The new package from Intel, which is called Suite Two, emerged to mixed reviews from the blogosphere yesterday.
Intel’s own Josh Bancroft wrote about the high cost of the software bundle, and cited all the wonderful free, open-source software out there that accomplishes the same goals. He also points out that the lack of open-source software in the bundle means that custom support will cost big bucks and users are completely at the mercy of the software developers when it comes to features.
He also castigates the Suite Two website for not having an RSS feed, citing Robert Scoble’s post saying that anyone who launches a marketing website without an RSS feed should be fired.
I get Bancroft’s concern about open-source software. I personally think that the open-source software movement rocks. I love that I can get advice and awesome plugins for my Firefox from a million different braniacs all over the world.
But that’s not the way people do business. Intel critic Matthew Ingram wrote that the corporate crowd is so “slow-moving and dim-witted” that they
need the Intel brand to get comfortable with anything new. I suppose that’s one way to look at it. But it’s not very apt.
Most business types want to work with a recognized software firm they because they need to know who to call for support, and who to hold liable if software fails them. Also, lots of business people freak out when they’re offered something (great software) for nothing ($0). In business, it’s almost always sensible to assume that “if something is too good to be true, it usually is.”
And sometimes, business people don’t want to be bothered with the geekery and know-how involved with going out there and finding cool software like Wordpress Multi-User, MediaWiki and Feedburner. They’re busy. They want a comprehensive, packaged, one-stop software solution that offers everything they need to start leveraging emerging technologies right out of the box. That’s what they’re really paying for here. That doesn’t make them “dim-witted,” it makes them good business people. Instead of worrying about gaining expertise in a new area, they’re outsourcing it so that they can continue to focus on what they do best.
Ingram also wonders whether Intel was getting desperate. He can’t wrap his brain around why they would bundle and sell software that they weren’t directly profiting from. He speculates that Intel is just trying to get some cool “Web 2.0 pixie dust” by associating themselves with the next-gen geeks.
DL Byron, who is very tight with Movable Type manufacturer Six Apart, shed some light on that question for me. “Intel is an investor in Six Apart,” he explained, “that’s what people are missing.”
Do I think there are some downsides to this bundle? Absolutely. Am I mostly optimistic about its impact on business blogging? You bet your sweet bippy.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Janet 11.14.06 at 9:03 pm
I’d be interested in your opinions and your readers opinions of the recent developments on Intel’s blogs…
Once more tightly controlled than certain body parts, the software group has recently made noises to become more authentic in the blogosphere. (No doubt, in response to Matthew Ingram’s comments and more…)
So they’ve done things like send attendees to the recent Blog Business Summit, and hire people like Byron (who did an amazing and publicly lauded job for Intel Corp’s IT blog) and me (Intel’s Software Network group) to help them out.
Why is it that a company with a well-respected brand (Intel inside is widely recognized as an ingredient brand to emulate) has such a bad reputation in the blogosphere for just being mouthpieces to the corporate PR group?
Is it an oxymoron, or do we need to make room for different blog strategies like we make room for different people in our lives?
I’d really be interested in your thoughts.
Janet 11.14.06 at 9:04 pm
I’d be interested in your opinions and your readers opinions of the recent developments on Intel’s blogs…
Once more tightly controlled than certain body parts, the software group has recently made noises to become more authentic in the blogosphere. (No doubt, in response to Matthew Ingram’s comments and more…)
So they’ve done things like send attendees to the recent Blog Business Summit, and hire people like Byron (who did an amazing and publicly lauded job for Intel Corp’s IT blog) and me (Intel’s Software Network group) to help them out.
Why is it that a company with a well-respected brand (Intel inside is widely recognized as an ingredient brand to emulate) has such a bad reputation in the blogosphere for just being mouthpieces to the corporate PR group?
Is it an oxymoron, or do we need to make room for different blog strategies like we make room for different people in our lives?
I’d really be interested in your thoughts.