ShadowRAM: June 30, 2008

Not The Usual Pitch
• Solution providers are always seeking ways to market themselves and inspire loyalty in their customers. Solution provider Sam Ruggeri, president of Advanced Vision Technology Group in Hauppauge, N.Y., hit upon the perfect way to do both: For the past three years, Ruggeri has held a "customer appreciation event" at Shea Stadium for a New York Mets game. This year's event attracted 45 customers, employees and vendors. Ruggeri says he tries not to make the event a sales pitch, but rather a reward for being a good customer in the past. At the June 11 game, Ruggeri, center, chats with Tom Goldrick, retired chairman and CEO of State Bank of Long Island, and Julio Carbonell, CIO of the ASPCA. Thankfully, Advanced Vision Technology Group is doing better than the Mets these days. The team jumped out to a 4-0 lead after seven innings but lost in 10. Mets fans went home disappointed, but to paraphrase an old saying: A bad day at the ballpark is better than a good day in the office.

Thanks For The Memories, Bill
• After 33 years on the job, Bill Gates' tenure as a full-time Microsoft employee ended on June 27. Before he left, we asked—and answered—10 questions on whether he should stay or go. Here's our top 10. Go to channelweb.com for the in-depth scoop.

Reasons he should go: 1. He'll save money on gas. 2. No more European Union-induced migraines. 3. No more U.S. government-induced migraines. 4. It's time for a new Microsoft icon. 5. Steve Ballmer wants to fly solo. 6. People might forget about the mug shot (for his 1997 arrest for a traffic violation). 7. No more Microsoft Bob jokes.

8. Windows 7 might bomb more than Vista. 9. Windows Vista's Sasquatch-like footprint. 10. He's already shown he can change the world.

Reasons he should stay: 1. Gates' departure could rock the boat. 2. Gates could right the Windows ship. 3. Windows 7 could be a game-changer. 4. Gates learns from his mistakes. 5. To kick Cisco's butt in unified communications. 6. Gates loves fielding tough questions. 7. To get better at "Guitar Hero" (from his CES 2008 keynote, where he lost the challenge). 8. To lead Microsoft into the cloud. 9. To finally overtake Google in search. 10. To remain close to Microsoft's art collection.

Seen And Heard
• Microsoft's Mac Business Unit kicked off the biggest hiring spree in its 11 years of existence. Ironically, its attempts to lure talent sound a lot like Apple's own efforts to highlight its position as the Arthur Fonzarelli of the industry. In a recent post to the Office of the Mac Team Blog, Craig Eisler, general manager of the unit, announced the hiring campaign and highlighted the group's uniqueness. "We are the brightest, coolest and most interesting business unit at Microsoft—if we do say so ourselves," Eisler said. Although tongue-in-cheek, Eisler's description is reminiscent of Apple's tendency to contrast its own coolness with Microsoft's plodding nerdiness. But to Apple partners, the coming expansion of the Mac Business Unit is a sign of the robust health of their preferred platform. George Swords, marketing manager at PowerMacPac, an Apple solution provider in Portland, Ore., says the addition of support for Exchange in the iPhone and the coming proliferation of other iPhone apps will keep Microsoft's Mac Business Unit pretty busy. "Microsoft needs to compete in a space of growth since the PC market is in a state of decline, and I'm sure they're looking at writing applications for the iPhone," he said.