Scoop: Microsoft Expression Suite To Run On Apple Computers!

Have just returned from tech.ed (Australia) with an awesome scoop to share. Discovering this fact was one of those slow motion moments when the hero gets shot -- so obvious yet so far-reaching.

The Expression Suite of tools were designed to be run on apple from the very first moment. The ramifications of this are bigger than big.

The information was extracted from various MS people, occasionally using Veritaserum (read 'alcohol') where needed. (Note also that many MS people I spoke to knew nothing about this, and had not even heard of the rumour)

There is currently a 'super secret' project underway at Microsoft, to put together the underlying cross-platform framework necessary to enable the Expression suite of products to run on Apple Computers. Seamlessly, natively, super fast, beautifully.

This is a huge 'tell' in terms of microsoft's future direction and strategy as a company.

I see it as Microsoft accepting, at the highest levels, that they've lost the API-war -- and hence aiming to redefine the battle ground for where the future profit centres for their software company will be. They're looking beyond operating systems, and clinging to the source of all their successes to date: a strong developer focus.

But Wait? Aren't Operating Systems Great?

Hello 1995? This is 2007 calling -- we want to show you Windows Vista. OS's are too expensive to build, too hard to deploy, far too hard to update, and impossible to secure.

If developers on every platform, every medium, in every language and every device -- be it apple, windows or linux -- be it desktop, server, or web -- be it ruby, python, angle brackets (Html/XML/Ria), squiggly brackets(C/Java/C# family), or begins and ends (VB) -- if all developers and all designers are using microsoft tools to build their software, then microsoft can branch out, moving beyond OS development and ensuring they are the dominant force in tomorrow's software as well as today's.

Eat that google, apple, ibm, java, etc.

This is big thinking, strategic stuff.

Disclaimer -- I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Everyone who spoke to me did so under a veil of 'plausible deniability'. I ensured them that no one would believe me, so they were free to speak their mind. Ssad, but true, and like a typical, terrible, journaliste I agreed not to unveil my sources. Don't ask. Note also that Visual Studio won't run on Apple computers, just Expression Blend et al. We're happy to accept xaml from the black skivvy wearing apple using auteurs... but code? no thank you... For now... (You don't want to know what's coming after 'Rosario'... hint: who's for a Browser-Based IDE?)

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