MSFT's War on #13

[Chad Harris]

***MSFT is Discriminating against the # 13***:

Is there no Building #13 on the Redmond Campus?

What's all this discrimination against the #13 on the part of big ole MSFT?

Is big bad MSFT Redmond Marketers done got sckeeered of lil ol #13?

I done noticed today a whole passle 'o articles on the coming Office 14.
How it done got a full complement of MDM aka Master Data Management in its
CTP comin' first quarter of 2008. It sure seems like Office 2007 released
not to long ago which was Office 12. Master data management is technology
that allows for the management of common reference data across disparate IT
systems or groups. So what's up with ole intrpepid MSFT? Has their
marketers done got afraid of lil ol #13? I know about the Beta of 12. I
know 12 released. Did they slip 13 onto the market and beta it lightning
quick and I done missed it?


A New Hint of What's Coming (and when) in Office 14
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=728

What is MDM
http://blogs.technet.com/patricg/archive/2007/09/19/microsoft-master-data-management.aspx

MSFT Acquires Stratature
http://www.stratature.com/tabid/260/default.aspx

CH

 

[DP]

Whether what you're saying about MS is true or not, I dunno.
But jeez, that sort of stuff has been around for years. In the old days
there were lots of skyscrapers that didn't have a 13th floor for just that
very reason. That may still be the case, as far as I know.
It all sounds silly, I know, but this isn't just Microsoft's bag.

 

[Chad Harris]

DP--

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw that.

This made me wonder how many modern buildings including hotels and mixed use
buildings going up don't have a #13. It's hardly just MSFT (although I was
poking fun at them because Mary Jo's article assumed it was normal to go
from 12 to 14 without a blink).

Tour of Buildings on the MSFT Campus (Where's Building #13?)

http://www.dylangreene.com/2/409-Microsoft-Campus-Tour

CH

 

[Robert Firth]

I know someone doing the copper work for the plumbing in a brand new
skyscraper hotel in San Francisco. Same deal, no 13th floor. And I worked in
a building once on the 14th floor - which was actually the 13th floor. So it
is actually pretty common.

 

[Chad Harris]

I'm going to keep track of the buildings I'm in but I'm betting it's the
same deal all over. No one wants a 13th floor and the real estate
agents/brokers will probably tell me they couldn't rent them if they had
them.

In one city there's a stretch of over 50 high rises going up within 7 miles
on one street and I bet I find out none of them has Lucky 13.

CH

 

[Charlie Tame]

I know someone doing the copper work for the plumbing in a brand new
skyscraper hotel in San Francisco. Same deal, no 13th floor. And I
worked in a building once on the 14th floor - which was actually the
13th floor. So it is actually pretty common.

Building 13 is actually signposted as "Activation / WGA Center" which is
why nobody talks about it...

 

[dennis@home]

Whether what you're saying about MS is true or not, I dunno.
But jeez, that sort of stuff has been around for years. In the old days
there were lots of skyscrapers that didn't have a 13th floor for just that
very reason. That may still be the case, as far as I know.
It all sounds silly, I know, but this isn't just Microsoft's bag.

There is *only one* unlucky thing in life and that is being superstitious.

 

[Chad Harris]

It's also terribly relevant that MSFT just announced that Steve Ballmer's
pay package for 2007 is valued at $1.3 million, so obviously some Softies
aren't afraid of the #13 when it's green paper.

Microsoft awards CEO Ballmer pay package valued at $1.3 million
http://bink.nu/news/microsoft-awards-ceo-ballmer-pay-package-valued-at-1-3-million.aspx

CH