt Long line, now people are wait outside the mall!

Dell’s Adamo XPS is an AMAZING ultra thin laptop. It’s sure to be on my Xmas list! More @ http://bit.ly/xSAfE. I saw from @dancosta that Dell Offers Sneak Peek of Adamo XPS. "I wouldn’t call it a hands-on, but I did touch it." http://bit.ly/2z8pvc #pcmlt More info & links on the new ultra thin & very sexy Dell Adamo XPS via Bing http://bit.ly/xSAfE

@LanceUlanoff Steve Ballmer: "95 out of 100 times, when people get to choose a PC, they choose a Windows PC" #win7 #QOTD

@LanceUlanoff Hands On with Amazon Kindle for the PC http://bit.ly/2B29Wf Nice app; smart idea for multi-touch systems.

Check out the new social media "hub" to see what people are saying about Windows 7! http://bit.ly/2Xl3xi via @brandonleblanc

How to find Windows 7 Freebies: See "Where to Get Giveaways" by @PCWorld‘s JR Raphael http://bit.ly/1EvctI

Reading Stuart Elliot’s article in the New York Times on "The Billion Designers of Windows 7" http://bit.ly/Uu7a

As noted here, the venerable BBC News looks at the launch of Windows 7 w/ Microsoft’s Leila Martine http://bit.ly/1AUzE2

Wonder how did we got to Windows 7? AP offers this analysis of Vista + 1 = 7. No, you didn’t miss 5 & 6 http://bit.ly/44AbXv

All Black number 7 Richie McCaw helps Microsoft launch Windows 7 in Auckland’s Queen Elizabeth Square http://bit.ly/3UrTqz

I get lots of mail RE autographed Windows 7 PC & Zune for the Microsoft Giving Campaign http://bit.ly/3pLubD

@engadget noted that Windows 7 Media Center upgraded Netflix "Watch Instantly" interface now available http://bit.ly/2kbRSa

From MSSpringboard, Podcast: Migrating Windows XP to Windows 7 Using Windows Easy Transfer and USMT http://bit.ly/2WZOxt

One more item for the Microsoft Giving Campaign: Adam Koford’s (aka @apelad) LOL Cats "Extra Leafy Edition" http://bit.ly/1WdEDF

Tags: articles, what I read, twitter, Microsoft, Windows 7.

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Tags Announcements, Microsoft, Microsoft culture, TV, video, Windows 7

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A couple of choice items benefitting the Microsoft Giving Campaign this year

Post author By M3 Sweatt
Post date 15/10/2009

As I noted in my post yesterday, this year’s Microsoft Giving Campaign activities kicked off this month. In addition to the items I mentioned in my previous post, I also posted a couple of special items. (If you don’t know about our campaign, see this link for more info: http://bit.ly/1ajgA0.) Although this is only open to Microsoft employees, I wanted to thank many of the folks who have been kind enough to provide some interesting items. (I checked with our auction and PR team to ensure I could mention the items here. 😉

One of my favourite items is my Samsung NC20 mini notebook PC with Windows 7, autographed by the Windows 7 management team, including Jon DeVaan and Steven Sinofsky. This is an awesome portable, and combines the small size (11.5" x 8.5" x 1.2") and light weight (3.3 pounds) of a mini notebook with an excellent screen. The 1,280 x 800 resolution makes you feel like you’re using a full-size notebook, compared to the cramped 1,024×576 or 1,024×600 of typical small notebooks.

The keyboard is also large and comfortable to type on, with the same key spacing as full-size notebooks. The PC has 2GB of memory, a 160GB hard drive, slip case, charger, and two batteries (standard 6-cell unit for 5-6 hours and a 9-cell for 7-9.5 hours) battery, making this perfect for extended time away from sockets.

My thanks to our management team for taking the time to sign this computer!

Also up for auction is this new-in-the-box, never used, limited edition Pink Zune 30, courtesy of my wife (this was her original Zune, but she preferred a smaller 4GB Zune).