eWeek recently published an article about Microsoft's use of Scrum for developing some of their major products. The fact that Microsoft was using agile methods was well known by the agile community but not so well known by the industry in general. And this is probably still the case, even though this kind of articles are an excellent way of spreading the awareness of what the likes of Google, Yahoo!, CapitalOne, Siemens Medical, etc. are doing.

Interestingly enough (or not), the story was picked up by Slashdot. The commentary at Slashdot seems to be what it's always been--rather clueless. Apparently, the Slashdot folks' behavior reminds Dave Rooney of blood-letting, that fine art of healing people (or not), and I kind of agree.

In summary, it's good to see agile methods getting the press they deserve. I haven't yet talked to a single software project that wouldn't have considered the adoption of agile methods a clear improvement. I'm not trying to say anything specific with that remark. I'm just saying.