---
title: "Six Degrees of Super-ation: Closer to Bill?"
date: 2004-11-13T01:38:44Z
modified: 2004-11-13T01:38:44Z
permalink: "https://redmonk.com/jgovernor/six-degrees-of-super-ation-closer-to-bill/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 68
categories:
  - Uncategorized
timestamp: 2004-11-13T01:38:44Z
tags:
  - Uncategorized
---

Anyone that spends time with Microsoft employees will have noticed they use the word “super” a lot. This comes right from the top. But did you know there is a new scientific theory behind it?

Bill Gates is definitely a “super”-node.

“The networks have a still super-interesting position, but it won’t be like it is today.” [link](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/new_media/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000671642)

“Now why are people finally shifting away from super-expensive Unix systems?” [link](http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_34/b3846630.htm)

Sometimes though, Bill gets really excited and goes for what I call the “double super”

“Web services are super, super important.” [link ](http://www.webservices.org/index.php/ws/content/view/full/3695)

Its not just Bill that goes for full “double supers”. Steve Ballmer is a master of the art.

How about:

“Super.Super. I appreciate it very much”

“Well, we’re super, super excited.”

“Then we start to put the Itanium processor, 64-bit, wonderful floating point performance, huge, huge databases, then you have seamless scalability, capability, any app., 32-bit, 64-bit, front to back, and super cost effective.”

 All of the above are from [one speech](http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/09-26enterprise2000.asp), which contained at least four more “supers”…

Other MS senior executives are close to super too. [Eric Rudder](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=%22eric+rudder%22%2B%22super%22&btnG=Search)?[ Jeff Raikes](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22jeff+raikes%22%2B%22super%22&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official)?

Gates and Ballmer though are the masters of super.

At a recent conference one of the senior execs from MS UK, unusually for an Englishman, said something was “super important”. Then it It dawned on me.

There is a relationship between a MS exec’s position on the org chart and their use of super. The closer to Bill and Steve the closer to the super source, the more they use the word.

It’s a network effect, kind of a six degrees relationship. I call this effect **Six Degrees of “Super”ation**. (thanks [JC](http://uk.builder.com/manage/work/0,39026594,20283556,00.htm)!)

 I must admit I far from immune:

“My point is that Google is super powerful already and has the potential of multiple new revenue streams to really hike up the cash generation.” [link](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/archives/000105.html)

So how close are you to Bill? Count the times….

So far I have only worked out a theory, which still needs testing. Next time you meet someone from Redmond see how long before they use “super” – you will find out how close to the top they are.

I wonder if [Scoble ](http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/)will begin to show a super correlation? Will he use super more the closer he gets to the borg, I mean org? Will the super cool aid start to have a super effect? In case you’re wondering why call out Scoble its because he is a public [experiment in cool-aid drinking](http://www.redmonk.com/sogrady/archives/000180.html). Will he or [won’t he](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/archives/000234.html)? Will he maintain his independence? Or get super super enthusiastic about all things Microsoft?