Backup Brain

I spent yesterday at a Microsoft Dev Camp in San Francisco with sessions taught by Microsoft evangelists. The camp’s focus was on Windows 8 for HTML5 and JavaScript developers—in particular, creating applications using technologies these developers already knew and selling them in the Microsoft store.

Those who’ve been around awhile might remember that this is one of my hot buttons (but in a good way). Otherwise, go read Apple doesn’t, Microsoft might (almost seven years old!) for some background.

Does Microsoft get it this time? Sadly, no. In fact, I’m fairly sure that they don’t remember having solved this issue previously.

Other takeaways:

• Windows 8 is a disaster from a usability standpoint. Or more precisely, Win 8 makes perfect sense if you think that people use an OS because what they want to do is use an OS. Most of us use an OS because we want to get some task done: write an article, play a game, surf the Web, etc. The OS is in the background handling its required tasks, and it usually only presents itself when something has gone very wrong.

  MS appears to think that people want to sit and stare at their desktops and admire the way they look. I’ve never known anyone where this was their primary usage, although I don’t doubt that MS focus groups were able to dig some up. Sadly, this appears to be a case of the Windows tail wagging the computer-user dog—MS sells Windows, and makes a lot of money doing so, therefore, Windows must be at the center of all your computer using-tasks.

• Because of its “learn from how you use it” nature, Windows 8 is going to be a support nightmare for help desks and consultants.

• I think that a lot of people really don’t understand that Windows RT isn’t a full version of Windows 8, and this is going to bite MS. Hard.

• Someone needs to teach MS evangelists how to use Powerpoint. Fewer words on the slides, please. And if I ever rule the world, reading the text off slides will be grounds for immediate death.

• I signed up to an all-day event to be lectured at by MS evangelists, and I knew what I was in for. However, I thought it was reasonable to expect swag in return. Total haul: one ballpoint pen. That’s it. No t-shirt. No cheap-ass bag like the dozens I already have. No pad of paper. No voucher for a copy of Windows 8. Clearly, they misunderstood the terms of the understanding people have with evangelist-led events.

• MS doesn’t understand how the Apple app store works—but thinks they do. Examples:

  1. They’re not allowing 99¢ apps. Apps are either free or have a minimum cost of $1.49. How many times have you found yourself saying, “Hey, it’s under a dollar, so why the hell not?” Developers, write off all those buyers.
  2. Here’s the chart they posted on how they perceive the opportunities in their store: I’ve tried to add up the number of misconceptions several times now, and I keep failing because I’m laughing too hard.

Of course, I could be dead wrong (it wouldn’t be the first time!) and both Windows 8 and JavaScript-native apps could be huge hits. But I’m not betting that way.