The 'big' IBM blog announcement


May 17, 2005

I'm a little bit late to the party on 'big' IBM blogging announcement. Being an IBMer and a blogger, I'm obliged to opine.

My reaction? "meh.."

So the 'big' announcement is that its 'OK' for IBMers to blog.

Very profound.

(although to be fair, the company never directly claimed this to be the "biggest corporate blogging initiative ever")

The new blogging guidelines are essentially common sense codified. They've drawn the line right around where I expected it to be. I no longer have to assume (when you assume, you...).

Is this better than having no line? Yes. Is it good to know that blogging is finally on the corporate radar? Yes. Is this hopefully a sign of bigger things to come? Yes. Am I ever so slightly more inclined to blog about work-related matters? Yes (case in point - this entry).

So what's the problem?

"If you see a snake, just kill it. Don't appoint a committee on snakes."
~ H. Ross Perot

Tends to touch a nerve with "younger generation" IBMers.

I'd say there's much to be gained by simply opening the floodgates and seeing what happens. Granted, I'm not personally responsible for $119B in shareholder value, but the risk seems to be somewhat mitigated when your competitors (Microsoft, Sun) are already doing this.

Until we get a more daring nudge from above, it doesn't look like we're going to get there.

Baby steps to Big Blue blogging...

As for me, I already use my real name, disclose that I work for IBM, and have had a disclaimer for a while now. Gold star?

Sam Ruby: "If you don’t get your hand slapped at least twice a year, you aren’t pushing the boundaries hard enough."