Bas said:

I'd like to see more Ballmer. That last keynote he did with Guy Kawasaki was incredible. He didn't speak any manager garbage and handled a lot of hardball questions perfectly. If we could get an interview with him that's a bit like that, that'd be great. Although I doubt if anyone from C9 would ask him the kind of questions he was asked there.

Hey, you know what'd be great? Questions from the audience. That was the best bit from that keynote, and I'm sure a lot of us have some tough and interesting questions for him. Compile a list of questions from niners, and present them to Ballmer. The ultimate conversation with Microsoft. It's what C9 is all about, right?

vesuvius said:

Bas said:

*snip*

I don't think that Kawasaki Keynote is repeatable. It really was a one off. You could watch it now and it would still be amazing. They could script it, and try and follow the same formula, but I don't think it'd be the same. They are right when they say that the keynote was legendary, certainly one of the most illuminating keynotes hitherto.

In some ways, it illustrates the value of getting "outsiders" especially from people like Apple. Sometimes Microsoft interviews lack the "bite" that you get when everyone is "singing off the same hymn sheet", hence people start saying it is a PR exercise.

Apart from the Somas, Guthries, and Ozzies, I find that the technical fellows make for the best interviews. Whether it's Burton Smith, Heijlsberg or John Shewchuk. If you really want to know Microsoft, head straight for these guys, they are the guys I respect the most.

littleguru said:

vesuvius said:

*snip*

*cough* *cough* I have seen Bill very recently... Stay tuned.