There's a New Book Publisher in Town and It's a Name You Know

There is a new book publisher in town but it's someone you know well from its other endeavors. It is one of just three American companies with a market value of over $3 trillion, the other two being Apple and Nvidia. The company is Microsoft and just about everyone not using Apple's products has been using their software since the 1980s. Intangible software has been their mainstay, and when they have offered physical property it has been computer related, like its Surface tablet. Fifteenth century technology has never been their thing, but here it is – printed books, using Gutenberg's technology of 1455. It is now the newest product from Microsoft.

On November 19, Microsoft launched their new imprint, 8080 Books. That name is sort of a tribute to reverse engineering. They are naming their products of 15^th century technology after one from the 20^th century. The 8080 was the first usable microprocessor, developed by Intel in 1974, a mere 519 years after Gutenberg built the first printing press.

The question is, why is Microsoft, which has done more than anyone to make the modern technology of electronic reading possible, interested in backtracking to the ancient technology of printing? It turns out there are people at Microsoft who (like most readers here) truly appreciate printed books. Editor Greg Shaw and Publisher Steve Clayton explain, “Books matter. In a deluge of data. In a bloat of blogs, a sea of social, and a maelstrom of email. Books will always matter.”

They continue, “They impart very precise knowledge and wisdom. Books build empathy. That’s what happens when a writer has the time and space to choose exactly the right word and phrase to communicate an idea. It’s what happens when a reader truly connects with a writer... Creating, building, and sustaining an idea or argument over tens of thousands of words while holding a reader’s interest is not the same as dashing off an email, a post, a video, or even a speech. A book anticipates counterarguments, skepticism, and is unafraid of calling bullshit on the current take of the day. Books require a different writer—and a different reader—than short-form. Books offer permanence and substance for future scholars, educators, and historians – to capture a moment in time.”

One thing Microsoft plans to add to the equation is speed, not the speed of the internet but something very fast for publishing printed works. Shaw and Clayton noted, “They matter more than ever, especially when they can be produced and distributed more quickly than traditional publishing...We aim to bring forward great content. But we also seek to accelerate the publishing process shortening the lag between the final manuscript and the book’s arrival in the marketplace. We seek to hasten the diffusion of knowledge. We are impatient and time sensitive. Technology has quickened the pace of almost every industry except publishing.” 8080 Books intends to take a manuscript and turn it into a printed book in as little as three months. This compares to the six to nine months it usually takes a publisher.

Microsoft explains, “Our initial focus for titles includes: technology and the future; business process and productivity, and societal priorities in law, ethics, and policy.” They will start with books written by people who work at or are associated with Microsoft. They are not soliciting outsider material at this point, but in time submissions from anywhere will be considered. “We are especially interested in new and nontraditional writers and thinkers at 8080 Books,” write Shaw and Clayton.

The first book to be published by 8080 Books is No Prize for Pessimism, by Sam Schillage, Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft. Schillage is also a co-inventor of Google Docs, which they describe as “a product used by more than a billion people around the world.” He writes about the best practices for software development, sharing anecdotes and lessons he has learned along the way while offering practical advice. He identifies several emerging technologies with disruptive potential, including AI, quantum computing, and renewable energy. All along, Schillage emphasizes the importance of a positive, optimistic attitude, noting that pessimism stifles creativity and progress. “No Prize for Pessimism is perfect for entrepreneurs, engineers, and anyone interested in the future of technology,” the publisher says.

The second book for 8080 Books, planned for release before the end of the year, is Platform Mindset by Marcus Fontoura, describing the culture of cooperation necessary to create a successful tech platform.