The Code Trip
I’ve heard a few mentions of this over the last couple weeks, so finally went over to https://thecodetrip.com/ to check it out.
I have to say, I was rather amazed at how much they copied the AIR bus tour by Adobe this past summer. There’s a field to submit suggestions on the site, so I did so, saying “I suggest a more original idea. This was just done by Adobe. It’s really rather shocking that you would copy it so blatantly.”
I’m not trying to be a Microsoft basher here. Arguments about what computer, operating system, software company is “better” are pretty boring to me. But I really am pretty astounded that they would copy something so blatantly.
Surprisingly, Tim Heuer from Microsoft, apparently the main guy who is running the Code Trip, answered be back directly, with a pretty even handed and well thought out response. From his viewpoint, the idea of traveling around the country visiting customers is not an original idea, and is something Microsoft has been doing for years. True enough, but I don’t think any software company has painted a large recreational vehicle and done a cross country road trip, including “podcasting, video blogging, creating applications on the fly, streaming from the RV” before the AIR tour.
My point in response was, again, not to bash Microsoft for being evil, but to point out that MS already has a bit of a reputation for being a copycat. (If anyone from MS wants to defend this, just know that it’s not my accusation, but pretty well established public opinion.) I don’t see that a move like this helps this reputation at all, only enforces it.
Anyway, good luck to them. If it comes to Boston, I might even drop by and say hi.
[Addition later in the day]
So Tim wrote back and happened to mention something called “MSFT Across America”. A quick Google search brought up the following link, from 2004!
https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/oct04/10-05msacrossamericapr.mspx
Including this photo:
Wow. If I weren’t so full of turkey, I might have to eat a bit of crow. 😉