Well, it’s possible some of us might have seen this coming: Mini-Microsoft has announced he’ll be stepping down, taking an indefinite break as the voice of dissent from within Microsoft.
He says that he’s had obvious weariness and a lack of passion, and it is clear to him that a break is needed, or at least a dial-back from intense, heavy blogging.
A stark realization came to me when the review performance model changed. The dreaded trended 3.0 is finally gone! Finally. Gone. Why wasn’t I shaking my boo-tay and dancing around like Tony Manero? Amidst all of the great changes and the cheering, my heart felt heavy. Something’s not right, and I don’t feel right with myself. And that means to me that I’ve got to hit the breaks and engage in some deep reflection. Victory as cheery as a wake? No, something’s wrong. I’ve got a few clues, and none of them make me feel proud of myself.
I’m glad to hear that Mini is doing what he feels is right, and not continuing out of a feeling of obligation. Lately, I’ve been trying not to post needlessly, when I’m not motivated, and I find that when I do get back to posting, my writing has gotten back on track. It’s something all bloggers should consider. Even taking off weekends, or a day or two, can be a real help to getting your head back in the game. I hope Mini comes back, but if he doesn’t, he goes out a winner.
The one thing I don’t like: As much as Mini was a voice of reason, he was also a public sandbox for anonymous comments by Microsoft employees. Where will they go, now that their hero is gone, and there is no place for him to voice his complaints? I recommend Mini take on an extra contributor or two, if only to open up new threads of discussion. It doesn’t have to be a person who can contribute in the way he has, but just someone who can moderate the conversation. Microsofties need to vent, now, as much as ever.
(via TechMeme)
Nathan Weinberg writes the popular InsideGoogle blog, offering the latest news and insights about Google and search engines.
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