Trying to decipher what goes on at Microsoft brings back memories of the old Soviet Union, where people picked through the Pravda articles trying to figure out who was in and who was out. Microsoft fits perfectly with the Soviet-style politics of Washington state.
Microsoft can't even finalize and ship a product that does little more than put their OS on par with OS X and Linux.
This is pathetic.
I think the MS employees have done their job and the company heads are screwing them by delaying the release of Vista.
MS ping...
Why is everybody so anxious to be charged another $200 for a "new" operating system? Windows XP is near perfection and just fine by me if it stays the standard for years to come.
I worked with the highest concentration of brilliant people I have ever been exposed to. Additionally, their dedication to the "mission" was total...to a person.
That said, I fear hubris has finally struck the fatal blow in "Redmond"...though it will take a decade or more to truly crush this company. The new OS is ENORMOUS and far more capable than any business or individual will need for many, many years. When combined with the pressure exerted by web-based services and the new (actually old) emerging model of putting the computing power in the datacenter and having a single, simple, universal client (Java-enabled browser)...and sufficient bandwidth everywhere..."Redmond" is in BIG TROUBLE.
Unfortunately, leadership is so invested in the "fat client" model they can't let go.
The blame belongs to the Chief Software Architect - Bill Gates. It was his projects that doomed Vista, like his WinFS project that was ultimately removed from the OS.
When Vista finally ships, it will still be five years behind Mac OS X.
The smart computer user will use this reprieve to buy all the hardware and software he will ever conceivably need for his existing OS before the market switches to Vista and they are orphaned into incompatibility.
Who says Windows doesn't fork? It forks, it just refuses to support all but one branch... and barely that one.
Here's a link to the actual blog:
http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2006/03/vista-2007-fire-leadership-now.html
What, and fundamentally change Microsoft's entrie business model?
(Sorry, couldn't resist the cheap shot...)
I hate 'Operating Systems'!
Does that make me a bad person?
And at home, my new MacBook Pro feels awfully nice... ;)
Never gonna happen.
The marketing director of a key Microsoft partner has confirmed that key elements of Windows Vista are currently being re written.
Mr Raymond Vardanega, the Marketing Director, of Acer Australia has confirmed independently of SmartHouse Magazine that Microsoft is having major problems with its Vista operating system. He said "The decision to delay Vista into the consumer market will have an impact on hardware sales particularly in the Media Centre market. We have been told that Microsoft has bought in programmers from the Xbox team to work on the problems. We have also been told that up to 60% of the code will have some form of re writing or changes made. We are told that Microsoft is concerned at the impact that the delay will have on hardware manufacturers. We have raised our concerns directly with Microsoft".
A major problem for Microsoft is that the current version of Media Centre (MCE) is clumsy and prone to crashing. It contains code which is not productive in delivering an entertainment experience for consumers. While on one hand custom installers want an MCE server type environment to load and operate home automation applications consumers simply want a bullet proof system that allows them to download movies, play games, and manage entertainment and family content. They do not want to combine application computing with their media centre which in most cases is strategically located close to a large screen or music system.
What SmartHouse is told is that Microsoft is working on Vista modular structure that allows a consumer to install only what they want in a specific environment. They are also working on Vista better interfacing with the new Viiv hardware environment spanning Hi-Fi, Wireless for portable audio distribution right the way through to a new generation of Viiv compliant hardware such as LCD TV's that will come with a 350GB hard drive wireless and the ability to load the Vista operating system directly into the Viiv compliant TV. The TV will then be used for gaming, downloading movies, music and TV shows. It will also interface with a Hi Fi or music system either over an IP based cable system or via wireless.
We are told that current testing of the consumer version of Windows Vista for consumers still needs a lot of work to cohesively pull these elements together so that the next version actually meets consumer expectations.
We are also told that Microsoft is concerned that Apple could release a media centre solution built on the Viiv platform. They know that Apple's iPod strength, iTunes sites and relationship with content providers and vendors who are now delivering home entertainment accessories built around the Apple's 17pin iPod connector will have an impact that could well stop Microsoft gaining a dominant position in the home with Vista.
strange