Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Perception is a funny thing... Windows 8

I tend to watch and manage perceptions very closely with regard to the services I manage in my profession. Its not often when I step back and think about my own perceptions.

Having read several early notes about the MS Windows 8 preview, I downloaded it, created a new VM and fired it up. No issues initially but found the UI on a non-tablet device to be disorienting.  I am still getting use to the mouse scroll button going the opposite way on OS-X Lion (even though I am use to it on the iPhone).

During the install I was finding myself concern with the personal info required to install Windows.  It wasn't until the next day that I figured out what it was trying to do; getting all APPLE'ISH.  Perception is funny because when I bought into the MAC stack several years back I wasn't that concerned about getting an iTunes account.  But when Microsoft does it, better watch out!?!  Why is that?

Apple has done a very good job appealing to the consumer, guess that is why at work I have a Windows box.  After getting past Microsoft's attempt to FRIEND me, I immediately started to wounder how the Metro thing would really work in the enterprise environment. For heath care I suspect it would be great given the tendency to run a single application as a primary tool. Some touch screens would make it easier on the desktop.

Since I didn't have a touch screen on the desktop, I had to fumble around a new user interface trying to figure out how to close an app (drag down from the top).  Disappointed to report I didn't figure it out without Google... It always humbling when learning a new platform--its a good reminder to have patience when support others who don't sit in front of a computer for a living.
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  1. I'll say, though, that it would behoove MS to not change the interface too much, as it's customers have gotten used to a certain way of doing things. For example: when MS introduced Vista, many users (including myself) found the "productivity enhancements" to the interface to be overwhelming and unnatural. Gradually over time, I re-learned where the little tweaks to the OS had been moved to and was eventually able to get things configured in such a way that I liked.

    Still, forcing a customer to accept change is a touchy matter. In the end, I am totally used to Vista's and 7's interface and can work productively in either environment. Those few months while I was learning though, I recall many unhappy mutters about MS imposing its will on the customer. With Windows 8, I hope they dont change things too much without giving the option to set it back to something more familiar.

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