Count me as one who won’t be going Google anytime soon. Until Google Docs comes anywhere close to MS Office. Pivot Tables anyone?
Remember I love Google. But I love Microsoft too. Google is far more portable (for now, lets wait to see Office 2010). Microsoft Office is far better (for now, lets see if they improve it).
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Just Monday I wrote a pro Microsoft entry, and since I’ve had 5, count ‘em 5, blue screens of death. I didn’t know that ever happened anymore. Now I get 5 in the last 3 days?
I hope a system restore will do the trick… If not, back on the S list Microsoft will go.
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I have to admit, I fell for it myself. Microsoft is so big and powerful that it’s hard not to point a finger at them whenever something goes wrong with the computer or when a security hole is found. I went into a Vista rant a while back.
I do have an undying love for MS Office though. Excel never ceases to amaze me. I just needed to get that out there…
Fair? Maybe. BUT a ton of other companies are given a free pass when things break, crash, or don’t work quite as well as they should. Granted Gmail is free, but it was down last night and is having problems this morning. I’m a big fan of Google’s offerings, but a lot of them have plenty of room for improvement.
The G1 phone has plenty of bugs (albeit minor), and even a security flaw, but they are given a free pass by fans. Actually, what’s funny about the G1 is that their uber-fans’ hatred is directed at the IPhone, not Microsoft per se.
Macs can’t do EVERYTHING, yet some shortcomings are ignored. The Microsoft hatred is blinding I guess.
There are a million and one products and services out there that are good, but not absolutely perfect.
What’s my point? Microsoft’s products aren’t THAT bad.
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Lately I’ve been perusing message boards and blogs on the G1 phone. There is a tremendous debate among users as to their satisfaction levels. This, along with my own dissatisfaction with Microsoft Vista, led me to do some thinking. I think it might be impossible for companies with complicated products to produce products that will satisfy every one of their customers.
Take for example Vista. I hate it. Why? Because XP was easy to navigate and find files, folders, programs, etc. So why mess with it? I think, and I might be wrong, that Microsoft modeled Vista and produced it with a heavy slant towards users who want a {buzzword alert} rich multimedia experience. I think the casual user, like me, was left out. And my frustrations are some very basic things, like folder structure. Suddenly I had to click 3 times where it used to take me one click.
Now take the G1. I’m a Google addict. I use almost every one of their products and services. So going with the G1 was a no brainer. In my opinion, Is the G1 perfect? No. But it met my basic expectations.
This brings me to the message boards and blogs. It seems G1 users are divided into pretty distinct camps that range from the extremely technical to the very casual. You have Android fans that don’t mind using the phone with a beta mindset to more casual users who demand a finished product.
Who’s right and who’s wrong? Can Google/HTC/Tmobile produce something to satisfy everyone? Consider the phone is being judged by the following:
1) Phone service
2) Text messaging
3) E-mail client
4) Web Browser
5) MP3 Player
6) Camera
7) Everything else from GPS maps to games, the list is endless.
I do take exception to a few notions. The phone is/was marketed to the general public, so the notion that customers should put up with bugs/annoyances to me is an unreasonable response to complaints. Also, a LOT of advice on both the G1 and Vista require technical modifications. This does not suit a less technically savvy user or those who don’t have the time or desire to tinker.
How does a company take all of these considerations and produce a product that’ll be widely accepted? Do they just aim for the middle?
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I’ve been a Microsoft defender for the longest time. I never really understood all the negative sentiment they’ve received.
I actually despised the “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” commercials. I thought they were overly pretentious. Plus, I never got the meaning of the commercials. Because up until a month ago, I’ve been using XP. Well, then my computer dies and I go out and get a new laptop with Vista. Jeez, what a downgrade.
I’ve been using it a month and not only do I think it’s a downgrade from XP, I can’t find one single advantage of it over XP. I’m not uber-technical, so I’m sure (sceptically sure–if there is such a thing) that there are “behind the scenes” improvements to it over XP. I held back, figuring I’d just have to get used to it. A month in and I hate Vista with a passion. It’s hard to navigate folders, hard to navigate the start menu, slow to log in and out (switch users, etc). I don’t know why on earth there are so many usability downgrades.
Had I known it would be such a disaster, I would have “downgraded” to XP. But now that I have everything set up, it would be too much of a PITA for me to do now. I’ll be thinking Mac next time around, since the Mac commercials are loud and clear now.
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