Comments on: BizSpark vs. Empower http://47hats.com/2008/11/bizspark-vs-empower/ Bob Walsh Fri, 18 May 2012 17:40:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Sean Johnson http://47hats.com/2008/11/bizspark-vs-empower/comment-page-1/#comment-29775 Sean Johnson Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:51:01 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=763#comment-29775 I think Microsoft is missing the point with BizSpark. The reason Code Monkeys don't use Microsoft platforms after they escape to the startup or microISV is that they don't have to anymore. It's not just because of cost. In the corporate world, Microsoft is seen as safe. It has a big corporation and big license costs behind it to prove that. Microsoft isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In the world of startups and microISVs open source is seen as safe because you have the code, you can fix a showstopper yourself (or pay someone to fix it) , no one can change the licensing terms, no one can screw you over. It's about freedom, not cost. It's also about shedding the trappings of the Code Monkey life. You don't still wear a tie and commute 2 hours and work in a cubicle 9-5 under fluorescent lights when you start working for yourself. You change all that. Changing your tools and platform is as much a part of changing your mindset as losing the tie is. Finally, it's about picking a community that you are going to participate in. If I'm building desktop Windows applications then it probably doesn't make sense to eschew Microsoft tools and platforms. But where am I going to have the best conversations about what it takes to launch a 2 person SaaS play? At Microsoft's PDC or RailsConf? RailsConf of course. Most "nights and weekends" Rails developers are Java or .NET guys in their day jobs. It's not about reusing skills and being afraid to learn something new. It's about something stimulating and better and new and community and it's about what's cool and fun and not cool and fun. That's what Microsoft needs to tackle to make BizSpark (or something like it) successful. -Sean I think Microsoft is missing the point with BizSpark. The reason Code Monkeys don’t use Microsoft platforms after they escape to the startup or microISV is that they don’t have to anymore. It’s not just because of cost.

In the corporate world, Microsoft is seen as safe. It has a big corporation and big license costs behind it to prove that. Microsoft isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In the world of startups and microISVs open source is seen as safe because you have the code, you can fix a showstopper yourself (or pay someone to fix it) , no one can change the licensing terms, no one can screw you over.

It’s about freedom, not cost.

It’s also about shedding the trappings of the Code Monkey life. You don’t still wear a tie and commute 2 hours and work in a cubicle 9-5 under fluorescent lights when you start working for yourself. You change all that. Changing your tools and platform is as much a part of changing your mindset as losing the tie is.

Finally, it’s about picking a community that you are going to participate in. If I’m building desktop Windows applications then it probably doesn’t make sense to eschew Microsoft tools and platforms. But where am I going to have the best conversations about what it takes to launch a 2 person SaaS play? At Microsoft’s PDC or RailsConf? RailsConf of course.

Most “nights and weekends” Rails developers are Java or .NET guys in their day jobs. It’s not about reusing skills and being afraid to learn something new. It’s about something stimulating and better and new and community and it’s about what’s cool and fun and not cool and fun. That’s what Microsoft needs to tackle to make BizSpark (or something like it) successful.

-Sean

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