Microsoft Watch Reloaded

I’m quoted in Microsoft Watch, again. This time it’s about my disclaimer.

I don’t quite get all the hullabaloo about a potential corporate blogging policy. I meet with customers every day and usually I am privy to information that I can’t share. My boss, the product groups and Microsoft in general trusts my judgment about the handling of this information, otherwise I wouldn’t have a job here. I’m sure there’s a policy for what I should and shouldn’t say to a customer. This blog is no different. I don’t talk about stuff I can’t talk about going on inside the big house. I do offer my opinion on topics that interest me such as web services, programming language innovation and the use of XML vs. Objects. Some topics, such as my opinion on the recent deal between SourceGear and the Mono project, might be considered sensitive subjects. I put the disclaimer in order to make sure there’s no mistake about what is my opinion and what is “official” Microsoft messaging.

I’ve never been at a company where the employees are more empowered (and valued) than Microsoft. I have a hard time imaging that Microsoft would issue some heavy-handed policy that effectively neuters employee blogs.