Thom's Guided Tour » Business

Blu-ray Discs are Already Obsolete

Thom — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:19:37 +0000

Blu-ray is cool and all, but too bad it's going to be irrelevant.

Yes, I am stating unequivocally that Blu-ray disc technology is already obsolete. But not because there is a better pre-recorded viewing technology, but rather the Blu-ray disc obsolescence stems from a changed marketplace. Online Streaming coupled with changing media consumption patterns means that those Blu-ray Disc players and movies delivering the latest and greatest viewing experience are already becoming obsolete and will never achieve the success and ubiquity of VHS or DVD players.

Are You Solving an Old Problem?

Thom — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:52:46 +0000

Search engines are still an onramp to the internet.

Businesses are often formed to provide a product or service - either proactively or in response to a specific problem. But businesses have to be careful that the problem that they are solving remains a current one, or that it solves the whole problem and not just part of the problem. Otherwise those businesses are vulnerable to competition from new market entrants and new technologies. A classic example of this phenomenon is Carbon Paper.

Light Beer Sales are Down – I’m Shocked!

Thom — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:08:56 +0000

Light beer - your days are numbered.

The big news out recently is that beer sales are down about 4% and sales of so-called “premium” light beers are down as well, some by as much as 7%. To paraphrase the famous Captain Renault scene from Casablanca: Captain Renault: ”I’m shocked, shocked to find that light beer sales are falling. Waiter: “Here’s your Sam Adams Captain.”

My First Month at Microsoft

Thom — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:45:42 +0000

I didn't have this verbatim conversation per se - but it aptly captures the work intensity here at Microsoft.

Somehow I made it through the gauntlet of interviews and Microsoft decided to hire me. Yea, I don’t believe it either. Even after a month, it still feels a little unreal each morning when I swipe my badge – I keep waiting for the light to turn red and for someone to come out and say this has all been a big mistake and that they’ll have to take my badge….But so far it hasn’t happened.

Interviewing at Microsoft – Part 2

Thom — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:58:45 +0000

For the record I was never asked this question by Microsoft. Cartoon used with permission of www.SavageChickens.com

Part II: The Day of the Interview. I got to the Microsoft lobby about 10 minutes early. After a somewhat anxious period of waiting in the reception room, I began the interview loop. I ended up interviewing with five people – some were managers, some were peers and some were dotted-line managers with whom I’d be working with as part of a matrixed organization. (read Part I here)