Comments on: More FUD from Redmond http://zenofnptech.org/2007/05/more-fud-from-r.html Thoughtful and sometimes snarky perspectives on nonprofit technology Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:25:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michelle Murrain http://zenofnptech.org/2007/05/more-fud-from-r.html/comment-page-1#comment-176 Michelle Murrain Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:14:39 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=117#comment-176 Wow, Dustin, you have been reading the economist. :-) That's an interesting perspective on the issue - and it makes a lot of sense. The idea of "quantified fear" and it's translation to money is fascinating - and makes me think about all sorts of ways that corporations do that sort of thing... Wow, Dustin, you have been reading the economist. :-) That’s an interesting perspective on the issue – and it makes a lot of sense.

The idea of “quantified fear” and it’s translation to money is fascinating – and makes me think about all sorts of ways that corporations do that sort of thing…

]]> By: Dustin J. Mitchell http://zenofnptech.org/2007/05/more-fud-from-r.html/comment-page-1#comment-175 Dustin J. Mitchell Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:51:18 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=117#comment-175 I think that (more broadly than Microsoft) business is focused on quantified fear -- a.k.a. risk. In high finance, risk is basically currency at this point (I've been reading The Economist -- does it show?). There's a divide that's opened up in the eoncomic world: if you want to make up to a million dollars or so, then do something and do it well (e.g., make functional software). If you want to make 100 million or more, then invest and know your risk. My point is that companies like Microsoft have almost nothing to do with providing good software -- the marginal gain from selling better software is miniscule in comparison with the potential income from spreading some FUD and reaping the benefits as everyone re-evaluates their risk positions. I think that (more broadly than Microsoft) business is focused on quantified fear — a.k.a. risk. In high finance, risk is basically currency at this point (I’ve been reading The Economist — does it show?).

There’s a divide that’s opened up in the eoncomic world: if you want to make up to a million dollars or so, then do something and do it well (e.g., make functional software). If you want to make 100 million or more, then invest and know your risk.

My point is that companies like Microsoft have almost nothing to do with providing good software — the marginal gain from selling better software is miniscule in comparison with the potential income from spreading some FUD and reaping the benefits as everyone re-evaluates their risk positions.

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