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Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age
by
With a foreword by Bill Gates
From Microsoft's President and one of the tech industry's wisest thinkers, a frank and thoughtful reckoning with how to balance enormous promise and existential risk as the digitization of everything accelerates.
Microsoft President Brad Smith operates by a simple core belief: when your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to ...more
From Microsoft's President and one of the tech industry's wisest thinkers, a frank and thoughtful reckoning with how to balance enormous promise and existential risk as the digitization of everything accelerates.
Microsoft President Brad Smith operates by a simple core belief: when your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to ...more
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Hardcover, 416 pages
Published
September 10th 2019
by Penguin Press
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Donald
I think in the sense that he admits MS was providing email services, messaging, etc to ICE.
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Start your review of Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age
Superficial material that could've been read in a newspaper. Some of the stories covered in detail but never in enough of it to be worthwhile. Some 'Russian hackers', some 'Chinese hackers', bits and pieces of this and that.
Never in any significant detail. Never any deep insights. The overall rating is closer to 1 than 2. ...more
Never in any significant detail. Never any deep insights. The overall rating is closer to 1 than 2. ...more
Picked up this book in the hope I would learn something on evolving policy and tech companies, governments and data protection, but the book is a PR exercise for Microsoft. Very disappointing, and of course, I've learnt nothing new.
...more
Democracy, privacy, cybersecurity, rural broadband, government regulation of tech and more – this book is so much more than just “will AI-infused robots take over the world.”
It’s a quick, easy read that breaks down these complex issues in a comprehensible manner with really interesting connections to lessons from history, providing fascinating insight and perspective on topics we should all be considering.
Living in a rural community, I found the rural broadband issues, including government repor ...more
It’s a quick, easy read that breaks down these complex issues in a comprehensible manner with really interesting connections to lessons from history, providing fascinating insight and perspective on topics we should all be considering.
Living in a rural community, I found the rural broadband issues, including government repor ...more
This was a very good book, full of information and details about things that I knew about at a cursory level, but never knew the full details of. This book is about Microsoft, and has little to do with anything else. It has to do with the digital revolution of Microsoft and Brad's role in that. I felt as if he was making Microsoft out to be the best thing since sliced bread and had little to no faults in the transition and issues. Very preachy of how good Microsoft is/was, and that rubbed me the
...more
One long msft commerical
TLDR:
Microsoft loves you.
Microsoft only wants what's best for the people.
Microsoft is willing to die for your privacy.
Here's a template of how every chapter goes:
- Somewhat relevant historical anecdote.
- Technology issue happens.
- Microsoft is the first company to do the right thing even though the dum dums at Google and Apple were against them. ...more
Microsoft loves you.
Microsoft only wants what's best for the people.
Microsoft is willing to die for your privacy.
Here's a template of how every chapter goes:
- Somewhat relevant historical anecdote.
- Technology issue happens.
- Microsoft is the first company to do the right thing even though the dum dums at Google and Apple were against them. ...more
If this book had been published two or three decades ago it would have been categorised as science fiction. This book brings into perspective the staggering progress of technology and the role each of us has to play as a member of the society on how technology should be implemented and used in the future.
Full disclosure: I work in the department at Microsoft of the authors. That may make me like the book slightly more than I would otherwise. And I loved this book. For one thing, the authors enjoy history and the way it does not repeat, rather it rhymes. Putting today's complex issues surrounding into the context of their historical analogs does something more than help the reader understand where we may have seen this before. It also helps break down the complexity while providing guideposts to
...more
Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, wrote this book with Carole Ann Browne, about all the wonderful things Microsoft has done in the realm of the digital revolution. A more appropriate and less misleading title would have been: Tools and Weapons, How Microsoft has delivered the Promise and saved the world from the Perils of the Digital Age.
While Microsoft certainly has some praiseworthy accomplishments to show for, such as its outreach to rural America, where millions of people still live withou ...more
While Microsoft certainly has some praiseworthy accomplishments to show for, such as its outreach to rural America, where millions of people still live withou ...more
Jan 17, 2020
Savyasachee
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
technology,
policy
I like this book. It's not traditionally the kind of book that I read, but as a friend has been telling me lately, I need to expand my horizon when it comes to non-fiction.
Smith's book reads smoothly. It is more of a propaganda machine regarding Microsoft than I would have liked, but it's hard to argue with a man stating his case without rancor and with honesty. Knowing that it's written by a top-level MS employee with all the insight and bias that entails gives my reading sufficient context to ...more
Smith's book reads smoothly. It is more of a propaganda machine regarding Microsoft than I would have liked, but it's hard to argue with a man stating his case without rancor and with honesty. Knowing that it's written by a top-level MS employee with all the insight and bias that entails gives my reading sufficient context to ...more
Powerful title for a weak book written by the president of Microsoft and about all the great things they've done to protect me. Reading a book about his meetings with important people wasn't interesting. Talks at a high level about important topics but there's no depth in the technological discussion and no prognostications about the future. A little bit of interesting history here and there. I kept waiting for the book to kick in to high gear and get better but it never did.
...more
This book really does not offer any deep insights above a superficial survey of the pros/cons of technological development and considerations. It also felt like one giant Microsoft propaganda piece....maybe they’re as good, ethical, and pro social as the book suggests, but it felt too much like the author was constantly patting himself on the back with every story/example rather than giving a deep dive into all of the considerations of decisions and changes.
Great title, not so great content. Reads essentially as a history of Microsoft’s PR - which admittedly includes many admirable and important initiatives - but comes across as bland and uninspiring.
This whole book was an ad for Microsoft. It did contain good information for someone who does not work in the tech world.
Tools and Weapons – “The Promise and the Peril of digital age”
It took me almost a year to finally buy this book. Brad Smith is a story teller and the facts shared in this book makes me even more humble and proud than ever.
Working for an organization that runs on ethics and responsibilities have always been the biggest reason for me to feel motivated and accountable.
Microsoft runs on trust and after reading this book you will see how the organization stood for what was right even if it required ...more
It took me almost a year to finally buy this book. Brad Smith is a story teller and the facts shared in this book makes me even more humble and proud than ever.
Working for an organization that runs on ethics and responsibilities have always been the biggest reason for me to feel motivated and accountable.
Microsoft runs on trust and after reading this book you will see how the organization stood for what was right even if it required ...more
3.5 rating. The book was a pleasant surprise to what I was expecting. Definitely a very interesting way to look at technology, politics and the future of humanity through the lens of the behemoth that is Microsoft. I've always been a fan of Brad Smith corporate work and really appreciate how the book went to on to illustrate not only how Microsoft has changed, but also how it been able to increasingly take strong position in worldwide discussions.
The book can get a bit tedious at time as it stru ...more
The book can get a bit tedious at time as it stru ...more
I really enjoyed this book. If you have any interest in the future of technology, but also what goes on at companies like Microsoft, Brad Smith gives you a great insight through "Tools and Weapons." In particular, I liked the chapter where he describes walking through data centers, with their different levels of security, and the massive scale of delivering technology we all take for granted. I also felt the author did a good job with introducing politics and technology together, but stayed away
...more
After reading, it becomes apparent that Brad Smith is not only an insufferable “Yes-Man” but also a dickless one at that, who after 50 years of sucking up to Microsoft’s leaders wound himself at a position of power important enough to compel him to write this drab and sorrow account of him stroking his ego for 400 fucking pages.
While there are tid bits that offer insight into Microsoft’s endeavours to push technological boundaries within the industry, they are overshadowed by Smith’s constant ne ...more
While there are tid bits that offer insight into Microsoft’s endeavours to push technological boundaries within the industry, they are overshadowed by Smith’s constant ne ...more
Did not finish. 62 pages in and the infomercial quality of the book sets my teeth on edge. Microsoft is awesome, mmm'kay? And if you didn't have behemoths like Microsoft looking out for you, you'd all still be banging rocks together. The other reviewers who mention this quality of the book are not wrong.
If you are a technologist you probably don't need to read this book. While there may be rare and occasional bits of new info, most of it is stuff you already know and are afraid of. ...more
If you are a technologist you probably don't need to read this book. While there may be rare and occasional bits of new info, most of it is stuff you already know and are afraid of. ...more
It is all about how Microsoft is protecting their customer from worldwide hacking effort on their server or product. This books gives glimpse of coming terror which can devastate IT sector. However, all giant companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook etc., even if they are competitor, are collaborating their effort to fight new form of terror.
I learned that Microsoft is primarily driven by a desire to serve the public good, rather than a profit motive, and that Microsoft (with Smith’s legal leadership) often stood up to other tech companies to ensure benevolent progress.
This set itself up as a book I would really enjoy. It’s written by someone with deep industry knowledge. Brad Smith has been a high-level lawyer at Microsoft and eventually promoted to president after 20 years. I’m deferential to authors who have extensive experience in the subjects they talk about. This could have been a banger. Sadly it felt like it fell short.
I guess I naturally end up comparing it to other books by CEOs and corporate presidents. Next to Satya Nadella’s Hit Refresh this was ...more
I guess I naturally end up comparing it to other books by CEOs and corporate presidents. Next to Satya Nadella’s Hit Refresh this was ...more
The book is written by Brad Smith, Chief legal officer at Microsoft. He also led Microsoft battle in the antitrust case in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The book touches upon several issues at the interface between technology, policy, politics, history, and law. The book has extensive Microsoft references but if you filter that there are interesting lessons/ideas to be learnt. I would love to read a book on similar topics from FaceBook (from Alex Stamos?), Google or Amazon to get a complete pe
...more
This is book full of stories about hard situations where technology, government and cultures are pulling on each other. It isn't a technical book, though. It's about the society impact and the big questions that are underneath all these situations. It covers situations like privacy (when should they share customer data with police forces?), getting internet connections to all communities (the normal method in America is to see if internet is available somewhere in the county--leaving many cities
...more
In a world where immense amounts of data are saved to the cloud, tech companies are more and more powerful, and their behavior in managing that information (our digital lives, but that affects most parts of our offline lives) is vitally important. In a global digital world, your data could be racking up digital miles all over the world even while you sleep, and without your knowledge.
In Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne address a wide range of issues, such a ...more
In Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne address a wide range of issues, such a ...more
Excellent thought provoking book. Particularly chapters on ethics as applied to cutting edge technology. Well researched (with copious end matter references) and written with an insider's view on technology over the last 10-15 years. Many references to historic similarities which assisted me in engaging with current technology trends and historic events. I suspect that much of this book within 10-20 years will become out dated, but there are many general principles that are worthwhile.
...more
This was a pretty interesting book, although I did think it was a bit too simplified in the content discussed and a bit too long. The digital diplomacy and consumer privacy were two very great chapters. The ending in open data revolution was a logical conclusion but with flaws.
Aside for the technical insights, Brad offers a unique view into the workings and wide impact of one of the largest Global corporations in the world.
I was looking for new insights from this book, but the description of the challenges (privacy and GDPR, cyber war, surveillance, social media, moral conundrums of AI, challenges to democracy) was way too generic. Primarily the book is actually about Microsoft and how the company responded to those challenges. I was also slightly alienated by the patronizing tone that was occasionally used. You are better off reading about these challenges separately and also reading a few books that are intentio
...more
It's a great skim across the landscape of the tech issues we're facing today, from the point of view of one major company (it's also neat to see your own work referenced in a book!)
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent read to know the legal challenges a global tech company has to face | 1 | 7 | Sep 17, 2019 10:03PM |
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“We learned that we needed to look in the mirror and see what others saw in us and not just what we wanted to see in ourselves.”
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“One of our biggest challenges was how to talk publicly about the threats. Every tech leader was reluctant to name names, and we were no different. We were companies, not governments, and while we all had lived through governmental criticism before, we weren’t accustomed to accusing a foreign government of misusing our platforms and services. But it was becoming increasingly apparent that our silence risked further enabling the very threats we wanted to help stop.”
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