<< Ayende is at it again | Home | 5 things >>

Response to Scrivs on Microsoft

Monday, December 18, 2006 1:19 AM

<disclaimer>I am a MSFT true believer</disclaimer>

This post references Scivs a post about his predictions in review. It should be noted that I am a big fan of Scrivs and have been following his writing since he was in grad school.

Scrivs, come on. Microsoft failed? This year, Microsoft has launched: XBOX 360, Vista, Office 2007, SharePoint 2007, Exchange 2007, .Net 3.0 (Avalon, Indigo, CardSpaces), Windows Media Player 11, Zune, and who knows what else.

You claim that they failed and by failed you meant "but fail in the sense of what they are trying to achieve and categories they are trying to keep". Just because you don't like the Zune (which is quite ok) doesn't mean that there aren't others who love it. Hello thats a huge screen, screw trying to watch video on a dinky iPod screen (hopefully Apple steps up here). I can't wait to get my dirtly little hands on one myself (holiday season here I come).

In relation to Vista you said "However, with the amount of delays it has gone through it has surely tarnished Microsoft’s image and given Apple a bit of an edge with certain people and although they will continue to dominate the desktop market for a while longer, their hold on the world is continuously slipping." That depends on who you talk to, I have a lot of friends that are excited that MSFT took the extra time to make the OS more secure and less buggy. Who are these certain people? I still haven't seen (granted I live in the womb of MSFT) any companies running Apple as the main company OS, unless it was a design shop. Also, I don't use Apple products at all and am speaking out of my ass here, but when was the last time Apple pushed out a major release? Are you all on OS X.20 (10.5 actually) or something? (OS X came out in 2001 right?)

"They failed to re-establish themselves as an important company." Scrivs, I picture you as having extremely large expectations for MSFT in order for them to be an important company to you again. Its your blog, and you expectations but as a developer I have been nothing but astonished at what they have put out there this year, and expect to see it pay off in a big way in future products (then again, this is my first time through a big MSFT overhaul, so only time will tell).

Well, I think I am done ranting.

- Dru Sellers

Share This Post:

Feedback

# re: Response to Scrivs on Microsoft

First I'd have to ask you are you happy with what Microsoft has done so far this year because it is better than what everyone else is doing or simply better than what they had before? Microsoft is very large and extremely rich so of course I can point out successes here and there, but when I step back and look at the big picture I am seeing a world where they are becoming less and less significant.

They rule the corporate domain and will remain being dominant for years to come, but in the consumer space, with the exception of the 360, I'm not seeing anything from them.

The Zune has a lot of positives and its why many people felt like it had a chance, but after its launch what have you heard or read about it? Nothing. Ever seen someone with it? Anyone asking for one for Christmas. Larger screen? Cool. Looking sleak? Cool. Brand new music store that isn't compatible with the previous music deals they had with companies? Not cool. Not working with Vista? Not cool. Nobody has it so the social functions serve no purpose? Not cool.

If you want a portable video device there are certainly better alternatives. If you want a music device its hard to beat the iPod.

<blockquote>
That depends on who you talk to, I have a lot of friends that are excited that MSFT took the extra time to make the OS more secure and less buggy. Who are these certain people?
</blockquote>

I've already addressed this issue, but after dealing with XP and other previous versions yes everyone should be ecstatic about releasing an OS that is more secure and with less bugs (which we don't know for sure yet). Isn't that what next versions are supposed to be? You can call every point release of OS X a major release or you can choose to call the minor releases, in any case they are releases that have occurred while Microsoft is at a standstill.

I can't go to Best Buy and pick up a copy of Vista and I won't be able to do so till 2007. Maybe in 2007 I will see them as being a success because of it.

If you are a Microsoft developer you should be astonished. But again, that isn't the big picture in my eyes, that's one community.

Thanks for taking the time to respond my entry Dru. 12/18/2006 6:45 PM | Scrivs

Comments have been closed on this topic.

Response to Scrivs on Microsoft

Feedback

# re: Response to Scrivs on Microsoft

News

Archives

Tools

Syndication: