Thread by @swardley

X : We're adopting a cloud first policy.
Me : Good on you.
X : Just good?
Me : You don't have a choice - punctuated equilibrium. You are being forced to adopt a cloud first policy, it's not a choice, it's a survival mechanism. Choice ended around 2012, you're waking up to this.

X : We think we can make a difference in the container space.
Me : Ah, so your grand plan is to wake up late, go to the fight almost a decade after it's over and say "we're ready to rumble" ... sounds like a reenactment society. Do you get dressed up in period costumes?

X : What do you suggest?
Me : Serverless is where the action is.
X : Build a serverless environment?
Me : No, that battle is almost over, you'll just get crushed by the big guns. There are places you can attack though. Time limited.

Me : The real question is what do you want to do? There are places you can extract value from i.e. the container space has a good 3-5 years of growing and stable revenue until the decline starts (and that decline takes ages). You can still make money from selling servers.

X : We're going to be a leader in cloud!
Me : Do you work for Oracle? This is the sort of sales vision drivel that I expect from them. You can't wish yourself a future ... you're up against some decent players, it's not like the old days of chinless wonders on golf courses.

X : What's are serverless services?
Me : Discrete services, ideally built on a serverless environment (though not necessarily, you can use containers!) that are consumed by others in writing their serverless apps.
X : ILC
Me : A strategic mechanism of future sensing.

X : The map doesn't make sense to me.
Me : All maps are imperfect, you can improve it.
X : I don't know how.
Me : I've already guessed that. Have you thought about trying something simple?

X : Such as?
Me : Extract as much value from your existing business, return to shareholders and then retire from the company before it disappears over a cliff at some point in the future? It's a fairly simple and standard executive play, it should be within your capabilities.

X : I don't find that funny.
Me : Well, your shareholder won't find it funny if you blow hundreds of millions on a no hope vision drivel that is never going to work and is way beyond your capability. Take the money, keep it simple ... for you.

X : Computing is going to the edge.
Me : Why do you think Amazon is also distributing systems including GreenGrass etc whilst investing in Groundstation and Satellites (AWS Kuiper) ... Moore's law is going into space. They're not just talking about it, they're doing it.

Me : Think about it, you're so late to the battle that everyone else went home years ago and the Titan that formed is all over satellites, the edge and comms and your FUTURE plan is "the edge"? ... are you sure you don't work for a reenactment society? I could make you a musket.

... or was that a brisket? I get confused between the two. Bit like you and cloud. Really, you should focus on extracting value from your existing business and then go quietly into the night. Unless ...
X : Yes?
Me : You could replace yourself with someone who has a clue.

Look, it's upto you. If you want to play an extraction game then there are places you can do this. If you want to build a future, you need to attack other spaces. I've tried to highlight as much as I can what matters.