Windows Starter Edition

My first project in the Emerging Markets group at Microsoft was Windows XP Starter Edition [now there is an even better Vista version.] Starter is targetted a novice PC users as it has special help videos and screens for first-time users. My initial role was to help grow Starter Edition in Latin America [from Sept of 2005-Sept of 2006] and we definitely grew it by more than 10X in one year.

Of course, it was a team effort with our developement team and local teams in the region working together to help bring the product to consumers. In May of 2006, I, with a crew of highly, highly skilled producers and camera men went to South America to document the impact of Starter Edition.

Some of those videos can be seen here. Others can be found here

Brazillian Customer



PC Manufacturers

Pictures from Rio

Rio de Janeiro

SkyDiving in Rio

One of the cool things I got to do while in Rio was hang gliding. I used Just Fly which was recomended by the Lonely Planet. They did not disappoint. Take-off from "Pedra Bonita" (The Pretty Rock), at a height of 1.700 feet / 520 metres and fly over forest (The Tijuca's National Park), ocean and beach, before landing on Sao Conrado "Pepino" beach. Video below

The Beginning

A brief introduction-- I work for the Market Expansion Group at Microsoft. Basically, my is to look for new business opportunites for Microsoft software in Latin America. I'm currently focused on a project called FlexGo. The job, any job, has it's ups and downs-- however, generally ups as I get to travel around the world on the corporate dime. I've been fortunate to see places like Moscow, New Delhi, Shanghai, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janerio, Sao Paulo, Jakarta and many others....

While I should have kept this journal a long time ago, every day I delay is another day I don't do it....