Microsoft Power Users, Part II
Continued from Part I.
There's no Microsoft Power User “WinHEC” out there. Microsoft is all about the developer, and seldom seems to cater to the true enthusiasts. There's a loosely-constructed MVP program (of which I am a member, with the Windows Digital Media distinction), but no real company mission to listen to what's going on in the world outside the Microsoft (to use their word) ecosystem.
And because of that, we end up with sloppy, “just good enough” experiences. My earlier post on the pre-beta of Longhorn illustrates my point ENTIRELY. And I'm complaining not for the sake of complaining - I truly, honestly want to make this better for myself and the rest of the world (simultaneously). I've given pages upon pages of valid feedback and ideas to the MSN Search Champs, Featured Community Summit leaders, et al - but the loop needs to be made tighter. I also know the marketing / PR departments aren't going to understand a word I say.
Even as I'm watching the 2005 WinHEC keynote right now (which I downloaded from a fan site, FWIW), I'm screaming at my screen! The Longhorn demonstration was faaaaaar from impressive, and left me NOT wanting more - but wanting to walk away altogether. Instead of watching with awe and wonder, I'm watching with a very confused look on my face. My brow is furrowed, and my fingers are slamming against the keys of my keyboard at this very moment… I'm growing increasingly impatient.
Remember, I consider myself a power user - I'm not a developer.
Arvind Mishra gave a high-level overview of some new features in the OS. First, he shows off a new way of launching Solitaire… yeah, it looked just as great as it did in Windows 3.1. Arvind continues with a joke about the dog in Windows Search no longer being there - and I couldn't hear a single laugh coming from the audience. Why? Because it wasn't funny when the pooch was foisted upon us in XP. Then, Arvind runs through the new Desktop search feature… which is nothing new to me, as I've been happy for months with something already far more elegant. In the “new” Explorer, the thumbnail options are just as ghastly as they have been in previous versions of Windows (what if I don't want to have all my icons enlarged at the same time?). Oh, and I believe the thumbnail image representing folders (or their new paradigm, stacks) really needs to be redone. But I feel that's just the tip of the iceberg.
We won't get to see a lot of the new OS shell features until “Beta 2,” but I fear that half of what would need to be fixed will be “frozen” by that time. Take, for example, the XPize project - oversights fixed by Microsoft's Windows community. I tolerated legacy elements within Windows XP, but I won't be as tolerant with the next version of Windows.
Microsoft? Bring power users in BEFORE you do something - NOT after.
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8 Comments
Anonymous
April 26th, 2005
at 8:16pm
“Oh, a program may have functionality out the wazoo, but if it looks like it was assembled by a hungover chimpanzee, nobody really feels compelled to use it.”
Chris, I agree with you entirely. Windows is functional, but could be so much more for its users (what is that, 90% of the computing world, maybe a little less with the influx of Linux these days.) Come on, folks, talk to the casual and power users to see what is necessary and desired.
Brandon Paddock
April 26th, 2005
at 8:19pm
You know, you're right. I've been defending Microsoft and Longhorn a lot this week, but truth be told I'm a little worried, too.
Not because I don't think they can make Longhorn a great OS. But because, when you take this long to do something, people expect to see RESULTS. And PROGRESS. And I'm also not saying they haven't got some hidden away in their UX lab. But come on guys… Show us something for crying out loud.
Show us Aero Glass. You don't have to give it to us. Most of us are fine with the fact that the build released at WinHEC is pretty much useless to anyone but a hardware engineer. That was, after all, the point.
But the build they showed up on the screen wasn't really any better. They should show us a demo of Aero Glass, EVEN if it isn't live. Even if we can't play with it yet.
The build they showed on the screen had broken elements. That shouldn't happen. I don't care if what you're showing on the screen isn't a 100% real, live demonstration, as long as what you show us is how you *intend* for it to work when you're done.
And that's the real problem. A lot of people see these builds and think “This is all Microsoft has planned?” And even though that's probably not true, we need to know that for sure. Enough “wait and see.” Microsoft has got to start convincing customers that it will be worth the wait.
And when the MS-faithful (myself and Paul T included) start to worry, you have a problem.
Anonymous
April 27th, 2005
at 10:48am
Chris –
You're whining and acting like a spoiled member of the press who expects special treatment.
The conference you attended is for hardware manufacturers. By definition, these folks need a long leadtime and early heads-up on plans to tailor their new designs to a new platform. It is not intended as an end-user event - NOR IS THERE ANY IMPLICATION THAT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING NOW IS FOR END USERS (yet - that will take a while).
I do agree with portions of what you state though. Yes, input from geeks would be good. However I dont think WinHEC is the right place or time for that, nor that whining about it is the best way to get what you want (just my opinion)
Anonymous
April 27th, 2005
at 11:14am
Chris, you have no say at all at this conference, it is for “hardware” developers. If you care about the Windows interface so much why not apply for job in the User Experience at Microsoft.
You call yourself a Windows user and you still don't get Windows. I am hinting you should be using Linux. All of what you said makes no sense. You hate Outlook, you hate Windows you hate everything Microsoft yet you still use their products. How confusing you are.
Brandon Paddock
April 27th, 2005
at 11:41am
To both anons…
You're right, but therein lies the problem.
This was a conference for hardware engineers. So why did Microsoft show off Longhorn's Desktop Search capabilities, and a few poorly implemented DCE effects? Why did they show off the new Explorer interface…
They should not have shown those items at all in their current form, because the presentation wasn't very good. Since they did show those items, they shouldn't have done it the way they did.
My point was that I'd rather see a fake demo of what it is GOING to look like, than a real demo of what it ISN'T going to look like when it's done.
Unless they actually intend for Longhorn to look like that when it's finished, which we all surely hope it does not.
Scott Kindorf
April 28th, 2005
at 1:00pm
Folks:
Keep this in mind: Since the keynote was open to people other than Hardware developers, like those of us who are involved in the Windows x64 Community and available via webcast, they really shouldn't show any major changes due to the prospect of other companies (coughAPPLEcough) trying to copy or emulate any new features. The conference tracks/sessions at WinHEC are targeted to hardware OEMs for new facilities and capabilities that can be exploited by new hardware designs, like “Metro” (which will revolutionize hardcopy output).
I think you might see more of the UI at the next PDC, but as usual we aren't going to see anything revolutionary until after that event.
–ScottKin
Anonymous
May 2nd, 2005
at 11:42am
I think Chris is just mad because MS won't let him plaster Longhorn with advertising.
Anonymous
December 23rd, 2005
at 11:10am
If you have such troubles with Microsoft, why not move to something else, there are a load of operating systems with a lot better interaction between developers and users. It's not only those usual GNU/Linux, BSD, but you have QNX, ReactOS, AROS (not really that usefull), OpenSolaris, HaikuOS and a lot more, or why not try to get your hands on the OSX-x86.
To light things up a bit, you can read this quite funny article,Is MS Windows ready for the desktop?