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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Today’s Scuttlebot: Former Windows Boss Goes to Andreessen, and Dear Miss Disruption

Every day, The New York Times’s staff scours the Web for interesting and peculiar items.

Steven Sinofsky, a former Microsoft executive, announced on Thursday that he would be joining Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital firm, as a board partner.

As the leader of Windows, Mr. Sinofsky was widely admired for his effectiveness in running one of the biggest and most important software development organizations on the planet. He was also seen as abrasive, and the discord engendered between him and Steve Ballmer, the chief executive of Microsoft, ultimately led to Mr. Sinofsky’s departure from the company in November.

Kara Swisher, writing for All Things D, noted that for a man who is known for being “relentlessly curious,” he’d likely be a good fit for the tech scene in Silicon Valley. The news also generated a bit of snark from at least one observer, who wondered if the move was akin to a senator joining a lobbying firm after leaving Congress.

Here’s what else we noticed today:

From the Valley to Washington
Businessweek |  Steve Case’s second life as D.C.’s favorite businessman - Ashwin Seshagiri

Apple Buys (Another) Map App, Embark
Jessicalessin.com |  “Mapageddon,” or the fight between Apple and Google to build the best maps for mobile, marches on. - Jenna Wortham

F.B.I. Agent: ‘We’ve Dismantled the Leaders of Anonymous’
The Huffington Post |  Anonymous is less active because of the F.B.I., an agent said. - Damon Darlin

Internet.org Is Business Dressed Up as Charity
The Verge |  Is Mark Zuckerberg’s effort to take the Internet global a play to make Facebook the default in his fastest-growing market? - Quentin Hardy

Dear Miss Disruption
Medium |  In a clever satire, a Silicon Valley advice columnist offers the answer to every problem â€" learn to code. - Damon Darlin

While Other Airlines Hand Out iPads, Delta Chooses Windows Phones for Flight Attendants
Skift |  Delta flight attendants will use Windows smartphones in flight to manage passenger purchases. - Damon Darlin

Founder Says Failure Isn’t the End of the Dream
The Guardian |  Who wants a Linux smartphone? A failed attempt by Canonical to crowdfund the Ubuntu Edge offers lessons. - Vindu Goel