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		Microsoft's 13 worst missteps of all time (infoworld.com)		160
		More: Fail, Zune, Microsoft, Windows, MS-DOS, word processors, Start Menu, Excel, crates

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cretinbob		2013-01-14 09:22:16 AM

8 pages? Really? It takes 8 pages to list 13 things that MS didn't do well? Jeez I'm glad the author didn't go with 25 or 100 things.

styckx		2013-01-14 09:59:33 AM

8 farking pages..

Sail The Wide Accountancy		2013-01-14 10:02:07 AM

Can someone do that Voodoo that you do and make it all on page? I'm ok with two pages, SOMETIMES even 3, but this is redic.

styckx		2013-01-14 10:02:25 AM

Microsoft misstep No. 13: DOS 4.0
Microsoft misstep No. 12: The evil cuties Bob, Clippy, and Rover
Microsoft misstep No. 11: Zune, Kin, Courier, Windows Mobile, and missing the consumer mobile boat
Microsoft misstep No. 10: Bad Windows: Do they run in cycles?
Microsoft misstep No. 9: Windows Ultimate
Microsoft misstep No. 8: Windows Genuine Advantage
Microsoft misstep No. 7. Branding
Microsoft misstep No. 6. Windows Live
Microsoft misstep No. 5: Windows 8
Microsoft misstep No. 4: Windows 8 branding
Microsoft misstep No. 3: Missed opportunities in the cloud
Microsoft misstep No. 2: Management musical chairs
Microsoft misstep No. 1: Internet Explorer 6

loonatic112358		2013-01-14 10:03:43 AM

cretinbob: 8 pages? Really? It takes 8 pages to list 13 things that MS didn't do well? Jeez I'm glad the author didn't go with 25 or 100 things.

If you hit print it's only one page

Link

YodaBlues		2013-01-14 10:08:05 AM

Deslide.

bighairyguy		2013-01-14 10:11:00 AM

I got a new laptop Saturday and I've been doing battle with Windows 8 since then. The Tiles screen is perfect for ADD people.

Wellon Dowd		2013-01-14 10:13:19 AM

Their ventures into robo-dildonics haven't yielded much fruit, yet.

moothemagiccow		2013-01-14 10:26:02 AM

1. Hiring Steve Ballmer.

encyclopediaplushuman		2013-01-14 10:31:26 AM

They forgot to leave out how the architecture Windows uses makes it a hacker's paradise.

/don't have to pay the Windows price
/livin' in hacker's paradise

meatofmystery		2013-01-14 10:33:31 AM

funny, none of those things ever bothered me

/win 8 tablet pc
//no cure for sh*tty slide shows

Random Anonymous Blackmail		2013-01-14 10:33:40 AM

OF ALLLL LTIME.!!!!!

Cormee		2013-01-14 10:36:11 AM

bighairyguy: I got a new laptop Saturday and I've been doing battle with Windows 8 since then. The Tiles screen is perfect for ADD people.

I made the mistake of 'upgrading' to Windows 8, sweet mother of Christ, I hate it. Thankfully, this article helped me revert to a Windows 7-type UI http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8- look-like-windows-7-50009546/

dletter		2013-01-14 10:41:58 AM

styckx: Microsoft misstep No. 13: DOS 4.0
Microsoft misstep No. 12: The evil cuties Bob, Clippy, and Rover
Microsoft misstep No. 11: Zune, Kin, Courier, Windows Mobile, and missing the consumer mobile boat
Microsoft misstep No. 10: Bad Windows: Do they run in cycles?
Microsoft misstep No. 9: Windows Ultimate
Microsoft misstep No. 8: Windows Genuine Advantage
Microsoft misstep No. 7. Branding
Microsoft misstep No. 6. Windows Live
Microsoft misstep No. 5: Windows 8
Microsoft misstep No. 4: Windows 8 branding
Microsoft misstep No. 3: Missed opportunities in the cloud
Microsoft misstep No. 2: Management musical chairs
Microsoft misstep No. 1: Internet Explorer 6

Not a bad list, but, way out of order as far as how bad it is for Microsoft.

#11 should clearly be #1.... because they had the desktop platform market basically locked in in the late 90s & early 2000's, even more than today... they could have gotten out in front of Apple in the mobile device space and had products that really cleanly worked well and synced well with their OS. Instead they fumbled around with it and with the music space, neither of which I think they'll be able to really get above #3 on ahead of Apple & Google/Android now.

Cheron		2013-01-14 10:47:36 AM

moothemagiccow: 1. Hiring Steve Ballmer.

I thought he was some sort of art installation

styckx		2013-01-14 10:48:16 AM

I think Microsofts biggest misstep was Windows ME. And not because of the typical because it's fun to make fun of Windows Me but because Windows 2000 was already farking out an 3000% superior to it. I have no idea to this day why Microsoft pushed yet another FAT32 OS to the moon over a superior NTFS based product that was already on the market and largely never marketed. The NT file system was 100% ready for prime time in Windows 2000 and MS just dropped the ball completely. Yet they market the popular opposite. An unstable bluescreen generating shiatstick.

kungfu jesus with a side of lime		2013-01-14 10:50:48 AM

so i see you are trying to make a list...

cache.ohinternet.com

doczoidberg		2013-01-14 10:51:17 AM

I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

The first second I saw Windows 8 in action, I was asking how to disable those damn tiles and get to a normal looking desktop.

Fortunately, it can be done. However, I fear for future Windows releases in which using the tiles will be mandatory.

styckx		2013-01-14 10:54:02 AM

doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

I like it and use it daily as do many others.. I actually uninstalled Start 8 and just use the start screen now. It's quite convenient at organizing your apps instead of pinning 900 things to the taskbar or digging through the start menu which was farking awful to open and quickly find what you needed.

moel		2013-01-14 10:55:20 AM

Annoyingly i had my first pro win 8 comment from a user the other day...eugh...if he can get to grips with it, then i'm farked with my 'but people won't understand' argument with the purchasing IT guy.

likefunbutnot		2013-01-14 10:56:56 AM

As a geek with a long memory, I'm glad that they included DOS 4.

Oakenshield		2013-01-14 10:59:56 AM

That's a lot of prose detailing what could be summarized with: Consumers.

Desquamation		2013-01-14 11:02:37 AM

doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

The first second I saw Windows 8 in action, I was asking how to disable those damn tiles and get to a normal looking desktop.

I wouldn't say I like it, but I don't dislike it. I'll admit for the first day or so I wasn't a fan but it's not nearly as bad as many make it out to be.

That being said, there's loads of room for improvement in terms of customization there... Hopefully they'll add some additional options with one of the service pack releases.

/To get to the normal looking desktop, you click on the desktop tile. Not sure why that's an issue.

TheTrashcanMan		2013-01-14 11:07:04 AM

L.D. Ablo		2013-01-14 11:09:54 AM

I don't miss Windows one bit. Haven't had to touch it since I started working for myself. That removed a major source of stress. Here's to the memories:

gbob23		2013-01-14 11:11:04 AM

Wouldn't it be quicker to make a list of what they did right?

DOS
Windows 95
Windows XP
Office

Even these will be debated by folks.

Danger of getting fat and lazy, folks. Are you paying attention Google?

wildcardjack		2013-01-14 11:18:40 AM

Just remember this gem from IBM

imgs.xkcd.com

xria		2013-01-14 11:23:40 AM

Desquamation: doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

The first second I saw Windows 8 in action, I was asking how to disable those damn tiles and get to a normal looking desktop.

I wouldn't say I like it, but I don't dislike it. I'll admit for the first day or so I wasn't a fan but it's not nearly as bad as many make it out to be.

That being said, there's loads of room for improvement in terms of customization there... Hopefully they'll add some additional options with one of the service pack releases.

/To get to the normal looking desktop, you click on the desktop tile. Not sure why that's an issue.

Windows 8 is going to be a disaster for most users for quite a while, maybe the entire of its product cycle. The fact that you can end up with Skype (Modern UI) and Skype for Desktop installed on the same PC (and you need skype for desktop currently if you want to send files and various other things) and if someone calls you both versions start ringing, and whichever one you answer, the other continues ringing while you are on the call unless you switch and manually turn it off. Of course a temporary solution is to uninstall all Modern UI apps so you don't accidentally end up in Modern UI when you double click files (like pdf's, say) and install classic shell with all options on.

Maybe in a few years time application developers will have caught up with Modern UI and you can use it properly without switching between effectively two completely different operating systems for most tasks, probably around the time Windows 9 gets to service pack 1, or maybe Microsoft will fold and do something different (I could easily see them caving and making it so Modern UI apps can be windowed and appear on the desktop. Obviously the idea of merging desktop application and web application into one system has been a long term aim for Microsoft since the creation of .NET, and the Modern UI is a crucial step down that route, but I am quite happy to leave the beta testing to others.

LesserEvil		2013-01-14 11:26:42 AM

styckx: doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

I like it and use it daily as do many others.. I actually uninstalled Start 8 and just use the start screen now. It's quite convenient at organizing your apps instead of pinning 900 things to the taskbar or digging through the start menu which was farking awful to open and quickly find what you needed.

Wow, you find it hard to type in a simple phrase in the start menu's search box?

The problem with Metro is it removes the explicit nature of the Windows GUI in favor of a ton of keyboard commands and gestures. It's a step backward removing visual cues on a desktop interface, too.

Basically, 30 years of UI research in the toilet to acclimatize desktop users to your mobile UI.... which is different for very specific and good reasons from a desktop interface.

There was never a need to unify the UI. Desktops, Game console, Tabletop/surface/tablet and Phone UIs all have their own patterns of use, and should always be different. Desktops and Game consoles rarely have touchscreens, which work better with gestures and have more screen real estate, which means it's good to have visual cues (like buttons and title bars); tablets and phones will always have touchscreens and limited screen real estate, so we use gestures and hide visual cues. Phones tend to be used with thumbs... which puts a different emphasis on how the gestures work over tablet (or "surface") devices that tend toward fingertips.

Game consoles work through gamepads (and with Kinect, through voice and whole-body gestures).

Desktops and laptops have pointing devices (which are TERRIBLE at gestures) and keyboards. Desktops have lots of screen real estate (laptops not so much, but far better than other mobile devices)

I'm not even delving into industrial controls, which have a whole other set and range of requirements for the UI, depending on many factors).

In summary, Windows 8 defies conventional wisdom, and does it for the sole purpose of promoting Microsoft's mobile device agenda, which is NOT a worthwhile reason. Users may get used to it, but that doesn't mean they'll ever be as productive as they would be with a traditional Desktop UI. In the end, a user that is enamored with Metro is more likely just experiencing the "new car smell" effect.

doczoidberg		2013-01-14 11:30:28 AM

Desquamation: To get to the normal looking desktop, you click on the desktop tile. Not sure why that's an issue.

I figured that out after a minute or two.

What I'm REALLY dreading is the day when even doing THAT is no longer an option. Eventually, Microsoft will double down on the whole Tiles thing, and force us to use them all of the time.

I dunno; the tiles make me feel like I have no control over the files I store on my machine. I like to create folders, cut and paste...move stuff around...look at a file's properties...and I feel like you can't really do that on a mobile device, or Metro.

styckx		2013-01-14 11:35:45 AM

doczoidberg: Desquamation: To get to the normal looking desktop, you click on the desktop tile. Not sure why that's an issue.
I figured that out after a minute or two.

What I'm REALLY dreading is the day when even doing THAT is no longer an option. Eventually, Microsoft will double down on the whole Tiles thing, and force us to use them all of the time.

I dunno; the tiles make me feel like I have no control over the files I store on my machine. I like to create folders, cut and paste...move stuff around...look at a file's properties...and I feel like you can't really do that on a mobile device, or Metro.

Holy shiat you're being a drama queen.. You can do the same exact shiat on Windows 8 as you could on Windows 7, Vista, and XP and more efficiently.

lucksi		2013-01-14 11:42:15 AM

You know your company has problems when Vista and ME are not even listed...

Desquamation		2013-01-14 11:42:17 AM

doczoidberg:
What I'm REALLY dreading is the day when even doing THAT is no longer an option. Eventually, Microsoft will double down on the whole Tiles thing, and force us to use them all of the time.

I dunno; the tiles make me feel like I have no control over the files I store on my machine. I like to create folders, cut and paste...move stuff around...look at a file's properties...and I feel like you can't really do that on a mobile device, or Metro.

If that day ever comes I'll drop Windows in a heartbeat.

I'd like to see a lot more customization options for the new Start screen as well... I'm hopeful Microsoft will figure it out.

Like I said, I don't like Win8 (If I didn't have a TechNet subscription it's unlikely I'd go out and purchase an upgrade).

Sea Monkey		2013-01-14 11:47:33 AM

Interesting read.

On a related note, I will probably upgrade from Windows 7 to something else for the same reason I upgraded from XP - it didn't have the ability to fully utilize the hardware in my new PC. I imagine it will be a long time before I reach that point again.

bighairyguy		2013-01-14 11:59:12 AM

Cormee: bighairyguy: I got a new laptop Saturday and I've been doing battle with Windows 8 since then. The Tiles screen is perfect for ADD people.

I made the mistake of 'upgrading' to Windows 8, sweet mother of Christ, I hate it. Thankfully, this article helped me revert to a Windows 7-type UI http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8- look-like-windows-7-50009546/

Link was wonky but I searched CNET and found some good stuff. Thanks!

Klopfer		2013-01-14 11:59:18 AM

That was painful to read. Not because of sympathy for Microsoft, but because it was so badly written.

RoxtarRyan		2013-01-14 12:05:33 PM

doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

Having a laptop that is a "convertible", when I installed 8, I customized it to be as much like 7 as I could. The last couple weeks, been playing around with the Metro UI, and it isn't that bad. I can go back and forth between the two, going from using the trackpad in the Win7 desktop to the Metro UI and my touchscreen pretty seamlessly.

My one gripe so far in my daily use.... no live tile for Outlook 2010 for notifications. From what I hear, there won't be any for the next version of Outlook, either.

ipsofacto		2013-01-14 12:13:37 PM

I upgraded our two older XP desktops last week (one for $15, shoulda lied to save on other maybe). One is in the kids room, and I think the interface will work for him. The other is relegated to mostly media playing (with a free win8 media player voucher). It was kinda a hassle switching between modes/programs to set things up, but the upgrade overall seemed worth the expense. I might even upgrade my mother's XP. Our gaming pc will remain 7, largely because I want to retain XP compatability.

It's really a matter of your needs/usage. I don't particularly see the advantage of 8 over 7; but by all accounts I've read, 8, despite the start screen, is a solid OS. At the moment, the price is right.

styckx		2013-01-14 12:15:45 PM

RoxtarRyan: doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

Having a laptop that is a "convertible", when I installed 8, I customized it to be as much like 7 as I could. The last couple weeks, been playing around with the Metro UI, and it isn't that bad. I can go back and forth between the two, going from using the trackpad in the Win7 desktop to the Metro UI and my touchscreen pretty seamlessly.

My one gripe so far in my daily use.... no live tile for Outlook 2010 for notifications. From what I hear, there won't be any for the next version of Outlook, either.

The Metro Apps are the biggest disappointment. I love Metro for organizing my stuff but holy shiat the app store is filled with bullshiat.. I haven't' found a single redeeming app yet.. Microsofts app store managed to fill itself up with more useless shiat made by some developer in a basement in Singapore than the Google Play Store. It's also organized like shiat too.

jst3p		2013-01-14 12:21:05 PM

likefunbutnot: As a geek with a long memory, I'm glad that they included DOS 4.

I am annoyed that they omitted DOS 6

Abe Vigoda's Ghost		2013-01-14 12:29:32 PM

Oakenshield: That's a lot of prose detailing what could be summarized with: Consumers.

Are you implying that MS is fine, it's consumers that are the problem?

likefunbutnot		2013-01-14 12:29:33 PM

jst3p: I am annoyed that they omitted DOS 6

4 was bad enough that it was only a matter of a few months before they jumped to the next major version number. 6 just begat 6.1.

Microsoft does not work in the consumer space. They think they do - and the Xbox is certainly the dominant gaming platform now, which might be worth something if they could leverage it into anything else, but they're completely clueless about all things consumer so it's not going to happen. Eventually, Microsoft will figure out that they've completely superseded IBM as the button-down business tools company and quit wasting money on trying to be all things to all people.

State_College_Arsonist		2013-01-14 12:30:21 PM

Courier would have been interesting to see. Maybe they'll dust off the concept one day.

pkellmey		2013-01-14 12:36:56 PM

Every indication is that the Metro UI is here to stay. I have been using Windows 8 since beta and I am still getting used to where they place things. (They are telling people to use Search in order to find apps on the Desktop UI - really? Is that the best MS can do after all these versions?) I don't see this version as horrible after you start getting used to it, but I am not suggesting that others should even give it a try. They had enough issues finding things in 7, Windows 8 will only make the experience even more aggrevating for them.

gingerjet		2013-01-14 12:37:50 PM

meatofmystery		2013-01-14 12:38:25 PM

ITT , more people scared of change.

meatofmystery		2013-01-14 12:39:33 PM

gingerjet: styckx: doczoidberg: I haven't heard of a single person who got Windows 8 and actually like the Metro tiles thing.

I like it and use it daily as do many others.. I actually uninstalled Start 8 and just use the start screen now. It's quite convenient at organizing your apps instead of pinning 900 things to the taskbar or digging through the start menu which was farking awful to open and quickly find what you needed.

The 'metro' interface is fine on the 4" screen of a mobile phone. But it simply doesn't work on a 27" screen of a desktop.

/14. Not burying the "windows" brand name

Umm...then turn it off? Don't hurt yourself, now.

Lsherm		2013-01-14 12:41:47 PM

I upgraded to 8 from 7 two weeks ago, and I'm doing a clean install of 8 right now. Here's my overriding suggestion: DON'T DO AN UPGRADE. It ran like dogshiat. My boot time went from just over a minute to four, it wouldn't shut down properly, and after two weeks of trying to figure out which drivers were working but clearly weren't made for Windows 8, I just started over. I have plenty of backups, so reinstallation of needed software isn't an issue.

So far, it's ten times faster than it was before. My boot time is back to Windows 7 status, and it shuts down TONS faster. I can't say I like the interface, but after a week of customizing it I wasn't taking any longer to use my computer than I did before.

Beyond the kludgy new interface, it's really just a big service pack for Windows 7. Some new features are nice, like the rollback options and the file transfer windows.

MightyPez		2013-01-14 12:41:48 PM

Abe Vigoda's Ghost: Oakenshield: That's a lot of prose detailing what could be summarized with: Consumers.

Are you implying that MS is fine, it's consumers that are the problem?

www.simpsonspark.com

Am I so out of touch? No, it's the children who are wrong.

likefunbutnot		2013-01-14 12:42:15 PM

pkellmey: They had enough issues finding things in 7

A lot of users are completely, totally indignant that they're asked to use a keyboard at all, but desktops and notebooks are kind of silly to use with a touchscreen. Combining the two concepts was just a dumb idea, especially since it ironically makes almost everyone use the keyboard more than any Microsoft OS since DOS.

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