Anybody that will assiduously follow whatever and whomever Microsoft uses to replace Robert Scoble as an evangelist and *customer-listener* over the next year or so ... and develops metrics to chronicle whatever may happen ... will arguably have one of the most useful, and potentially most famous, case studies of the impact of effective externally-oriented blogging on the profile and perception of a high-profile technology company.

He's certainly done an awful lot for Microsoft in terms of positive relations with people and (potentially) customers.

Maybe Microsoft will make an offer to Dave Winer ?  That would be interesting !

Many people have reported on Scoble's departure.  The source I've used below is Mathew Ingram, to whom I offer thanks for his steady, balanced (imo), reliable and stimulating technology reporting.

The Scobleizer calls it quits — updated
Posted by Mathew Ingram @ 12:09 am on Sunday 11 June 2006

According to Tom Foremski at SiliconValleyWatcher and Andy Plesser at Beet.tv, the guy who is arguably Microsoft’s most famous person — at least as far as the blogosphere is concerned — is leaving the company. Robert Scoble, also known as the Scobleizer, is reportedly heading to podtech.net to be its corporate evangelist. Tom says that Scoble wasn’t happy working at Mister Softee, in part because they weren’t interested in paying for all his travels to conferences.

[Snip ...]

Update:

Scoble has posted a confirmation of his move, and goes on to counter the rumours about concerns over his travel budget and lack of support from Microsoft — totally not true, he says. He also says they “moved heaven and earth” to keep him happy, but he decided to make the move anyway. “It’s a rapidly-evolving part of my life,” he says. “I just made this decision and it got out before I was completely ready to talk about it.”

Best of luck to him.

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