Microsoft Search Champs – morning
There are about 35 white folks here, half from the US and half from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and one from S. Africa. We’re here to provide “feedback” to Microsoft’s search development efforts. We are also obviously here to help us feel good about the efforts.
Attendees include people I’ve already met in the real world:
Buzz Bruggeman
Liz Lawley
Chris Pirillo
Robert Scoble
Dave Winer
Overall, based on how people introduced theselves, here’s the breakdown:
3 Search manipulators
2 Search bloggers
2 Mobile experts
7 writers/journalists (almost all international)
Internet rebel
5 site developers
2 Librarians
Musician
Story-teller
One woman
Plus there are a handful for MSN Product managers, PR people, and some Microsoft Research folks,
The NDA
We have all signed an NDA. A guy gets up to explain why and what it covers.
What we may not talk about: Product specific details (including images, features, demos, etc.), release schedules or plans.
What we may talk about: Purpose of event, basic event details, “what we talked about over cocktails”
If we have any doubts about what can blog, we can “run it by” Sean, the marketing guy who’s put the event together. If we fail to comply with the NDA we will be kicked out of the program and there could be “legal ramifications.”
The content
Having gotten past the NDA awkwardness – Microsoft is entitled to offer to show us stuff they don’t want us to talk about – we are now given a couple of hours of presentations that turn interactive faster than perhaps Microsoft expected. It is a lively discussion, let’s say. Some cool features and widgets, but also evidence of Microsoft’s unthought benevolent paternalism.
And, without having to run this past Sean, I believe that’s all I may say at this time.
Oh, good lunch. Creamy Mac and cheese for the veggies.
Categories: Uncategorized dw
Can you attach various meta-tags to images? Is the system XML based? Will it be available for PPC? Would you buy it? What’s the wow factor?
I am unable to answer at this time, even assuming I knew the answers. I’ll try to say more about about overall impressions if I have any after I’ve heard more. But I have agreed not to talk about particular features or properties, and I’ll honor that.
Oh, hey, while your there*, could you grab and post the MSFT search engine source code too?**
*there = here: I just moved to Seattle.
** ;-) just in case
David, I honor your commitment, but I’m still interested in finding out what I can, especially since reading your Wired piece.
Isn’t the purpose of publicly announced meetings such as these to get a pulse on the interest?
Can we safely assume that it’s not named after a person such as….er….Bob? I’d choose Diogenes as a code name.
search champs meeting thoughts
So, I already mentioned my main problem with this meeting over on misbehaving. And David Weinberger’s posted some good observations about the meeting today. But there are some other things that I’m noticing today. One is that there are a co…
It’s only semi-publicly announced; I think they realized that they couldn’t pull bloggers in for a few days and not let us at least say where we are.
I think I can disclose that none of the products are named “Bob.” They all do end in “oogle,” though.
Looking at your breakdown of invitees, I’m thunderstruck that there are no linguists.
Interesting stuff.
David,
Last time I checked, I wasn’t ‘White’.
Don, I stand (and sit) corrected.
No problem David. My wife say I am temporarily ‘white’ and recommends more outside activities. ;-)
THAT’s where they were!
I couldn’t make it to Gnomedex and I really missed seeing Scoble’s, Weinberger’s or Lawley’s happy faces in the hallway at Web 2.0. Now I know where they were. They were hanging out at Microsoft being Search Champs. I wonder who won? I wonder if they’v…
Does one woman equal 29 men? ;-)
Microsoft’s “Search Champs” Team has 30 members – only one of which is female. More at: misbehaving.net: i feel very alone, mamamusings: search champs meeting thoughts, Joho the Blog: Microsoft Search Champs – morning, Danny Ayers, Raw Blog, Microsoft’…
David – thanks for the “storyteller” mention. I hope you’re not still mad at me ;^)
BTW, my son was insanely jealous that I met you – he is a huge fan of “Small Pieces” – the kid version and evangelizes it to all of his middle-school geek bussies!
Marc, some things cannot be forgiven. Worst of all is when the person actually did nothing wrong.
As for the kid’s version (at http://www.smallpieces.com/kids), please inform your son that he is in copyright violation. I will be coming after him. Hard.
But seriously: It was great to meet you. And be sure to pass my email address along to your son.
— David W.
can anyone share tips on microsoft optimization
Early Blog Reports From Microsoft’s Search Champs
Microsoft’s new Search Champs team has met, and now their blogs are reflecting comments. Microsoft Search Champs – morning from David Weinberger gives some names and some self-characterized breakdowns, like that there are three "search manipulator…
Early Blog Reports From Microsoft’s Search Champs
Microsoft’s new Search Champs team has met, and now their blogs are reflecting comments. Microsoft Search Champs – morning from David Weinberger gives some names and some self-characterized breakdowns, like that there are three "search manipulator…