Hi Scott, Wow . Well maybe.
I'm trying to make my mind up about whether I should really be bothered about your presence or not. As I said in another post, I've seen similar things in another technical area and the helpful posts were more about promotion of the rival technology rather than really helping the community. In the case in question the helpful posts contained very valid information for the community, particularly at first, but gradually the posts had subtexts inferring the superiority of the rival product and even at one stage offers of discounting to encourage people to jump ship. Then, as here, the poster was an expert in using both technologies and had many personal friends on the forum: no mistake about it the guy was loved by the community he left and really he was exploiting the situation to grow users of his product. His interventions split the community badly and eventually he desisted. Anyway, that gives an idea of where I come from. That particular forum often has discussions about the merits of the two products involved and generally it's not provocative. I'm not saying that you are behaving as this guy did, but for me there's an echo of what happened elsewhere. Seeing your posts really unsettled me. Maybe I'm wrong. Given your position at Microsoft, it's inevitable that your aim must be to encourage users of rival technologies to adopt your technologies. If you don't have that aim Microsoft recruited the wrong person. As impartial as you may try to be in your posts they effectively are an infomercial. I have no idea if Adobe staff are regularly correcting misconceptions on Silverlight forums. If they are, as a silverlight user, I'd have similar feelings. Ultimately developers will cross over and mix technologies and I'm not bothered about that. It's when the actual parties get involved that I get nervous. I think I've made my point, as have you and others. I'm going to let things be. Just don't offer any discounts here for Silverlight for Flex developers.. ;-) Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Scott Barnes To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 6:04 AM Subject: Re: [flexcoders] The different between generial Flex 3 and Flex 3 Profesional? wow :) I only joined Microsoft in 2007 (prior to which I was on this list coding away in Flex since this list was born), I don't know what we did prior to 2007 nor do I really care (can't change the past, can only influence the future!), suffice to say while I'm on the job, the tactics and strategies aren't underhanded and the compete is kept clean (which we have been really good about). That being said, when I see assumptions or inaccurate information being presented in a forum (couldn't care as to what theme or where) i'll simply step forward, make sure our opinion is heard and step back. I don't draw battle lines, I don't buy into "this is our gangs turf, go to your own" mentality as to me it just is a waste of brain matter to think in that mode. Suffice to say, should you still think it's not appropriate, Adobe Staffers have done similar posts to this on Silverlight related forums? (which I welcome! as I'm sure folks in the .NET community aren't kind to Adobe messaging either). It doesn't bother me that folks dislike Silverlight or say negative things about it, if it's not for you, great, enjoy Flex and all the best. I'd rather you dislike us with an accurate amount of information vs reading a friend of a friends blog post or picked up some random text byte on a forum somewhere. I'd encourage all to interact with various communities (don't be restricted by just one technology, explore more), as you learn more about your approach by seeing how others complete theirs. All the best and have another glass of wine! :) (if it's good, keep the flow going!). Scott Barnes Product Manager Microsoft. On Sat, May 31, 2008 at 4:27 PM, Paul Andrews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: oops too much red wine. I was going to say "I wouldn't have been been bothered if it had been anyone but a senior MS guy". Don't worry about resurrecting this argument, I'm crawling back under my stone on this one. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Andrews To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 12:23 AM Subject: Re: [flexcoders] The different between generial Flex 3 and Flex 3 Profesional? No. I just think that when it's the head of a rival technology company technology, it's different. Clearly, it's not the general view so there's no point in making more of it. I wouldn't have been been bothered. It seems I shouldn't be bothered anyway, it seems. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Jeffry Houser To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 9:18 PM Subject: Re: [flexcoders] The different between generial Flex 3 and Flex 3 Profesional? One of my friends, a long time ColdFusion Developer has been doing a lot of work with Ruby lately. Are you saying it's wrong for him to talk to me about Ruby? I'm not grokking the basis of your argument. Paul Andrews wrote: I guess I'm the agressive one. I've seen other products where former practictioners of product A have moved to rival company B and return to their former haunts to help out company A's customers with their insight. -- Jeffry Houser Flex, ColdFusion, AIR AIM: Reboog711 | Phone: 1-203-379-0773 -- Adobe Community Expert <http://www.adobe.com/communities/experts/members/JeffryHouser.html> My Company: <http://www.dot-com-it.com> My Podcast: <http://www.theflexshow.com> My Blog: <http://www.jeffryhouser.com>
