The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5) - And that fifth column thing with Scoble

And that fifth column thing with Scoble

Which one are you talking about? Can you link to it?

Thanks,

Prakash S
Friday, April 23, 2004

This is a reference to Scoble's having been named one of the top five FrontPage users in the world by Microsoft. He wrote a column about it at: http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2003/11/22.html .

#5 Is Alive
Friday, April 23, 2004

thanks

Prakash S
Friday, April 23, 2004

"I all these the "five pillars of conversational software." FrontPage doesn't have them. Sharepoint doesn't have them. What will be the first Microsoft product to have them? Still waiting. :-)"

I don't know, but I can tell you it will likely have grammer check.

www.MarkTAW.com
Friday, April 23, 2004

I still don't get it? Can someone explain?

chris
Friday, April 23, 2004

"Fifth Column" is a term that refers to people (usually civilians) who are hidden enemy sympathizers. If I remember right, the phrase was tossed around a lot during the cold war/McCarthy days. Here's a quick Googled definition.

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20000110.html

I'm not clear on how that refers to Scoble as he's hardly operating in a clandestine mode. I assume Joel calls him a "Fifth Column" because he explicitly identifies himself as working for Microsoft and yet often criticizes minor Microsoft policy/decisions. The brilliance is that this makes him seem more credible, especially to a techie audience, helping him deliver his larger message of Microsoft developer evangelism.

Even more brilliant is the fact that he's open about all of this, which renders him even more credible.

Will
Sunday, April 25, 2004

Why does everyone who writes have to have an ulterior motive or grand plan? Maybe Scoble simply writes what he believes without all this "I'll criticize Microsoft a little so people will believe me, then I'll be open about it so people believe me, which will bolster my credibility by x^5..."

Scoble is who he is - you read his stuff and understand his background and weigh his opinions, especially the stuff he backs up with facts. Just like we read Joel's stuff and do the same.

Philo

Philo
Sunday, April 25, 2004

""Fifth Column" is a term that refers to people (usually civilians) who are hidden enemy sympathizers. If I remember right, the phrase was tossed around a lot during the cold war/McCarthy days. Here's a quick Googled definition."

Fifth Column is a term that comes from the Spanish Civil War, when Franco's forces were moving to Madrid in four columns. The fifth column were the people living in Madrid who were on Franco's side and did much to help him capture the city.

Flasher T
Sunday, April 25, 2004

"Even more brilliant is the fact that he's open about all of this, which renders him even more credible. "

So being honest increases your credibility... Devious!

jz
Monday, April 26, 2004

Minor strategy decisions?

You must have missed where I told Bill Gates to split Microsoft up.

But if that's minor to you, then I wonder what something major might be?

And, I think it's funny you think I'm doing this just for some effect or to put in play some sort of PR strategy.

I am pretty transparent about what I'm doing though. You're getting 100% me.

Robert Scoble
Monday, April 26, 2004