Congratulations to Jon Udell, who is going to work as an evangelist for Microsoft. Congratulations to Microsoft, too. Jon is a hands-on developer, and his work at Infoworld allowed him to explore a wide range of technologies. He’s simultaneously on the cutting edge and in the middle of the real world. He’s also an excellent writer.

I’ve known and worked with Jon for a few years, and most importantly he’s a person of great personal integrity. Of all the tech journalists, he is perhaps the most honest and objective. Robert Scoble was an evangelist who proved he could maintain his personal reputation even if it meant being at odds with his employer, and Jon Udell will be at least as credible as Robert in this regard.
Jon could have done pretty much anything he wanted. The fact that he has taken this position says a lot about the opportunity Microsoft has offered him.