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Microsoft's New Mantra: 'It Just Works' | |
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| Time: 00:00 EST/05:00 GMT | News Source: Fortune.com | Posted By: Chris Hedlund | ||
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Windows guru Jim Allchin talks to FORTUNE about Microsoft's next version of its operating system, Longhorn, revealing some of its features for the first time. Jim Allchin, Microsoft's group vice president for platforms, looked at my Apple PowerBook and smugly pointed out that the number of copies of Windows sold this year will be more than all the Macintosh computers used worldwide. By the end of 2005, he proudly noted, over 730 million people will be using Windows. “Business is good,” he said, as he began to quickly page through his elaborate PowerPoint presentation. For the next hour and a half, in a stuffy Manhattan hotel room last week, Allchin gave me a fast-paced, enthusiastic lecture on Windows' latest updates, which will be released later this month, and on its next major version—Longhorn, which won't be released until the end of 2006. | ||
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| #1 By 12071 (203.185.215.149) at 4/22/2005 12:12:34 AM |
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"It Just Works"
What's the current mantra in that case? "It sort of works", "It almost works"? And if Longhorn will be marketed as "It Just Works" how are they going to convince people to upgrade to the next version? By stating that "It Just Works better and easier"? They've been saying that for 10 years, it's hardly a new mantra. "Jim Allchin...smugly pointed out that the number of copies of Windows sold this year will be more than all the Macintosh computers used worldwide" Yet another insecure Windows user, you would think he'd be happy with what he has rather than trying to make pointless childish remarks like that. Perhaps David should have replied that McDonalds will sell more food this year than anyone else and that Starbucks will sell more coffee than anyone else - and the cheap quality of both those corporations speaks for itself - especially with the crap that StarBucks tries to pass off as coffee. Using the "more people use it so it must be better" is a fallacy. |
| #2 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 4/22/2005 2:04:08 AM |
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I like it - as a branding statement "It just works" is simple and consistent with the platform.
I think that Microsoft is hitting a new stride - confident that their platform and their product roadmaps are on track and that the combination of well integrated features and an increasingly "trustworthy" computing environment are being implemented across all of their products. I was helping a customer today, a really sharp Java/Oracle/*nix centric developer that can code circles around just about anyone I know of, solve a problem for one of his company's new customers. He was asking for help in binding a new address to an interface in RH AS to answer on a specific port opposite certain client requests. I offered that it could be done in a few minutes - this is of course true, but it does take a very keen understanding of the *nix and a few minutes in the CLI. All the while I was thinking...."Gawd, this would take just seconds on Windows Server 2003 and it would work so much better." Mr. Allchin is quite right, it really does just work. This post was edited by lketchum on Friday, April 22, 2005 at 02:05. |
| #3 By 12071 (203.185.215.149) at 4/22/2005 4:13:03 AM |
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#2 "Windows 2003, for example, has proven to be a really stable OS"
So perhaps the current mantra should be "It Just Works" then since it's apparently been working since 2003, rather than setting that as the new mantra for the upcoming OS. And out of curiosity why don't you mention XP rather than a server OS given that the article is about a desktop OS? "Mr Kabuki, name calling really isn't welcome here anymore" Parkker, tell me, where was the name calling? Pointing out that it seems to me that Mr Allchin in yet another insecure Windows user is not name calling, it's pointing out what seems to be blindingly obvious - anytime anyone has anything positive to say about a competitor of Microsoft's the insecure Microsoft users get together to try and quickly put out the flames. For example, take a look at the last few Apple OS X stories that have come out here. Rather than complementing Apple on a job well done, it's more important that people like lketchum, daz, mooresa56 and yourself come out to claim Apple is crap and then only have x% of the desktop market. Apple took a stab at Microsoft for always talking about future products when theirs was ready now and daz came out to drive their point home by mentioning that Longhorn will have this and that and it will do this and that! Hell, even Mr Microsoft zealot himself (Mr Thurrott) had at least some positive comments to make and didn't feel the need to throw in childish comments about market share (from what I remember) - sure he still had a stab saying it's really only got 2 features (which he has mentioned that he is going to go back and fix) but his job is to promote Microsoft so you have to take that into account to some degree. Be proud that your OS of choice is stable and capable rather than acting like an insecure person trying to prop themselves up by putting everyone else down. #3 "I like it" I knew you would :) But what's next? If it just works, then why would you ever need to upgrade? You need to give people an incentive. "I was helping a customer today" I hope that you mentioned to him that Windows Server 2003 can do everything he wants in a much simpler way then he is currently doing it. |
| #4 By 6859 (206.156.242.39) at 4/22/2005 9:23:37 AM |
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Chris,
Saying "It just works" is not the same as saying "There are no new possible features to add to the OS so it's finalized." That's why there are upgrades. You seem to think that if someone says the product "works" then it's finished, apparently you've never had to deal with customers or a product as nebulous as software--where the concept of "works", "done", and "has all features" are utterly alien. You also mention that if Windows 2003 is so great then perhaps it's current mantra/motto should be the aforementioned "It Just Works" (I bet they'll trademark that), the problem is: what if MS just thought of it? They don't have a time-machine you know. Hindsight is 20/20. Additionally, you seem awefully sticky on the fact that there will be more Windows deployments than Apple. Why is that? Surely, it's not because you think Jim is bitter; it must be because of sour-grapes and you have run into the logical argument that you cannot defeat. Your anger is misplaced, my friend, there should be no rhubarb over the statement of facts, such as "OSX has a hella cool desktop" (which it does.) Or, "There will be more Windows deployments than Apple," which is also true. Convinced of Apple's superiority as you are, you may have to ask yourself: if Apple is so great, why aren't they in the position MS is in? It's not because of anti-trust or monopoly violations; it's because they listen to the customer, impliment gradual improvements over time, and have a wider base for hardware, software, and vendors. Were Apple to have the foresight to port OSX to the Intel or AMD 64 bit chips, things would be better for everyone involved (Apple, and the user), because there would finally be a true amount of competition, but Apple has said many, many times that they will never do such a thing. Why are they afraid of the open market? Why do they hide behind their overpriced and underpowered hardware? Fear is the answer. They fear the loss of their "elite" and "cool" status. They fear competition in open waters. They fear they cannot deal with the realities that their OS, although cool, is no replacement for Windows or Linux or BSD (upon which it is built.) Apple is, in essence, a snake-oil peddler: selling a pretty front end on top of the BSD core. They abandoned their old MacOS line, grappling onto the darling of the moment (F/OSS) to increase their long-term viability. But that raises the question: what were they doing so wrong that they had to split from previous methods? Was it just a dead-end road? Or is there more to it? There is more, of course, and that's why Apple is where they are now, and why they'll never really be a player in the personal computer market until they get their act together. |
| #5 By 12071 (203.217.72.18) at 4/22/2005 11:41:35 AM |
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#6 "Saying "It just works" is not the same"
Sorry that's not what I meant, I should have been more clear. In the past it was fairly simple to sell an upgrade to an end user - hardware wasn't up to speed, software was flakey, you name it, you had to deal with it just like the rest of us. However these days with 3Ghz+ processors and relatively stable OS', things fairly much "do work". Sure there are still issues and things can always be better, but in general thing "work adequately". Given that is the current stage today, unless something occurs completely from left field, come 2007 we're going to have even faster hardware and more reliable OS'. If Microsoft attach "It Just Works" to Longhorn then I'm wondering how hard it will be for them to sell the next version of Windows when their customers come back to them and say that their current OS "works just fine". "You also mention that if Windows 2003" I don't actually know why 2003 Server was ever mentioned in the first place when we are discussing desktop OS, speak to Parkker. "sticky on the fact that there will be more Windows deployments than Apple" There's that Windows user insecurity I was speaking about! Get a grip, honestly, do you really think I care whether Windows outsells OS X? Or whether McDonalds outsells Taco Bell? Or whether Starbucks outsells every other coffee vendor? All I was saying is that it's a typical insecure comment to make - to come out with a comment completely from left field "oh sure Tiger is available now BUT Longhorn will do everything much better...oh oh and yeah, we will sell more copies in the next 3 weeks than Apple has in the last 10 years" - can't you see how insecure and childish that is? I guess not given your comments in the past. "Jim is bitter" Jim is jealous that OS X got there first no doubt - which is why he is focusing all his efforts in making sure that everyone hears about how Longhorn will be much better (take a look at how many stories there have been about Longhorn coinciding with Tiger's release - please don't tell me it's pure coincidence!). "Convinced of Apple's superiority as you are, you may have to ask yourself" Can you tell me where I'm so convinced of Apple's superiority? Or is this more insecurities coming out again? I never said Apple is superior to anyone, I'm just able to appreciate OS X for what it is and I can appreciate the features in Tiger without having to put Apple down just to prop "my os of choice" up. I think Apple do a lot of things better than most, just like I think Microsoft do some things better than most and OSS do some things better than most. Why can't someone like you, who is obviously very happy with Windows, look at Tiger and just comment on what's good and what's bad without having to resort to arguments about how Longhorn "will be" superior (because you can tell the future obviously!) and pointless arguments regarding market share - like that's any sign of a products quality (which is why I mentioned McDonalds and Starbucks as examples)! |
| #6 By 12071 (203.217.72.18) at 4/22/2005 11:42:09 AM |
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#6 "Why are they afraid of the open market? Why do they hide behind their overpriced and underpowered hardware? "
Ask them not me, I don't speak for Apple or their fans for that matter. Or do you consider anyone that dares to complement Apple as a die hard fan? I'm with you, I wish they did port OS X to x86 but they don't do it for their own reasons - probably control more than anything else but there may be a lot of reasons for it - like I said ask them. And if that is the case then every single commercial company tries to hang onto control in any means necessary - some do it through hardware, some through software, and others through both - don't be under the impression that they want to do anything other than lock you into their products in one way or another. "There is more, of course, and that's why Apple is where they are now, and why they'll never really be a player in the personal computer market until they get their act together. " Given that I don't own stock in Apple I can quite comfortably say - and what's wrong with that? Perhaps they like their little niche - perhaps they've realised that it's too late for them to take on Microsoft in any great deal so they've decided to focus on their own things. Do they have to have majority market share before you consider what they do to have any merit? |
| #7 By 2459 (69.22.124.228) at 4/22/2005 1:17:28 PM |
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"It Just Works" isn't really a new mantra. MS used it 10 years ago with Windows 95. This post was edited by n4cer on Friday, April 22, 2005 at 13:18. |
| #8 By 12071 (203.185.215.149) at 4/22/2005 10:34:08 PM |
| #10 Not sure about Windows 95 - you might indeed be right, but I did manage to find that it definitely was the mantra of Windows ME (http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/millennium.asp) - let's hope this time around it's a little more successful than Win ME was. |
| #9 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 4/23/2005 4:06:43 PM |
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#4, "why would I ever upgrade...?"
Well...for the same reasons I'm still not driving a 63 Ford Falcon [my first ride]. For the same reasons I'm no longer using Windows NT4 as a front end to a Unices based backend DB - because I can do more..I can do it more inexpensively..I can do it more easily..I can integrate more..I can offer and deliver more..I can sustain more profitable revenue..because the younger people here that keep this place filled with energy and ideas are excited about seeing what they can do that I could never dream of doing in my lifetime...so many reasons I ask, "how could one not feel incented?" "Did I mention that the same task in W2K3 is much easier? - No!" I know the man and his business just like I know all my customers. I know the time for that was not right, because he is so overworked that he has zero time to learn anything new right now. So, I just helped him and told him to give a call when he needed some assistance and in a few moments I would have it done for him. We discussed reference zones on the *nix and a mess of other things I knoew would help him. Above all, I respected him, and act like it and before the call ended he was both a lot more relaxed and smiling and also a lot more confident that he "could" shape what he had around his client's needs. BTW, the guy is a bonified genius and writes some of the most elegant code I have ever seen. This post was edited by lketchum on Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 16:21. |
| #10 By 2960 (156.80.34.36) at 4/25/2005 8:47:09 AM |
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What "Just Works" ?
It seems silly to me that a tag-line describes what the customer EXPECTS from the product in the first place. It this an indication we should feel privilaged that it just _might_ deliver this time, after years of promises? "Water - It's just wet" is a perfect tag line for Seaworld using this mentality. Nothing has been so dumb since "Think Different". TL |
| #11 By 2960 (156.80.34.36) at 4/25/2005 8:48:46 AM |
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What "Just Works" ?
It seems silly to me that a tag-line describes what the customer EXPECTS from the product in the first place. It this an indication we should feel privilaged that it just _might_ deliver this time, after years of promises? "Water - It's just wet" is a perfect tag line for Seaworld using this mentality. Nothing has been so dumb since "Think Different". TL |
| #12 By 2960 (156.80.34.36) at 4/25/2005 11:42:19 AM |
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Sure, but slogans aren't generally a paragraph long :)
TL |
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