Here is a great reason for dumping sun. In response to a rumor that MySQL co-founder Micheal “Monty” Widenius may quit Sun Microsystems one of the SUN people said, “Second, Monty’s resignation has been a possible outcome already since years before the Sun acquisition. Perhaps his resignation at some point is inevitable, given that the type of skills and qualities needed to make MySQL great are different from those needed for working productively in a larger organisation (and I am referring to the size of the MySQL team, not Sun).”
This quote has two wonderfully revealing parts. First; wouldn’t everyone who works have resignation as a possible outcome? Short of slaves all workers might resign at some point. The real question is when? So right here we have a large company trying to spin this. Why. Either he leaves or he doesn’t. If he doesn’t you have the guy say that he isn’t or he does and you deal with it. What would spinning this do for a company when if he just pops out and resigns anyway. The only thing that I would learn from this if his resignation was important to me would be that Sun can not be trusted to be forthcoming with the truth. If he isn’t resigning then the PR flacs should parade him out and have him tell it.
The second sentance kills all hope I have for sun in the future. “the type of skills and qualities needed to make MySQL great are different from those needed for working productively” Great products were the only thing that could bring sun back. But this flac seems to think that working productively is better than making MySQL great. What is this productive work that somehow results in not great MySQL? Could it be endless reams of meaningless reports and meaningless meetings?
I am just guessing this but looking at the history of MySQL (created one of the greatest databases ever with little budget) and the history of SUN (sold sort of big iron to big stupid companys until linux kicked their asses and the companies became less stupid) that there might have been an uncomfortable situation every time this guy came into a room. The courtiers would worry each time what was going to come out of his mouth. Might he tell the truth again and point to another naked emperor? Then the courtiers probably just shut him out. Just a guess.
So what have I learned from three crap investments(VMW, MSFT, JAVA) in tech?
Nimble is good. Big and old is bad.
Who is important to the company? Has their position changed? If so then just stay away. Watch for code words/phrases such as ‘allowing him to focus’, ‘spend more time with his family’, ‘the new ceo is better suited to the demands of running a public company’ et tu brute?
If you see the founders of a nimble company being pushed around by someone who has an MBA and has read the prince a few too many times then this is bad.
Bill Gates and Microsoft would be a great example. This company grew and grew under his control but once the charity work came the company faltered.
Apple would be another example with a well known story of founders and such.
VMWare looks like it is in the same boat.