First off , another in a proceed series of Macalope disclaimers ( the Macalope ’s promise to you is that no article will be publish until it ’s thoroughly disclaimed ): The title of this piece is a joke . We ’re dismissive Apple fans . Jabbing Windows is just a thing we have to do , whether it ’s right or wrong . ( If it ’s wrong , why does it palpate so right ? )
Anyway , Microsoft give a first looking at at Windows 8 the other day , its first kind - of - tablet - optimize - plays - for - trusted translation of Windows . While some of it does attend snazzy , the Macalope agree withJohn Gruberand Jason Snell about its shortcomings ( there’sa shocker ) . The hide of Windows 8 ’s tablet experience looks terrific . It ’s in pass up to rethink the app experience where it fail .
Snell :
The fellowship that spent a decade try on to push Windows tablet on a grocery store that just did n’t need them is still convinced that it ’s a selling period that Windows 8 tablet will run Microsoft Excel for Windows and if you hook up a keyboard and black eye to them , you’re able to get an pointer pointer and click to your heart ’s content .
Awesome ! Well , not so awesome that Microsoft ’s going to show how well that interaction goesin its demo video . Excel is launch and the filing cabinet open dialogue is shown , but the user wane to attempt to actually use the diligence , because that would necessitate either tapping those little carte du jour - barroom image or cart out a computer mouse . You ’ll credibly be using your tablet somewhere where there ’s a vapid open , anyway , right ? Well , you will if you expend a Windows 8 - based tab .
Surface ?
slating ?
Sheesh , what form of company belong throughso many names for the same thing ?
But while it would be so sluttish to just write Microsoft off as a completely clueless company that ’s just living off its former glorification , the fact is that there ’s some very interesting work croak on at Microsoft .
It ’s dependable . It ’s just the CEO who ’s clueless and live off the party ’s former glory .
It just seems to be stuck inside a company that ca n’t let go of the past to embrace its own bright future .
And this is the trouble with Microsoft ’s succeeder , or at least how the company chooses to deal with its winner . Except for a couple of isolated examples , it does n’t know how to turn the aircraft carrier . That ’s whysome investors are call for the sweaty head of Steve Ballmer .
Onthe late edition of the Talk Show , John Gruber note that the right elbow room to play the game is to be the one to exchange your own product . If you baby-sit on something too long , you lean the risk that someone else is going to do the job for you . Microsoft tried to do it veracious with Windows Phone 7 , it just experience a recent start .
The company often seems to have a job telling people “ no”—an issue that Apple has never had . Apple tellslotsof people “ no . ” No , you ’re not getting a floppy drive . No , you ’re not contract a forcible keyboard on our cell phone . No , we ’re not shit up our mobile devices with Flash . No , for that last time , we ’re not porting HyperCard to OS X , it ’s been 11 years , will you just drop it already , UGH , JEEZ ? !
If you want a ride to the future , there are two ways to get there . One is to catch a drive in the race railcar Apple ’s drive and accept the fact that , for the joy of a nice ride , you ’re going to have to pay the tolls along the road . Otherwise , you may catch the Microsoft bus . They do n’t make you pay the tolls but the bus stopseverywhere .
It ’ll be interesting to see if any goofy savant burn on this being an “ iPad sea wolf . ” The Macalope suspect those the great unwashed have now been burned too many prison term , but you never eff . dense springs unending . The Macalope ’s so old he remembers being toldWindows Mobile 7 would totally destroy the iPhone . Of naturally that was only three days ago , but he is at least that old .
And that was not Windows Phone 7 , listen you , but Windows Mobile 7 . Which never embark . That Windows Mobile 7 . Admittedly , it ’s hard to keep track with the frightful name calling that Microsoft uses .
The Macalope actually does wish well Windows Phone 7 success ( well , within reason , anyway ) , because it ’s original and a arrant rethinking of what they were doing before . It ’s undecomposed for Microsoft and it ’s good for the market . As it stands , though , he ca n’t completely say that about Windows 8 .
