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Gates: Convergence is for real | |
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| Time: 14:16 EST/19:16 GMT | News Source: CNET | Posted By: Robert Stein | ||
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Folks have been talking about the coming convergence between PCs and consumer electronics for years. But that was the easy part. The hard call was to figure out exactly how the pieces would fall into place. Although the debate goes on, one person who thinks that the technology industry is on the cusp of realizing one of its longest-sought grails is Bill Gates. Gates, who took the stage Wednesday night to deliver the opening key note at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is convinced that recent technology advances have paved the way toward real convergence. CNET News.com caught up with Microsoft's co-founder and chairman to find out what's behind his optimism. | ||
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| #1 By 3339 (64.160.58.135) at 1/8/2004 2:31:43 PM |
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"What are the gating factors that stand in the way of turning this vision into reality?
Well, continual listening to the customers." Yes, actually listening to customers has always been a real bottleneck for you, hasn't it, Bill? Damn customers and what they want! |
| #2 By 2459 (24.175.137.164) at 1/8/2004 3:48:02 PM |
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Some customers favor convergence, especially if it is flexible and offeres benefits such as products like MCE, Smart Display, etc.
The best part of the PC has always been its ability to provide the capabilities of several devices in a cheaper, more flexible manner. I think the main reason some people fight convergence is the lack of flexibility (or the "right" features) often associated with combo consumer devices, and the usual situation where if one part breaks, it's generally cheaper to buy a replacement in a componentized setup versus a combo device setup. Also, there have been ease of use issues with past attempts at PC/Consumer Electronics (CE) convergence products. The PC already has a componentized setup. It's easy to replace one part if it breaks, and much cheaper than buying a new system. Ease of use is also improving. Plus the difference in current convergence attempts vs past attempts is that the PC is now being positioned as basically a media server as far as the average home user is concerned. The techie can still save more money if he wants by using the PC directly as a CE device, in plain view, with no cares of wires showing or color clashing or fan noise. But the home user can keep the PC in the PC room, and still easily access its content via more traditional CE interfaces. A networked DVD player, stereo, set top box, etc., allow the average home user (and even the techie) to keep his media centrally managed, but easilly accessible from anywhere in the home using slightly upgraded versions of the CE devices they're used to. The current convergence is mostly convergent support of PC interface technologies while mostly maintaining the interface/device paradigms people are used to. |
| #3 By 61 (65.32.171.138) at 1/8/2004 4:16:12 PM |
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Jerk, he was talking about keeping up listening to the customers, not saying that listening to the customers is a bad thing.
Also, if Microsoft didn't listen to customers, they would be absolutely no where today, as they would not be able to make money. Just because YOU don't like everything they do does not mean that other's thoughts have not influenced the product line. |
| #4 By 3339 (64.160.58.135) at 1/8/2004 5:22:54 PM |
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The question was: what are the obstacles. The first thing he mentioned was listening to customers. That is hilarious. (He isn't talking about keeping up with them and I wasn't suggesting that he thought it was a bad thing; simply that customers are perceived as an obstacle.) I know what he means, and that is still pathetic: Microsoft's vision, their attempts to maximize profitable products is not the vision of their customers. That is rather evident to me, and you can disagree if you want. Yes, MS has released many products that customers didn't like and they had to modify their products in version 2 or 3 or 4... I don't see that as particularly invigorating or noteworthy.
That doesn't change the fact that it is hilarious that that was his response, and that's all I wanted to do was to point it out. It is funny, and I'm sure others agree. |
| #5 By 8273 (131.107.3.84) at 1/8/2004 9:19:12 PM |
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#4: So when has Steve Jobs listened to his users?
Where are the Mac clones (which, ironically you complained in another thread about how WMV is not open, why is the Mac platform not open)? Where is OSX that runs on X86? Where are the free service packs (I think Apple cals them 10.1, 10.2, 10.3)? Where are the IPods that play WMA? Where are the services that were once free and will stay free (iMovie, iPhoto, .MAC, etc)? Where are the Quick Time codecs for Windows Media Player? Where is the Quick Time player that does not turn Windows into a flickering light show (hint: drop down the menu in QT, none of the other Windows apps do that)? Where are the replaceable iPod batteries? Where are the working iBook motherboards? Where are the working iBook video screens? Where are the copies of OS X that work on **all** G3s? (http://appleosx.rosenthalco.com/) Etc. Etc. Etc. These are all concerns that I and others have spoken about. Things voiced by customers. Yet, I have not seen SJ address them (except by that last thing, but only under the weight of a class action law suit). |
| #6 By 3339 (64.160.58.135) at 1/8/2004 9:36:53 PM |
| Soylent, what about anything that you are saying has to do with the fact that Gates sees his customers as an obstacle to his vision? |
| #7 By 2459 (24.175.137.164) at 1/8/2004 11:54:19 PM |
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He didn't say customers are the obstacle, your own quote says continual listining to the customers.
Listening to customer feedback and adding that feedback into products is hard. The obstacle comes from different groups of customers wanting different things out of a product. Sometimes implementing the difference is as simple as having a couple of options, many times, however, the feedback can vary greatly and some of it isn't feasable for implementation. Plus, feature additions or other product changes carry signifficant costs when the product in question has worldwide distribution and must be localized and thoroughly tested for usability, regression, etc. In short, because the customer-base is so varied, even when you listen to customers, some individual or group of customers may be left out and think their request wasn't considered. Longhorn is currently the biggest example of MS listening to customers, yet even it will not solve everyone's problems. The obstacle in continual listening to the customer is balancing the varied feedback with what's doable, what makes sense, and what you can implement in the alotted time period. Time is a big factor because even when something can be implemented, the customer may not see it in a product for multiple releases after requested simply because of necessary resources to implement it and/or its priority in the giant stack of other customers' requests. This is why Longhorn was made public during alpha. They won't get everyone's ideas implemented, but this early stage of development is the best time that customers can guide development and get many of their requests implemented. |
| #8 By 1845 (67.161.212.73) at 1/9/2004 12:00:36 AM |
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Interesting, I think, that even if listening to customers is an obstacle to Gates' vision, it quite obviously is something that Apple ignores. At least Gates acknowledges the desires of his customers. I suppose Apple does to, but only after lawsuits or well publicized grass roots anti-Apple campaigns.
Perhaps one of our Apple fan boys could defend Apple with regard to their ability to implement customer needs with respect to the issues SoylentGreen raised? |
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