A Couple Questions For Microsoft

Number One: What's up with Bob McDowell?

You remember McDowell. He headed up Microsoft Consulting Services a few years back. His current bio lists him as Vice President, Information Worker Business Value.

But from some recent European accounts, it appears he's now VP of Business Critical Solutions. Probably just a meaningless tweak of verbiage.

After some poking around, it appears that McDowell is starting up a business consulting services subgroup at the company. Says one with knowledge of the effort, "MSFT wants MCS to have BDM interaction capability - more than just super techies. people who can help sell MSFT as the platform to drive business change," he notes.

Bringing in the translators: MCS is the aforementioned Microsoft Consulting Services. BDM is business decision makers who apparently are, in this context, superior to TDMs or Technical Decision Makers.

Got that?

Reassuringly to CRN readers, the idea is that these Microsofties would not compete with system integrators but bring them in do the actual work.

Number two: Where will the SKU abuse end?

And secondarily, why can't Microsoft come up with more glitzy or at least representative product names?

The upcoming Office 2007 onslaught proves that, in Microsoft's mind, less is never more.

And some (okay, that would be me) predict confusion as mere mortals try to sort through Office Standard, Office Professional, Office Professional Plus and Office Professional Plus Super Duper and other editions.

This just shouldn't be so hard.

For a company known for its marketing, the naming conventions are not just uninspired. They're bad.

It's oranges to apples, but contrast that mishegas to Apple's game plan. The most extremely simple example is the iPod. This thing was marketed brilliantly. Note: Simple and brilliant most certainly does NOT mean inexpensive.) If you do nothing else today, check out this video vision of how Microsoft would have marketed the iPod. God bless youtube.

Of course, the now breathlessly-awaited Microsoft "Origami" project could do the Microsoft-marketing-iPod satire one better. Check out this site for wannabe coolness.

That's enough for today.

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