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- A refined plea to J AllardSeptember 3
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Some of you may have read my previous post pleading to J Allard as the new Chief Experience Officer to provide a universal media experience across all Microsoft platforms. Well, after getting no feed-back, I am trying again with a slightly more refined plea.
So, here's what it comes down to - core tasks make all the difference.
The (what should be at least) simple tasks that you do every day on any type of device/interface are what make you love something, or hate it. If the things that should be simple ARE simple, easy to use, and easy on the eyes, you'll love whatever it is.
So, let me give you a specific example that will give Windows 7 a major driver and essentially end Sony's reign of terror in the living room. (I hate Sony by the way, I want you to vanquish them.) It's a simple concept. One that will probably be difficult to pull off due more to political issues than technical but if it's done will change the living room forever. (I posted these hopes before http://windowsconnected.com/blogs/matt/archive/2008/06/30/a-suggestion-for-j-allard-as-chief-experience-officer.aspx addressed to J Allard as
I believe he is the one person who could make this happen due to his new po - It's Not About Being CoolAugust 26
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I was going to call this post "Microsoft Should've Hired Steve Carell", but according to the Crave blog on CNET, a clever someone named "Dirk VanNerden" (nice handle) got the idea down on pixels before I could. Heck, he even suggested including others from The Office cast, which is what I was thinking too...maybe a nice little self-satire of MS's nerdy image or even a parody of the "Get a Mac" ads... But hey, great minds think alike, right? Kudos to you, Dirk VanNerden.
Anyway, when I first heard that Microsoft hired Jerry Seinfeld for $10 million to star in its "Windows Not Walls" ad campaign for Vista, my gut reaction was: "Way to go with someone who's still relevant, Microsoft." I mean, really? You're trying to make Vista seem cool by hiring an actor who was cool in the '90s? What's next, product placement on Dawson's Creek? Maybe a guest appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show? I debated writing a post about it, but realized many people had the same reaction I did. But, after thinking about it a little more, I became a tad more open-minded: "Well, who knows, the ads might be good...Seinfeld is a funny guy."
Still, I wasn't going to write about it until I saw this article--specifically, this comment from Matt Scherer, president of Scherer Communications, who says the Mac ads have effectively stigmatized MS
- Apple Fans Get a Taste of Corporate RealitiesAugust 9
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You’ve probably noticed, but in case you haven’t: there’s been a string of negative press regarding Apple these days. Of course, reporting anything negative about Apple is always risky as you’re bound to incite the Apple faithful and face a bombardment of backlash. However, even Apple fans can’t rally to the company’s defense as easily this time.
First, there was Mozilla CEO John Lilly saying that the inclusion—and by default, automatic installation—of Apple’s Safari browser in its Software Update for Windows violates consumer trust relationships. After igniting the ire of Apple fans, he defended his position and even said that Apple “undermines the Internet." Then we have the Consumer Reports study showing that Mac users are just as likely as PC users to fall prey to online fraud. And because Mac users’ browser of choice, Safari, does not include phishing protection, Consumer Reports warns against using it. (Earlie
- Microsoft Pro Photography SummitJuly 9
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Scobelizer is broadcasting a speech by Microsoft CTO David Vaskevitch, and I'm having trouble focusing on what he's saying. Because of the pants he's wearing:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/2652483935/sizes/l/
I wonder if you can get those at the company store?
- Netmon 3.2 Beta BeginsJune 12
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If you make regular use of Netmon you will probably want to know that Microsoft has released a beta of Netmon 3.2 to connect.
Here is what is new according to the site:
Process Tracking: View all the processes on your machine generating network traffic (process name and PID). Use the conversation tree to view frames associated with each process.
§ Find conversations: Quickly isolate frames in the same network conversation. Isolate TCP streams, HTTP flows etc.
§ PCAP capture file support*
§ Capture engine re-architecture to improve capture rate in high-speed networks. Network Monitor 3.2 drops significantly fewer frames that NM 3.1
§ Extensive parser set: Parsers for over 300 protocols! Parsers for the protocols covered by the Windows Open Protocol Specifications (see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc216517.aspx).
§ NM API: Create your own applications that capture, parser and analyz