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First they tried tiles. Then they tried to remove it. Then they tried to add websearch.
Mine now so bad that if I hit windows key and start typing it picks up from about the 4th character types and ofc Then searches for the wrong thing. Literally unusable for the most basic of task for an OS - launching programs
If it wasn’t for a couple of windows only usage cases I’d have dumped this so fast
While it is amazing that windows did actually continue to go backwards in usability with Vista, Tiles, in-OS advertising, etc, windows was never great at usability in the sense of Bill's complaints here.
Microsoft at this point already had a decade-long track record of dumping alphaware on the market from Windows Me, Windows 1.x/2.x, Office packages, backoffice, Outlook, half-baked features, smorgasborg of apis on apis on apis, security and viruses everywhere (didn't start with the internet, folks).
They are an entrenched monopoly, and all that matters is the money coming in and the monopoly keeping its power. Bill is PERFECTLY aware of Microsoft's monopoly power, it was his goal since the MSDOS days.
So this entire post by BillG is just a big disingenuous lie. Bill is trying to whitewash his hands of building a terrible monopolistic handicap he has foisted on computing and the world now that he'd gone into semi-retirement as him being some white knight savior of endusers everywhere.
It is total bullshit. He knows very well why all this doesn't work and the company is functioning exactly as he designed it. He never gave a shit about quality except in the bare minimum.
So yeah, let's yuck up the one time the hundred billionaire was bored and played end user and got a little taste of his own medicine. But lets not pretend this was any real impediment, he could pay some person to do whatever he needed thousands of times over in the time it took for him to write the emails.
The point of the post is "look, I know we make shit software at Microsoft, but cmon people, THIS shitty? We need to look like we are trying a little".
Earlier quoted context omitted.
He's not the boss anymore at this point (2003). Ballmer took over as CEO in 2000.
I don't take the term boss literally here. His position and influence still has enough weight to make a poor interaction with him a career limiting event. I think that's what OP was referring to, he's still the guy that founded Microsoft. He's as figurative and influential as any boss I'd ever hope to meet.
"I am quite disappointed at how Windows Usability has been going backwards and the program management groups don't drive usability issues." While it is amazing that windows did actually continue to go backwards in usability with Vista, Tiles, in-OS advertising, etc, windows was never great at usability in the sense of Bill's complaints here. Microsoft at this point already had a decade-long track record of dumping al…
https://omny.fm/shows/behind-the-bastards/part-one-the-balla...
Was it really that bad back in 2003?
To Microsoft's credit, they have made some improvements in some areas but the same old DNA is on display when you use e.g. Teams.
Microsoft is just plain bad at Product.
Same for start menu. First they tried tiles. Then they tried to remove it. Then they tried to add websearch. Mine now so bad that if I hit windows key and start typing it picks up from about the 4th character types and ofc Then searches for the wrong thing. Literally unusable for the most basic of task for an OS - launching programs If it wasn’t for a couple of windows only usage cases I’d have dumped this so fast
Was it really that bad back in 2003?
It really was. XP gets looked back on with rose-tinted glasses but only because successive iterations of windows have been so extraordinarily bad. The Microsoft.com website was so bad it was almost comical. To Microsoft's credit, they have made some improvements in some areas but the same old DNA is on display when you use e.g. Teams. Microsoft is just plain bad at Product.