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I posted a comment to FriendFeed early today linking to an interview with Microsoft’s Debra Chrapaty where she said in a video Microsoft would be building a data center in Iowa. I’ve been waiting to hear more details since that comment before blogging but have heard nothing.

So if Microsoft invests in their new Iowa data center in the same manner as they traditionally have - we could see a $500 million facility coming our way. If Microsoft is going to reach their goal of having “many millions of servers” and competing with Google’s infrastructure this is the course they need to take.

No word as of yet on location… Why Iowa? Cheap(er) power, Cheap(er) labor, centralized location. Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said technology based companies look at Iowa because of the well educated work force and good training programs at community colleges (via Chicago Tribune). According to the Des Moines Register, the tax benefits are the same as the deal Google got in Council Bluffs…

The state agreed to provide sales and use tax exemptions on purchases of computers, equipment and electricity necessary for use in a Web portal business with an investment of at least $200 million in Iowa.

The technology equipment inside the building also would be exempt from property taxes.

The tax breaks are the same as the ones lawmakers passed last year to lure high-tech giant Google.

More to come as the news unfolds…

UPDATE: I just got word from KCCI the new data center will be located in the Greater Des Moines area…

Iowa Department of Economic Development spokeswoman Stephanie Bjornson said the company confirmed Tuesday its intentions to locate the center in the Des Moines area.

She said they are looking at a final list of sites.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver had this to say…

“On behalf of all Iowans, let me be among the first to say ‘Microsoft, Welcome to Iowa!’ In making its decision, Microsoft recognized what we in Iowa have known all along – our workforce and quality of life is second-to-none. One of my top priorities as Governor is to create good jobs with good wages, and together with Microsoft, we’re doing just that,” said Iowa Gov. Chet Culver. “Their decision to make Iowa their newest home will have a tremendous impact on our local economy and our state as a whole. Microsoft’s innovative spirit is a perfect match with that of our hard working people. We look forward to working with Microsoft in the coming months as this project takes shape, and expand our economic opportunities here in Iowa.”

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Yes… I had the president of a software development company tell me (in anger), “It’s not rocket science” after asking me why a deliverable was late. “I only see one form here, how can it be that hard?”, he said. At that time I was Project Manager and Software Engineer at a product development firm here in Des Moines. The president was not a programmer.

That brings up a question posed today by Mary-Jo Foley as Bill Gates prepares to leave Microsoft: “Do you need to be a programmer to run a software company?“. This is reference to Bill’s attention to detail to the software being built by his engineers.

Joel Spolsky wrote about it today, asking “How Hard Could It Be?” in his Inc.com column. Joel was a program manager of the Excel team in the early 1990’s and tells a great story that, to me, sums up Bill’s passion and persistence as the leader of a software company. Joel summed up my frustration (and likely many other developers’) of working for a software development company whose leaders know little to nothing about software devlopment:

“Watching nonprogrammers trying to run software companies is like watching someone who doesn’t know how to surf trying to surf. Even if he has great advisers standing on the shore telling him what to do, he still falls off the board again and again. The cult of the M.B.A. likes to believe that you can run organizations that do things that you don’t understand. But often, you can’t.” - Joel Spolsky

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This week my idol, Bill Gates, will retire leaving behind the company that he helped build more than 30 years ago. Last year he announced his planned retirement, and I publicly thanked him… I would like to reiterate one of the points I made in that post: “I don’t care who you are — a Mac fanatic, a Linux geek, or a Windows follower - Bill Gates deserves the utmost respect from business and technology persons of all kinds.”

“Bill embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship that has grown to help define the American economy. He became a hero for millions of geeks all over the world by showing them it is possible. You can do it yourself, sitting in your basement, garage, or kitchen. Through the technology he has created at Microsoft along with the business lessons he has taught us – the idea of entrepreneurship and running your own small business is now a matter of motivation rather than capital expenditure.” - Andy Brudtkuhl

It’s time for the next generation - you and me to follow in the footsteps of the original Pioneer. Bill - thank you for all you have done. I hope you can be a pioneer in the charitable industry and be as successful as you were with Microsoft.

More on Bill’s Legacy:

The secret of Bill Gates’ success - BBC (great videos)
Bill Gates: how a geek changed the world - BBC
Tech luminaries good-byes to Gates - CNET
Bill Gates’ big send-off - CNET
Thanks Bill - GetANewBrowser

Technorati Tags: bill gates, microsoft

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We are two years away (should there be no more delays) from Windows 7, while most people have yet to upgrade to Vista from XP. I have and love it. Vista Rocks. But will Windows 7? It seems like Vista is turning into the ugly stepchild of the Windows family (although he’s got to be cooler than Windows ME). What will Windows 7 bring us that Vista did not? Well here are a few details…

Windows 7 is a *minor update* to Vista
I am not entire sure this constitutes a new version, but whatever … you know Microsoft and their love of versioning the hell out of everything. Basically this means Windows 7 will build on the same driver base as Vista did - hopefully eliminating the same problem Vista had with drivers (although I’ve never had driver issue with any of my Vista machines).

Integrated Virtualization
This is a very cool feature of Windows 7 and I’m sure they borrowed some of the technology from the latest release of Windows Server 2008. Basically this functionality will allow legacy applications (no word on how far back) in a virtualized mode. Again, this will eliminate the other major Vista issue that crippled its adoption. You will be able to run all your older apps and Windows 7 will do its best to reduce any backwards compatibility problems.

Touch Functionality
There have been other versions of Windows that were “touch friendly” although it seems the market did not want that (tablet PC’s). Apparently with the success of the iPhone it seems Microsoft wants to jump back onto the touch bandwagon. I wonder if it will eventually mesh with Microsoft Surface. Altough nothing is that innovative with the initial demo of the touch technology … it is cool nonetheless.

Windows Live Integration
Not sure this is a good idea (Passport anyone?) but they have to push their Windows Live services somehow.

“We have an opportunity to make it much easier for customers to ‘get started’ with Windows Live. Our goal should be to have customers log in, type their Live ID, and then they are automatically ’set up’ with Live. For new machines, we want Windows Live to come with the experience and will consider investments to make this experience easy. For customers who are upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7, we will explore ways to make it easy for them to get Windows Live – particularly for photos, calendar, and movies where our applications complete the experience.”

Link

Again… I don’t think this is something customers want. It’s one of those “Wouldn’t It Be Cool” ideas that does not appear to be useful (see Passport again).

Tighter Integration with Windows Mobile
Don’t get me wrong - Windows Mobile is an awesome mobile platform. And with Windows 7 there will be even tighter integration between the two. By that time it should be Windows Mobile 7.

“Improved collaboration and connectivity between Windows PCs and cell phones is going to get a major shot in the arm with Windows 7, according to Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.” Link

There are several other features coming in Windows 7. You can watch for them with this Fresh Feed. And of course, I’ll keep you posted on anything cool.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7

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