Introduction

Building software is not enough - buyers need to believe in you. Steven Sinofsky explains how legitimacy, not just innovation, wins trust.

What’s the problem it solves?

Great products often fail because they lack credibility. This article shows how software makers earn legitimacy - the right to be trusted - through reputation, consistency, and storytelling.

Quick Summary

Steven Sinofsky, former Microsoft executive, looks back on 40 years of how software makers gain legitimacy in the tech world. In the early days, legitimacy came from showing up in Special Interest Groups and User Groups, where developers met, shared code, and built trust. Companies like Microsoft earned credibility by being part of those communities and answering real technical questions.

Then magazines became the “kingmakers.” Winning a PC Magazine award or a positive review from writers like Walt Mossberg could make or break a product. Public recognition became a new kind of legitimacy signal - a visible stamp of trust that customers and partners looked for.

Later, influential end users - curious employees who tried new tech like PCs or ChatGPT before their companies officially adopted them - became another source of credibility. Once these people proved real-world value, entire organizations followed.

Finally, in enterprise software, legitimacy evolved into vision. Big buyers cared less about current features and more about whether a company could credibly describe the next ten years. Today, venture capital often acts as a “legitimacy bank,” helping startups look trustworthy enough for big clients. No matter the era, legitimacy is how ideas cross the gap from “interesting” to “safe to bet on.”

Key Takeaways

• Legitimacy is the hidden currency of tech - proof that you can be trusted.
• In the past, user groups, media, and reviewers served as credibility builders.
• Influential early users spread new tech inside companies and gave it real-world proof.
• Big enterprise buyers don’t buy features - they buy your story about the future.
• Venture capital acts as a shortcut to legitimacy, signaling that others have vetted you.
• Trends change, but the need to appear credible never goes away.

What to do

• Build trust in niche communities before chasing mass adoption.
• Treat legitimacy as a system: user trust, expert recognition, and long-term vision.
• Nurture early champions who can show others your product’s value.
• Prepare to tell a credible future story, not just a demo.
• Leverage outside validation (press, investors, advisors) as proof of seriousness.

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