Windows Vista RTM Lab >> Meeting Jim Allchin: Lunch in Las Vegas

Jim Allchin, Co-president of Microsoft's Platforms & Services Division, invited a couple of participants of the Vista lab to the BOAs Steakhouse (Caesars Palace, Forum Shops). I felt very honored that I could join the lunch and get a chance to meet Jim Allchin.

Jim Allchin: The “father” Windows Vista und Windows Live

Jim has joined Microsoft in 1990 and is a member of the senior staff. Together with Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates he is responsible for the direction and goals of Microsoft. Get more information on him: Jim Allchin, Microsoft Executive.

Amongst the invited guests were writers and community leads such as Steven Bink (www.bink.nu), Carlos Echenique (www.planetamd64.com), Ryan Hoffman from http://extended64.com/Default.aspx, Brandon LeBlanc from http://www.mstechtoday.com and myself. The dinner has been well organized by Terri Stratton and Nick White. Nick is also a member of the Windows Vista Team and runs the official blog http://windowsvistablog.cpm

Sandro Villinger (Webmaster of this page) and Jim Allchin

Lunch with Jim and other IT journalists/bloggers from all around the globe.

Jim Allchin even took the time to sign my book “Windows Vista - Die Neuerungen im Überblick” (translated: “Windows Vista - An overview of the changes”) which I have written with Christine Koch (Program Manager at MS Germany). He wrote: “TO: Sandro - Thanks for all your great work. You helped make Windows Vista great. Thanks, Jim”. So I was very glad I took the book with me! Jim talked to me about my projects with and about Microsoft (e.g. my articles, book projects and online stuff).

For our help with Windows Vista (feedback, betatests, writing about the progress) we received a so called “Ship-It-Award” with a dedication from Jim Allchin. These awards normally go to Microsoft employees that were responsible for developing and finishing a product only.

Jim Allchin listened to our worries but of course also to our praises regarding Windows Vista very carefully. He never ignored an issue or gave us typical PR-/marketing-answers which is something I (well, at least in my case) get to hear a lot. So I really appreciated the honest talk with him! I found it very nice that we did not talk geek stuff all the time but also had interesting discussions with him. We talked with Jim for example about the Final Fantasy movie or his meeting with James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator). Bottom line: It was fun and a great honor to talk to such a true visionary and thinker who has made a difference in this world with his influence at Microsoft and with the Windows platform. I am afraid that this was most probably the last time we were able to meet Jim Allchin in person since he is going to retire on the day Windows Vista comes out (January 29th, 2007).