Share via

Marketing Eye for the Dev Guy

  • Article

Ok, I'm taking a break from blogging about Gotdotnet today to talk about the idea for a new cable show that sprang upon me like a panther on a protein jag.

It was inspired by Microsoft.com's very own snazzy lead product manager, Dave Morehouse (Microsoft.com communities team). I have to tell you that Dave is a man of substance, suave haircuts, and snazzy shirts, but it's his documentation that always makes me feel unkempt and well, like my specs just don't wash behind their ears. Every time I get a document from Dave I read it, and then I spend literally 5 minutes turning green with envy at how cool the fonts are and how nicely organized everything is. My hair snarls, and I am despondent.

But then he sent me an email - a meeting agenda reminder or some such about RSS - and I was in even deeper despair because his email signature looked so darn cool. See below.

dave morehouse

sr. product manager | smart components & syndication

mscom crm & communities

That's when I decided we need a new cable show "Marketing Eye for the Dev Guy" - except of course, it would involve Dev Girls as well - where we'd have a roving horde of nattily dressed product managers come and spiff up our lives. They'd rewrite our specs so they look as smooth as Scoble's phone and sing like <your favorite band here>. They'd come to our cubicles, scrub out the pizza stains and diet Coke disasters and put up tasteful art and throw out the requirements docs from 1992 that we can't bear to part with.  In my case, they'd untie the knot of cables that threatens to overwhelm my desk and put little rubber organizer loops around them. Also, they'd make our email signatures look cool in every language, even ASCII. :)

They'd hand out certificates for free manicures, pedicures and massages and chide us when we bite our fingernails and reward us when we behave in front of customers with chocolate and perhaps, quality microbrews.

Ok, ok, Gotdotnet is now up and so is Workspaces. Just not officially. We are still doing some tests, but for the most part, your stuff should work. Live it vivid!

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    Thats a cool signature?
    Do his documents have all lower case and random bold too?
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    No, it's hard to truly represent someone's document genius in an HTML world. I'm not even sure the formatting came out right in what I did here.
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    Tidy and spiffy are overrated. Slobs unite! Dave is pretty suave and a snappy dresser.
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    what d<b>o</b> you mean, all <b>low</b>er case and ra<b>ndom b</b>old?

    <thx for the unexpected props in an odd context, btw>
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    The bold is probably his email address dmoreh at microsoft.com.
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2005
    up!
  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2005
    a victory for us "marketing" guys in showing that substance is always trumped by style. <insert ironic grin> Remember: it's not how you feel... it's how you look! (Now what was the name of that Billy Crystal character on SNL a zillion years ago?)
  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2005
    When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
    That's dmoreh
  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2005
    sorry, i don't get it.
  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2005
    Being one of Morehouse's (that what I call him; Morehouse) teammates, I can tell you he is ever bit what Betsy said. The first day he joined our team I thought "Man, I am going to have to dress up more to keep up with this guy". His style does bleed into his communication plans...very sleek, yet welcoming. Maybe he can be our team's Style Expert...I know we could use the help :| He is one heck of a guy, when he looks good, we all look good around here :)

  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2005
    haha - keep 'em out of my office. I don't want to see motivational posters on the walls and little statues about golf on my desk ;-)
  • Anonymous
    February 06, 2006
    Finally, the master has revealed himself.
    My imminently suave co-worker, nicknamed by our director Sandy...
  • Anonymous
    May 29, 2009
    PingBack from http://paidsurveyshub.info/story.php?title=betsy-aoki-s-weblog-marketing-eye-for-the-dev-guy
  • Anonymous
    June 08, 2009
    PingBack from http://hairgrowthproducts.info/story.php?id=4156
  • Anonymous
    June 09, 2009
    PingBack from http://greenteafatburner.info/story.php?id=2047
  • Anonymous
    June 13, 2009
    PingBack from http://gardenstatuesgalore.info/story.php?id=307
  • Anonymous
    June 15, 2009
    PingBack from http://einternetmarketingtools.info/story.php?id=16188