Microsoft, Not Cool

In a recent IM session with Akula...

Doug : Tell me, is Windows 7 a compelling upgrade so far?
Akula: Nope.
Akula: maybe if you're running XP.
Akula: But if Vista runs well for you, there are very few changes.
Akula: MS should give it away for free to Vista users
Doug : yeah, as an apology recompence
Akula: Vista, since SP1, is quite decent.
Akula: Pre SP1 it was horrible.
Doug : For all those people who say "I'm a PC", isn't a Mac really just a type of PC?
Akula: I don't get that campaign at all.
Akula: I'm a PC? It's likesaying, "I'm not cool"
Doug  : me either, and it's longer than most commercials too
Doug  : Yeah, it's getting to be like saying "I'm a PC" is synonymous with those people that say "I still use postage stamps", "I don't know how to set the time on my VCR (What's a DVR?)", "I only shop at brick & mortar stores", "I use 35mm film for everyday photos", "I play all my music from original cd's", "Velcro shoes are awesome."
Akula: LOL
Akula: Very true. You'd have a good blog post there.
Doug  : let it be done

Now tell me why a company ran by an excited, sweaty, bald man who apparently doesn't know anything more about Facebook than what he's been told, wouldn't be cool.

Embracing Online Technology

The other day I was helping my brother with his computer issues. He had reinstalled his OS because of some buggy virus like problems. So we began to reinstall things and I took the opportunity to show him some nifty tools many people know about but still are new to some.

Since we were planning our end of the month camping trip, I wanted to show him the benefits of Google Docs to create and share text, spreadsheets, and presentations. That led to a tangent of documenting things online and I directed his attention to the Google Toolbar Beta 5 which has a button for Google Notebook which lets you make notes without leaving your current web page, clip links, and copy sections of the web page kind of like creating an online Favorites that you can share with others. Then of course we had to install Adobe Air (so we could install Twhirl), Acrobat Reader, and Shockwave. I then directed him to install Quicktime followed by Divx and Firefox.

He sat there thinking for a moment wondering what else he was forgetting to update his computer with so it would run with the technologies and programs he was used to using. With all these online tools and technologies available to us today, it's easy to forget what's working in the background to make everything work everyday so we can enjoy our online lives of business, entertainment, and a wide variety of other purposes.

As an offline tool for on the go, I showed them GOOG-411 and the competing free service from Microsoft, Live Search at 800-225-5411. I hadn't played with Live Search too much before but we liked how they would send you text messages about business you were trying to find and connect you for free to that business. Live search also let you find movies, weather, and other services for free from any phone by responding to your voice commands.

We agreed that we look forward to using these existing tools and waiting to see what these great minds will be bringing us in the future.

Google vs. Microsoft

From a regular Joe's perspective with a common awareness of tech & business news, it's not hard to see why Microsoft seems to loathe Google. Here's a company that showed up on the internet scene with a search engine like so many others and have grown and expanded into many other areas. Microsoft too has expanded into many different areas but they did it by developing and SELLING software.

Now while Google may have software or other technology that they sell, we don't see their products on the shelves at stores on the same aisle as Microsoft Office. Google drew in crowds worldwide not by selling software but by giving it away FREE. What a novel concept. You mean people are interested in free software that works really well and have most of it web based applications? Yes, people are moving away from Microsoft Office and turning to Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar as replacements. Heck, my Dad used Google Calendar to invite me to an event and when my Outlook picked up the invite from my Gmail, it showed it on my Outlook Calendar. (Too bad I can't have my Outlook items auto populate into Google Calendar.) These web based applications are helping many to move away from the Microsoft operating systems they've grown tired of and are more frequently unimpressed with what the software giant has to offer and what they expect you to do to get it wether it be by controlling the market price of software and operating systems or simply bundling it with their OS or your next new PC. Many people are discovering a world outside the realm of Microsoft with Macs and a wide variety of Linux options. I posed the question recently on Twitter asking people if they thought there was really any piece of Microsoft software they couldn't do without. For me, I could do without most of it and it's making the decision of swaying me and many others to quit investing money in Microsoft products. It was a good ride while it lasted but it's gone downhill. I mean there really hasn't been a motivating reason to upgrade from Office 2003 or perhaps even earlier. I know I won't be installing it on any PC I own anymore but that's another story about my frustration with Word and it's hooks into Outlook.