by Don Burnett

If you know anything about Microsoft's Web efforts, you'll know that you had to visit a number of sites to learn about what is going on. This is because Microsoft has so many teams working on different technologies at any given time. You might be looking for material or training on a specific subject. Well honestly there wasn't one central hub where you could go to learn about what is happening inside Microsoft itself, and the communities around it that support it's many different efforts. Well this was true until now...

Microsoft has launched /web and it brings together every Microsoft technology site and information center into one central place, even bringing in feeds from community blogs. Not only is this a great repository of information about all things "web" at Microsoft, it's very great at getting to the bigger picture of what is happening at Microsoft as well as the surrounding community and blogosphere. I really suggest you go and check this out today.. It rocks, and it's one stop shopping for all things "Microsoft" and "WEB"...

-Don

Disclosure: I must disclose that I was asked to help with this effort and consulted on the development of this site last summer and had a lot of fun helping to bring this all together. So my opinion on this site may show some bias, but I think it's a great product and the team of folks who worked on this are top notch. Some people have asked me why this blog (donburnett.com) and the information in it, from time-to-time doesn't show up as aggregate material on any of the Microsoft sites, after all yes I am an MVP of Expression for 2008 and most MVP's do see their material covered. I also was an editor and responsible for content from one of Microsoft's  sites "Phizzpop.com" which is aimed at Microsoft's digital advertising agency communities.

Honestly, it's all about the relationship with Microsoft which for me couldn't be a better situation. I am not "technically" a Microsoft employee, that means I am free to pursue my own plans. I am a vendor with Microsoft. That means they like stuff I do and ask me to consult to help their efforts along from time-to-time and pay me for those efforts when it aligns with their goals and interests.  I am also a  "member" of the Microsoft partner program for some time. This allows me to keep my own focus and my own training and consulting practice on my own track.  My focus is on providing information (as an independent voice) and training and consulting services (design and development) to other companies as well.  I have a long history of working on products that have achieved "top status" in their individual markets. This includes Children's Edutainment and Multimedia, Web Development, and now over the past few years RIA (Rich Internet Application) development. I have been responsible for several major commercial websites, from conception to deployment to day-to-day operations. I started life in marketing and advertising in cable television of all places in the early 1990s. I have also had the honor of working with more than a few "Fortune" companies during my career.

This blog: I really try to keep this blog an "outside" voice of the community, and you will notice from time-to-time the blog may say things that are opinion that wouldn't make the folks at Microsoft completely happy.  This is true of some other commentary as well with other indivduals and companies.  I also want to keep my own focus with information presented here and make it useful for folks who are part of my day-to-day consulting practices.  If you hear about it at the blog here, you will notice a certain "relevance" to the market that I have worked in now over twenty or so years. I have tried to keep the information very direct and honest and will continue to do so. Microsoft may or may not pick up some of the content here from time-to-time. I am just happy to have a community voice that folks trust and know they can work with. When I read the stats of the blog here, I am constantly amazed at the traffic Blog.DonBurnett.com gets and the truly international audience that checks in to read and view content here everyday.

I just thought it was important to share this with you folks and to know that my commitment to great content, and an honest opinion that is never someone else's "company line". I have to say that before working in any business-to-business capacity with Microsoft it's truly very different from what rivals and the rest of the industry will tell you.

I had heard for many years that "when you worked with a big company like Microsoft that you couldn't keep your own opinions" and that they discouraged independent thinking and having your own voice.. This just has not turned out to be true at all. The real secret to them being an ultra-successful company is they really do listen to their customers and place high priority on their customers needs. This focus ultimately is one of the main tenants as to why they are so successful.

This is not just the key to good business, but to Microsoft's success over the years in the market. I have never really experienced the kind of great relationship I have had with Microsoft with any other company. They were the first company I have ever worked with that has realized that their success was really tied to "your" success. They truly make tremendous efforts to support the folks that they work with.

Anyway, enough of my rant from the "just so you know.." department..

-Don Burnett