Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie isn't normally one to give interviews, but the man himself did find a bit of time recently to chat with Om Malik of GigaOM, where he talked about the economics of cloud computing and the relevance of the desktop, among a myriad of other topics. On that latter point, Ozzie says up front that a student today or a web startup "don't actually start at the desktop. They start at the web," but he goes on to say that while there are things that the web is good for "that doesn't necessarily mean that for all those things that the desktop is not good anymore. What I think is important is to re-pivot the center of what we are trying to accomplish." On the topic of cloud computing, Ozzie goes so far as to say that he thinks "all of these utility-computing services, as they're born will either be breaking even or profitable," adding that "at the scale that we're talking about, nobody can afford, (even Microsoft) can't afford to do it at a loss." Of course, he goes on to elaborate further on that and other subjects, so be sure to hit up the link below for the complete interview.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andrew @ Mar 10th 2008 3:32PM
*yawns*
anonymous @ Mar 10th 2008 8:04PM
*reads your comment*
*barfs*
Andrew @ Mar 11th 2008 12:07AM
Come on man, I set you up for a grand slam and that's the best thing you could come up with?
Blake Bowen @ Mar 10th 2008 3:35PM
Is anyone saying the desktop is irrelevant? I think the desktop will be relevant all the way up until we can open any folder or file instantly with our thoughts.
Tiptup300 @ Mar 10th 2008 9:01PM
Might have to make sure not to think much of *that* folder.
Niraj @ Mar 10th 2008 3:39PM
It's Om Malik...there's no c.
Paul @ Mar 10th 2008 4:29PM
Is it just me, or could that pass for a photo of a young Dick Cheney?
james @ Mar 10th 2008 6:19PM
Wait did you say young?
Ty @ Mar 11th 2008 10:07AM
Yes as in not undead.
Dale @ Mar 10th 2008 4:44PM
Wow ... he sounds just as clueless as all the other MS execs.
josh @ Mar 10th 2008 4:54PM
wow... have you read anything by him other than the abstract engadget posted of the interview? He has a pretty good handle on things, and seems to actually be one of the few people in the industry who isn't rushing to create a shitty javascript equivalent of a thick client app, but rather looks at how the web can make desktop applications better when it makes sense, and when it makes sense to actually migrate entirely onto the web.
Dale @ Mar 10th 2008 5:02PM
I have, and that's the problem. He sounds like MS has assimilated him into the low-oxygen thinking they have demonstrated in the past 4 years. I mean, can you say something like "What I think is important is to re-pivot the center of what we are trying to accomplish." without choking on your own vomit?
Jubei @ Mar 10th 2008 5:32PM
Very clear assessment of the MS executive team. Perhaps one word sums it all up. "Clueless"
fred @ Mar 10th 2008 5:30PM
"Wow ... he sounds just as clueless as all the other MS execs."
Ok, then just pretend that the quote was from an Apple exec, and then act like it was the most brilliant thing ever said.
Kevin @ Mar 10th 2008 6:14PM
It's a tragedy that Ray got bought up by Microsoft. I respect him a lot, and I can't see him being able to deliver what he's capable of at MS. They've crippled him. But on the other hand - he can only have a positive influence on them.
james @ Mar 10th 2008 6:23PM
I'm surprised we haven't moved to web based interfaces already. There's no reason why the Desktop UI couldn't be written and modified web interfaces.
zoara @ Mar 10th 2008 6:50PM
Please, whatever you do, don't attempt any UI design. Ever. Thanks.