Microsoft's attempt to lock people into their services in Windows 8 is quite frustrating

Microsoft’s Steve Balmer is quoted as saying the following:

During a recent conversation with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman at a Churchill Club event, Ballmer said: “The ecosystem of Android is a little wild,” highlighting the rise of malware on the operating system, and the multiple devices from various companies including Amazon, Samsung and Google that run it.

“Conversely, Apple’s system looks highly controlled and quite high prices,” said Ballmer. “How do you get quality at a premium price with not quite as controlled ecosystem." - MacWorld.com.au

When you first install Windows 8 you are prompted for a Microsoft account. This in theory enables your settings to follow you, which is technically quite clever and good. But what if you don’t want a Microsoft account. That’s OK, you can go ahead without an account. So far so good.

Now you’ve set up and want to use the Mail app. Guess what. You need an account to get past the first screen. There’s no need to have an account if you don’t use Microsoft’s mail services which I currently don’t. Very few people I know actually do use Microsoft’s mail services apart from Hotmail users, but certainly not most business users.

I decided to check the calendar and messaging apps. If I just want a local calendar I’d expect to be able to use the calendar app. Nope. I need an account. With the messaging app I’ll accept if you want to use Microsoft messenger (which they’re now making obsolete) you’d need an account, but what if you use another service. What good is the messaging app.

 

To me this is pretty disappointing. Microsoft is progressively screwing people down and locking them into their products. Apple did this very successfully and now Microsoft appears to have seen the light and following suit. The problem is Microsoft doesn’t get it. Their strength is in that they haven’t tied people down. Copying Apple’s approach means they’ll only ever be second.

The new Microsoft Surface RT tablet really locks things down and significantly restricts functionality. I’d not recommend the Microsoft Surface RT tablet to anyone and I’d be sure many people who by the tablet on impulse will end up being disappointed. They won’t know of the limitations until they later found out their Office RT software isn’t licensed for work use and is crippled in many important ways such as no ability to run macros in Excel. The Mail app really is the app that kills the Surface RT tablet for me. I need clients to be able to run a range of mail services and since it can’t correctly handle IMAP and there is no other obvious mail client choice that’s the end of the Microsoft Surface RT device.

As Microsoft turns their back on Windows XP users, dumped Outlook Express users, doesn’t handle IMAP correctly in most of their email products, it really makes you start to wonder if they even consider their users. An estimated 100 million or more current Windows XP user’s machines won’t even be able to be upgraded to Windows 8. That’s a huge slap in the face for loyal Windows users. I don’t know of any other business that would get away with such arrogance.

Microsoft products are very good products, but I’m now finding it hard to back them when their interest is so clearly focused on themselves instead of their user base. In IT we only exist because of our users. Microsoft needs to go back to basics.

In Windows 8 let people start up at the Desktop if they want to. Provide an email client that doesn’t require people to sign up with a Microsoft account. Get IMAP to work properly. IMAP works perfectly on Android and iOS devices. My latest technology products aren’t Microsoft based and if I didn’t have to support clients, my need to have a Microsoft product is quickly diminishing. I was looking forward to the Microsoft Surface tablet running the full version of Windows 8 when it is released next year but now I’m starting to wonder. For a person who has lived and breathed Microsoft products for decades that should be a real concern to Microsoft.

Sadly only a few small a few small changes are required by Microsoft which would enhance my experience greatly.

 

1.       Let people start up in Desktop mode on their Windows 8 PCs if they want to.

2.       Change the Windows key so that pressing it will take you immediately to the Desktop when you start your computer.

3.       Fix the Mail app so it works correctly with IMAP. Whilst you’re at it fix Outlook so it also correctly works with IMAP.

4.       Let people install their own apps without having to go through the app store. This is lock in to make Microsoft money (30% commission) and restricts how and what small developers deliver to their clients.

5.       Make Internet Explorer 9 or 10 available for Windows XP users.

6.       Look after your customers and stop trying to force people to upgrade when they don’t have to. Their computers will eventually die and you’ll keep the customer.

7.       Make it easier to shut down a Windows 8 computer with a minimum number of steps. Windows XP/7 takes two obvious clicks. Now it’s an annoyance.

8.       Make Windows 8 compatible with computers older than 2005. There are over a hundred million computers still running that can’t be upgraded and frankly, if people are forced to upgrade their computer I wouldn’t blame them for looking at a Mac or a low cost Android tablet.

It may already be too late for Microsoft. They’ve already damaged their relationship with many of their users by damaging the experience for Outlook Express and Windows XP users. Their only saving grace is Google Android still isn’t a good product and Apple have resorted to their old policy of keeping prices high since Steve Jobs passed away. If Google gets their act together that could be the end of Microsoft. For me all that means is for Google to have an identical experience on their Android Chrome browser as they do on the desktop and it is game over for Microsoft and Apple. Luckily for Microsoft and Apple Google is more interested in advertising revenue and not software development.

The quote above from Steve Balmer where he says: “how do you get quality at a premium price with not quite as controlled eco system” highlights the flaw in Steve’s thinking. Steve wants people to pay more and have more control. As consumers we want to pay less and not be controlled. Steve is only justifying higher prices and making money from app store commissions. That isn’t how the Microsoft eco system has worked. We the users have had good prices, lots of choice and not much control. I personally like it that way. I’m not a fan of Google products but their approach is providing consumers with more choice and better prices. That is a hard combination to beat and unless Microsoft rethinks their approach, they won’t be able to beat Google.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding areas.