Comment Feed for Channel 9 - Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine http://ecn.channel9.msdn.com/o9/previewImages/100/183324_100x75.jpg Channel 9 - Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine Meet Betsy Aoki, self-appointed queen of Microsoft employee blog sites and principal program manager for Gotdotnet (when Charles and Jennifer caught up with her) and now program manager in MSN working on Windows Live. http://blogs.msdn.com/betsya/  From her magenta hair to her magenta personality, this is one of Jenny’s favorite WM_IN technology interviews to date.  You go Betsy!  en Mon, 20 May 2013 21:52:17 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 21:52:17 GMT Rev9 Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine posted by Zeo

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821051000000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 18:31:40 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821051000000000 Zeo Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
blatzcoder wrote:
 First post!


Please don't start this...

posted by Harlequin

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821052210000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 18:33:41 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821052210000000 Harlequin Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Zeo wrote:
 Betsy sure is cool! It's nice to finally see her on Channel 9.


Yeah. It's a shame it's taken so long, but she's been really busy revolutionizing the way Microsoft employees interact with customers. Make no mistake. If it wasn't for the pioneering work of Betsy this whole MS Blogging thing would not be where it is today. Thanks, Betsy!

PS: Please stop posting if you have nothing to say. Going forward, I am going to delete "First Post!" rubbish. Clear?

C

posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821057300000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 18:42:10 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821057300000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine :D:D


Regards,
Vincent

posted by Xaero_Vincent

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821178920000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:04:52 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821178920000000 Xaero_Vincent Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Xaero_Vincent wrote:
 Hey do you think we can have a C9 video on Erika Wiechers?


Regards,
Vincent


Why?
C

posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821185210000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:15:21 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821185210000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
just kidding...

Interesting person, nice vid.

posted by LaBomba

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821186580000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:17:38 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821186580000000 LaBomba Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821190090000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:23:29 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821190090000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Charles wrote:

Xaero_Vincent wrote:  Hey do you think we can have a C9 video on Erika Wiechers?


Regards,
Vincent


Why?
C


Two questions...

a) is the person in question a microsoft employee? (she most likely is)

b) is the person in question a female, ie. a candidate for a WM_IN video? (Judging by the name she most likely is)

What more do you need to know "C"?

posted by LaBomba

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191160000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:25:16 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191160000000 LaBomba Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Charles wrote:


PS: Please stop posting if you have nothing to say. Going forward, I am going to delete "First Post!" rubbish. Clear?

C


OMG.  Thank you Charles!  U the man.

posted by staceyw

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191520000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:25:52 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191520000000 staceyw Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine Off to google ahem, er MSN Search to find out more about this Erika Wechers...

posted by LaBomba

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191870000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:26:27 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821191870000000 LaBomba Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Charles wrote:
 She's not a Microsoft employee... When somebody makes a request for a video interviewee, I like to know why.


That is interesting.  I always assumed (watching the .Net Show) that she was.  Why did they not use a MS person for that?  Cheers.

posted by staceyw

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821193260000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:28:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821193260000000 staceyw Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
staceyw wrote:

Charles wrote:  She's not a Microsoft employee... When somebody makes a request for a video interviewee, I like to know why.


That is interesting.  I always assumed (watching the .Net Show) that she was.  Why did they not use a MS person for that?  Cheers.


She was a Microsoft employee. She is now a vendor.
C

posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821193770000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:29:37 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821193770000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine posted by mbergal

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821195020000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:31:42 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821195020000000 mbergal Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
LaBomba wrote:
 This'll be interesting...

"From her magenta hair to her magenta personality"

"C" what do you mean, define magenta personality?


Jennifer writes the descriptions for WM_IN posts. Ritzi, what does magenta personality mean?
C

posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821198910000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:38:11 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821198910000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine This'll be interesting...

"From her magenta hair to her magenta personality"

"C" what do you mean, define magenta personality?

posted by LaBomba

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821199350000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:38:55 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821199350000000 LaBomba Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Charles wrote:

Why?
C


Actually I was just joking. But now that you ask, it would be interesting to know what she does at Microsoft besides being a newscaster on the .NET show. The other reason is because she's very pretty and I'm interesting to know what pretty women do at Microsoft.

But hey... "NO" works just fine for me.

/me shuts up!


Regards,
Vincent

posted by Xaero_Vincent

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821202050000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:43:25 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821202050000000 Xaero_Vincent Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Xaero_Vincent wrote:

Charles wrote:
Why?
C

other reason is because she's very pretty and I'm interesting to know what pretty women do at Microsoft.


I think the triple smileys gave that away my friend. Wink

posted by LaBomba

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821211380000000 Mon, 01 May 2006 22:58:58 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821211380000000 LaBomba Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine http://channel9hawk.wordpress.com/2006/05/02/channel9-the-betsy-aoki-interview/.

I'm going to be doing a blog post for each video going forward!Big Smile

posted by Channel9hawk

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821272730000000 Tue, 02 May 2006 00:41:13 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821272730000000 Channel9hawk Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
staceyw wrote:

Charles wrote: 

PS: Please stop posting if you have nothing to say. Going forward, I am going to delete "First Post!" rubbish. Clear?

C
OMG.  Thank you Charles!  U the man.
Here, here! I cannot tell you the number of times I have witnessed this happening. Quite distracting to say the least. Fine video, Charles.

posted by ShakesPeer

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821287510000000 Tue, 02 May 2006 01:05:51 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821287510000000 ShakesPeer Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
However, there was one exchange in this interview that concerned me.

I liked Betsy's answer to his question of why the tech industry is so male dominated. Even though she spent much of her answer strategizing for how to get more women into the field, she did come to the negative anti-social stereotype, and refuting it.

But then he comes back with weak stuff -- about Betsy not being a coder, and that most MS employees are not coders, so women don't need be afraid to join Microsoft. I like Betsy's take better -- that there is no need to be afraid of coding. His implication seemed to be that somehow coding is scarier for women, so they might want to avoid it!

posted by inviso

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821376020000000 Tue, 02 May 2006 03:33:22 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821376020000000 inviso Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine posted by eagle

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821874190000000 Tue, 02 May 2006 17:23:39 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821874190000000 eagle Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine job at Microsoft... but I had enough chats with her about Visual Basic .NET, that I know she can code Smiley

Check out her article on MSDN

posted by Duncanma

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821976980000000 Tue, 02 May 2006 20:14:58 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632821976980000000 Duncanma Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
inviso wrote:


But then he comes back with weak stuff -- about Betsy not being a coder, and that most MS employees are not coders, so women don't need be afraid to join Microsoft. I like Betsy's take better -- that there is no need to be afraid of coding. His implication seemed to be that somehow coding is scarier for women, so they might want to avoid it!



Perhaps you've misinterpreted my statements as I certainly do not think that writing code is any more scary to a female who doesn't know how to write code than a male...

My point was that you can still work at Microsoft (and in the industry) if you are not an engineer... Attracting more women to technical roles is the order of the day. The question in why are women not attracted to this industry to the degree that men are? As far as the small software engineering talent pool, this is a problem that spans genders. Fact is, the US is producing less and less engineers each year.

Writing software is gender neutral. Can I be more clear?

Again, most job roles at MS do not require that the employee in that role spend time in an IDE designing, writing and debugging code...

Perhaps it didn't come out right in my answer.

C

posted by Charles

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632822922100000000 Wed, 03 May 2006 22:30:10 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632822922100000000 Charles Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Charles wrote:


Writing software is gender neutral. Can I be more clear?



Maybe you're wrong. Proponents of the functional programming methods of Matthias Felleisen claim that women find them easier to learn. If Felleisen is right, the new features of C# should make it possible to create programming courses that women might be more enthusiastic about.

I've gone through the book A Little Java A Few Patterns by Felleisen and Daniel P. Friedman and done the exercises with C#. Its quite eye-opening.

posted by tourist

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632825187490000000 Sat, 06 May 2006 13:25:49 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632825187490000000 tourist Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine

posted by BlogusMaximus

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632832178980000000 Sun, 14 May 2006 15:38:18 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632832178980000000 BlogusMaximus Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine
Xaero_Vincent wrote:
 Hey do you think we can have a C9 video on Erika Wiechers?


Regards,
Vincent


Yes, I'd love to see her in C9 video.

posted by wyattwong

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632848302390000000 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:30:39 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632848302390000000 wyattwong Re: Betsy Aoki: Not just a cog in this huge machine http://blogs.msdn.com/betsya/ doesn't exist !

posted by wyattwong

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632848304150000000 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:33:35 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/WM_IN/Betsy-Aoki-Not-just-a-cog-in-this-huge-machine#c632848304150000000 wyattwong