Carolyn Napier: Developing for Windows and Playing Pro Football (Channel 9)

Carolyn Napier is a 9 year Microsoft veteran and she’s actually one of the truly technical women we’ve interviewed on WM_IN in a while (a former programmer she’s now a principal development lead on the Windows Application Platform team within the Core Operating System Division), but watch the whole interview and towards the end you’ll get the real scoop on Carolyn which really excited both Charles and Ritzy: Carolyn is a PROFESSIONAL football player!! Carolyn’s a member of The Seattle Majestics, the local women’s professional football team where she plays a rover on defense and a wide receiver on offense. This isn’t flag football, this is serious hardcore tackle football that is played with NFL’s regular rules (yes, she has a lot of bruises!). And guess what? As an athlete, there are many analogies Carolyn can draw between things that happen on the job and things that happen on the field. Go number 29!

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MotoWilliams

May 22, 2008 at 3:54 PM

Wow, does the video really need to flirt w/ 1 Gig?
Charles Welcome Change

May 22, 2008 at 3:56 PM

MotoWilliams wrote:

Wow, does the video really need to flirt w/ 1 Gig?

For a 2.5 mbs WMV bit rate? Yes. It does. This is why we provide a low res version as well.

C
Zeo Channel 9 :)

May 22, 2008 at 5:13 PM

Very cool video and interview. I'm happy to see the WM_IN series continue.

Cool to see that Carol was an intern before she joined Microsoft....it was funny to hear that her only previous work experience was baby sitting...she must have really been impressive during her interviews....cuz she definitely comes across as being smart.

I did find it a little bit annoying that Ritzy was chewing gum doing the interview. :O Also the sweatshirt came across as being very laid back.... almost too laid back.

I was surprised to learn that MSI came in Windows 2000. I thought it was in windows NT 3.51..

Very cool to hear about the binary that she wrote for XP.

Funny that Carol's husband works in Office...I wonder if they share the confidential product plans between each other when they get home at night.

Crazy to hear about all of the re-orgs her team has been through...nuts.

I like Carol's honesty about their being very few Women in COSD...I find that honestly refreshing....Charles you went a little strong on defending Vista....and oops you mentioned Windows 7....that had to be irritating to PR.

I still find it perplexing that the PMs are gaining more and more power than the Devs in Windows....much in the way that the PMs have more power in Office....what does that mean for the innovation coming out of Windows when meeting the schedule is such a big focus...vs...innovation taking time.

I laughed when I heard Charles say that managers can threaten a "bad review" and that would somehow motivate an employee....I'm happy Charles you aren't my manager....hehehe

Charles why did you have to bring up the cup topic....jeez...Ritzy's head almost exploded....there were definitely some awkward moments during this interview...the Rhythm was definitely off at times...and it seemed like it was dragging on and on...endlessly.

Carol you talked about how blogs are providing a new kind of transparency to Microsoft…so where is your blog or your husband’s blog?

I can't wait for the next WM_IN video.
Charles Welcome Change

May 22, 2008 at 6:44 PM

Thanks for the feedback, Zeo! Yeah, sometimes conversations go the way they go. We don't rehearse any of this... I really enjoyed this conversation. Re Vista: Yep. I'm a big fan. Certainly, it's not perfect, but it really is our best client OS, from an OS perspective. Give it time. And we can mention Windows 7, just not talk about the unbaked, non-public aspects of it... Windows World owns Windows information dissemination. Not Channel 9...

C
Ritzy

May 23, 2008 at 10:25 PM

When I watched the video later I realized I should have spit my gum out! Whoops.
umer_a Mario be on XBOX one day.

May 24, 2008 at 12:42 AM

One question missing was women playing soccer alongside men as they do work in software development. In tennis there is such a competetion and Fifa can stage Women World Champions against the World Champions, Italy.

If Mia Hamm and Del Piero can play on the same ground, the interest count can outnumber any release of Windows or Office.
Professional Sports Fan

Nov 16, 2010 at 9:59 PM

I was able to live my dream of playing in front of thousands of people every week over a ten-year period.