Hey - for those who aren't sure what the heck an RTM is ... it stands for "Release To Market".  In the software trade that means your bazillion hours of pain, suffering, sweat, deceased brain cells are actually going to be put on shelves (or whatever the media that marketing has in mind) and people will actually have it in their hands.

As pointed out - I'm one of the behind the scenes geeks - so I can't discuss half the coolness that goes on with the projects I get to work on unless someone else (approved, sanctioned, what have you) says it first.  James U ... has another posting so I'll share it with you all.

On another front in this area, Microsoft internally "RTM'ed" (Released to Manufacturing) the Windows XP version we are building for the OLPC XO computer. Windows on the XO looks like it is on track for availability in these types of national educational PC deals in September. We still have no plans to make Windows available for individuals who bought an XO in the Give 1 Get 1 program though.

So.... for those who have asked when they're going to see all this coolness we've worked so hard on.... it's on it's way.

Well... the words about to go out - so if you haven't heard it by now here it comes.

Cowboy Bebop is going to made into a live action film.  The guy helming the project is Erwin Stroff who brought us "A Scanner Darkly" which ... is both good news and bad news y'know?    Good news is ... the guy is very faithful to original works.  Bad news is... the guy is obsessed, and willing to make a film so cutting edge, so uber cool, so ... well so "A Scanner Darkly" that it gets all kinds of awards but no one wants to watch it.

Ironically enough - I do see this film taking off, and taking off big time.  But no matter how it plays out - no one will be thrilled with the casting, the story or the way it's being done I'm sure.  So here's my 2 cents for casting suggestions...

Jett Black ... gotta be Ron Perlman.  No one - no one can do the part more justice than he can.

Everyone else - I can't get a solid lead on.  So I'm going to lean on them going with really talented unknowns.  Spike Seigel ... I really don't know.  I'll be honest this is going to depend a lot on the script. Whoever takes this role and plays it - if they live it and breathe it - will be known for life as Spike.  They'll own the screen - and they need to have that level of solid acting and commitment and also move like a liquid version of Jet Li. 

Faye Valentine ... part of me says something like Angelina Jolie - but a bigger part of me says that's too much overkill, and too big of a name.  When Angelinas on the screen - the role becomes her.  She's a very dominating actress and I think that's the last thing we want to see.  Whoever plays Faye has to let the role become the actor or they'll never pull it off.  Angelina or a Charlize Theron is too much.  Although Charlize might be an interesting choice -- but I'll take an unknown for this one. 

Radical Edward ... Needs to be really a solid actress first - very good with physical comedy and have the ability to bring that touch of sensitive almost sad / melancholia that's there as an echo always replaced by limitless faith and optimism.  I'll be honest in a way this role will be the hardest to peg for any actress of the age they're looking for... once again an unknown would work best.

However it gets done - I'm going to have to see it.  I may love it - I may hate it - but I will see it.  Which is probably what they're counting on. 

But what I 1000% insist ... is that they gotta ... absotully posilutely GOTTA ... have Yoko Kano and the Seatbelts do the music or... let's face it - it ain't worth the price of a ticket.  Period.  End of discussion... cause the only thing hotter than the themes are the themes played live.  Don't believe me?  Shut yer pie holes and click the links below.  You'll see what I'm yappin about. 

The show was - probably still is now, what 15 years after it's height of popularity - the most original, soulful and stunning sight and sound ever to come down the pike.  Not just as Anime, but frankly as any series TV or film.  And the music of the Seatbelts was always the most amazing part of every episode.

 
YouTube - The real folk blues - Seatbelts Live    

 
YouTube - Cowboy Bebop Ending

When Joss Whedon says ... "Hey give your friends a shout and let them know about something..."  I start letting my friends know.  If you like dumb, harmless funny musicals... yes... I said the word "musical"... if you like the humor and wit of Joss (I created some of the best TV ever, 2 of your favorite films) Whedon then you need to stop what you're doing and just do what I tell you.  K?  As a favor to me - and yourself. 

Joss Whedon creator Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Serenity, Firefly, and yes hits like "ToyStory" got bored during the last writers strike.  Joss being bored is a good thing.  Because he gets bored and he starts making really fun stuff for us - and he tends to be very generous to his friends on the Internet (aka - fans).  Sooo... now we have "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" and it's probably the coolest short lived event to hit the Internet in ... like forever.  And you only have 24 hours to appreciate it's genius for free.  So here's the deal.  Head over to www.drhorrible.com - don't stop... just do it.  No - wait - stop... stop and tell 10 people to head over there. 

You only have until midnight Sunday to watch this show... so get over there... and watch it. And send your friends... and your friends friends... and their friends.  Really... Don't make me call Capt. Hammer to come after you!!  Just get over there... and enjoy!

I recently posted a question on LinkedIn that went something like this ...  "Why do we expect technical managers to learn non-technical (business) skills but we don't expect business (non-technical) managers to learn technical skills?".

The answers I've been getting back have been ... illuminating.  So far the overwhelming number of responses have been by non-technical managers attempting to explain that a non-technical manager is essential in the development process.  Which is true and I don't disagree with (I'll get to that later), but the fact is - they haven't answered the question that's been asked.

The closest thing to a real answer that's emerging basically boils down to two things... the first being that technical skills are hard - often very hard and non-technical managers well... aren't that smart. 

Okay so - I'm really paraphrasing here, but that is in essence what's being said by the majority of people.  Basically it's too hard for them to learn and also keep a full time job.  Now, there is a second group which has tried to explain that the reason why non-technical managers should not have to learn technical skills in their job is because it would be a waste of time - since if you manage one kind of resource you can manage any resource.  A minor third group has emerged to explain that it really doesn't matter because the problem lies at the VP level.

Now, all of this is fascinating.  But the fact is that no one is actually answering the question directly.  In fact, most aren't answering the question at all. They spend  time discussing the why and the how of the question as opposed to actually answering the question.   Which I guess underscores that whole "Why does no one get it?" question the technical side of the house seems to attribute to management. 

Why can't they just... answer a question?  And why does a simple answer need to be vetted - minced - discussed?  Now, for most management situations technical people do "get the reason" for why something needs to be, as I said, vetted, minced and discussed to death... we even accept the occasional PowerPoint on the subject.  But simple direct questions - deserve simple direct answers.

And herein lies the problem.  No one gets the question because they don't see the question.  Look at the question I asked. 

What I asked there was pretty simple.  Why do we expect group "A" to have to learn skills that group "B" has, but we don't expect group "B" to have to learn skills that group "A" has?  It's pretty binary. 

Group "B" doesn't need those skills, or Group "B" cannot receive those skills (for whatever reason) ... or ... and this is, if you really get down to the brass tacks of the majority of answers we've received and remove the double speak in them... Group "B" has the power and Group "B" doesn't think these skills are important.  (In all fairness ranking behind this response is that Group "B" isn't smart enough or is not willing to put in the effort to obtain such skills.)  Now, I don't want this to open into a war between tech managers and non-technical managers, but that is in essence the responses I am receiving so I'm going to go with those as a legitimate response.

So - if we can't answer a binary question because we're uncomfortable with the response we're forced to give on it we have a problem.  The problem in this case is caused by at least at some level, fear.  Fear by non-technical managers they may actually have to learn these skills or at least enough of them to understand the skill group.  Fear by others of their group that someone may perceive their role as not as essential as say, technical managers with those skills.  So the need creeps in when answering this question - to instead of providing a direct response, an honest response to justify the response before it's given. 

I say this because you don't need to explain a response if it's obvious to everyone.  You feel the need to point to the side issues, or the external factors that impact the response when a simple, "I don't want to." will do. 

And that's the lesson for the month... if you have a direct question.  Answer it with a direct answer.  If there are repercussions from the directness of the answer they are far better than the resulting chaos of miscommunication.   Because that's what we get when 50 people feel the need to explain something that's obvious.  So - one more time so you'll remember... if you have a question that can be answered with a simple straight and direct answer... answer it that way.