5 ms·

Interesting. Thanks for the insider's insight. Is Microsoft really serious about challenging the iPad juggernaut with this kind of inattention to detail?

Splines 14y ago
> Is Microsoft really serious about challenging the iPad juggernaut with this kind of inattention to detail? Not sure where you're going with this, but given the amount of effort and ambition around the Surface, I would say that Microsoft is absolutely serious. As for Word, there was a limited number of things we could do and fix in a finite amount of time. Trade-offs need to be made.
- chris_wot 14y ago
  No offense here, and I realise that you probably aren't in management, but if you can't fix a problem with slow typing and you're on the Word team, then the release should have been put back. Seriously.
- cageface 14y ago
  Sure, but if the right hand is as unaware of the left hand as you describe I don't think Apple has much to worry about. Going up against the dominant player with essentially no price delta means you have to be at least 2x as good.
- mtgx 14y ago
  Apparently not serious enough. Windows RT seems to runs a lot slower than Android 4.1 on the exact same hardware. I wonder how much slower it would run on the initial single core and dual core ARM chips for tablets than Android and iOS ran on, with decent performance.
- rm999 14y ago
  There's a difference between being serious about a product and being serious enough to do what it takes to make the product succeed. Apple has set a high bar of tight hardware/software integration, where the software is hand-tuned to take advantage of everything limited mobile hardware has to offer. The market expects nothing less. The Apple model works because management is willing to control both sides, and the Android model works because everything is relatively open so the software devs can play directly with the hardware. > there was a limited number of things we could do No one is blaming you or your team. I'd blame the lowest person in the company who had the ability to install beta versions of Office on beta versions of Surface.
- CamperBob2 14y ago
  Not sure where you're going with this, but given the amount of effort and ambition around the Surface, I would say that Microsoft is absolutely serious. Effort and ambition, together with $4, will get you a double latte at Starbucks. To beat Apple, you are going to have to take the next step: competence. When the board fires Ballmer, that will be the signal that Microsoft is ready to get serious. Until then, it's all just talk.
drivebyacct2 14y ago
So we hear, "we got access to the hardware a bit late" and "the pre-release version is bad, it's already considerably better now and will be even better soon", and conclude that Microsoft doesn't care?
jrockway 14y ago
Or, it could be that writing software is significantly more difficult than complaining on the Internet.

Splines 14y ago

> Is Microsoft really serious about challenging the iPad juggernaut with this kind of inattention to detail? Not sure where you're going with this, but given the amount of effort and ambition around the Surface, I would say that Microsoft is absolutely serious. As for Word, there was a limited number of things we could do and fix in a finite amount of time. Trade-offs need to be made.

chris_wot 14y ago
No offense here, and I realise that you probably aren't in management, but if you can't fix a problem with slow typing and you're on the Word team, then the release should have been put back. Seriously.
cageface 14y ago
Sure, but if the right hand is as unaware of the left hand as you describe I don't think Apple has much to worry about. Going up against the dominant player with essentially no price delta means you have to be at least 2x as good.
mtgx 14y ago
Apparently not serious enough. Windows RT seems to runs a lot slower than Android 4.1 on the exact same hardware. I wonder how much slower it would run on the initial single core and dual core ARM chips for tablets than Android and iOS ran on, with decent performance.
rm999 14y ago
There's a difference between being serious about a product and being serious enough to do what it takes to make the product succeed. Apple has set a high bar of tight hardware/software integration, where the software is hand-tuned to take advantage of everything limited mobile hardware has to offer. The market expects nothing less. The Apple model works because management is willing to control both sides, and the Android model works because everything is relatively open so the software devs can play directly with the hardware. > there was a limited number of things we could do No one is blaming you or your team. I'd blame the lowest person in the company who had the ability to install beta versions of Office on beta versions of Surface.
CamperBob2 14y ago
Not sure where you're going with this, but given the amount of effort and ambition around the Surface, I would say that Microsoft is absolutely serious. Effort and ambition, together with $4, will get you a double latte at Starbucks. To beat Apple, you are going to have to take the next step: competence. When the board fires Ballmer, that will be the signal that Microsoft is ready to get serious. Until then, it's all just talk.

drivebyacct2 14y ago

So we hear, "we got access to the hardware a bit late" and "the pre-release version is bad, it's already considerably better now and will be even better soon", and conclude that Microsoft doesn't care?

jrockway 14y ago

Or, it could be that writing software is significantly more difficult than complaining on the Internet.