Hi Matt, I have to use Office as it is a part of my employer’s standard operating environment. So I have grown accustomed to it – warts and all.
I now really regret posting that dumb car analogy of mine. Everyone is most welcome to come and drive in my neighbourhood! You will recognise me by the large foot in my mouth. I don’t use the Windows 8 Mail app – I am a lost cause and use Outlook (Office 2013). So I guess I have dodged a bullet. Or is there something lurking there with Outlook that I just haven’t encountered yet? Cheers, Chris From: ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com [mailto:ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com] On Behalf Of Unicorn.Consulting Sent: Friday, 10 May 2013 8:43 AM To: ozDotNet Subject: Re: Is Surface really failing? On 9/05/2013 3:06 PM, Fredericks, Chris wrote: I suspect the Office Ribbon wouldn’t have passed the "The Level 1 Helpdesk Test" either – but Office hasn’t been a ‘fail’. And I am sure that most of the initial ‘issues’ with Windows 8 will pass in time as users learn it’s nuances. The office ribbon was a fail for me. I no longer use office unless I actually have to. But that works for me because Microsoft have not actually put any new features I could not happily live without into Office for more than 10 years. The open source options are good and meet my needs. Sometimes people have to make some effort to move out of their comfort zone, embrace change and learn something new instead of expecting everything to be obvious. Intuitive is the corner stone of UI design. Microsoft spent millions back in the 90s to work out that windows 95 needed a start button, otherwise people just didn't know what to do with the new UI. Unfortunately they appear to have lost the research, because the current batch of users is not in any way more competent than they were in 1995. The first time someone sits behind the steering wheel in a car, it is not very intuitive on how to use the clutch to change gears, or to even start the engine. Almost everyone needs to be taught how to drive a car – does that mean that a motor vehicle is a ‘fail’? But once I have mastered the skill, getting into a Semi and driving that is not much of a leap. It is longer and a little wider, but the basic tools are in the same place. Jump on a tractor and again most of the critical things like clutch brake and accelerator are in the same place. Change versions of Windows relearn the basic of finding your application. Everything I have read about why Windows 8 is a ‘fail’ seems a bit emotive and most of the problems listed are very easily addressed with a little research and learning. Getting one of the hundreds of Millions of ISP POP mail accounts into the Mail app is not all that simple. FYI Comcast has obviously decided that the cost of the support calls exceeds the cost of installing new server software and putting up with the support calls that go with the "All my mail just deleted itself" I suspect that safely driving a motor vehicle requires more effort, learning and concentration than what is required for Windows 8. If you can’t cope with Windows 8, please avoid driving a car anywhere near me or my family. ☺ Will do. Matt Just my 2c worth and I am most definitely not trying to offend anyone. Cheers, Chris
