Microsoft Windows Chief Steven Sinofsky Out Following Windows 8 and Surface Launches

[Rogifan]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

Sinofsky seemed like one of the best people in Microsoft's leadership. Usually, "not a team player" really means "doesn't agree with the boss."

I don get why people think being an a-hole is a good thing. I would think being able to work well with other executives is a plus.

[RoboCop001]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

I don get why people think being an a-hole is a good thing. I would think being able to work well with other executives is a plus.

I think it just depends. If everyone agrees to an idea, and it sucks, that's not good. If there's at least one person that sees something better, then that's a plus.

[The Bulge]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

I don get why people think being an a-hole is a good thing. I would think being able to work well with other executives is a plus.

Watch Steve Jobs the lost interview. I think he gives all the answers why.

[FloatingBones]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

If Microsoft really wants to help themselves, the only Steve they need to get rid of is Ballmer.

Bingo. The current Microsoft is like the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

[joe-h2o]

Originally Posted by boss.king

Do you say that as someone who's never used it before? Because the desktop is still right there, just as good as it was in Windows 7.

It really isn't.

Sure the desktop is there, but things that were trivial to do in Win 7 (and earlier) are now infuriatingly annoying. Settings being app-based now, in context, on whatever that sidebar thing is, is very annoying. Then they expand to full screen when you want to change them! Flipping between that and the web page you're following was needlessly annoying.

I couldn't set up the in built mail application since it seemed determined to force me to set up a "Microsoft Account" without really telling me what that is, but worrying me enough not to want to connect it with my email.

The Metro UI is silly - bring back the Start Menu and it's quick and easy access to everything.

Telling apart apps that are going to run "metro style" and those that will run "old" style is not easy, and you can also have ones that do both, like IE (which you then can't share between modes easily, so getting a webpage down into the desktop version of the browser is non-trivial so you can have more than just full screen web browsing going on.

I know there's going to be a lot of "it's all just new" issues slowing people down since it's different to Win 7, but a lot of it is genuinely ridiculous when Win 7 actually had things working pretty damn well. I say this as someone who uses Windows only on lab machines etc, and occasional dual booting to run some of the win only NMR stuff, but Windows 8 is... not good.

Windows 7 is pretty great. 7 is what Vista should have been, and 8 is just... not where they should have gone with it.

[diazj3]

Microsoft has some of the best leadership in the business. Not to mention showmanship...!

[EdwardC]

I've been playing with 8 since the 26th and I have to say I really like it! The start screen apps are really nice looking and then you can just switch to desktop mode if you wish for the more traditional look. It's really almost like having 2 O.S.'s in one and I personally think it makes my Snow Leopard look a little stale.

[The Bulge]

Originally Posted by EdwardC

I've been playing with 8 since the 26th and I have to say I really like it! The start screen apps are really nice looking and then you can just switch to desktop mode if you wish for the more traditional look. It's really almost like having 2 O.S.'s in one and I personally think it makes my Snow Leopard look a little stale.

UI is **** just be honest.

[iScott428]

Sounds like the guy had some issues internally but this right here would be enough for me to give him the ax. Imagine if the Original iPad had done this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-pMZd1fupw

[Popeye206]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Microsoft has some of the best leadership in the business. Not to mention showmanship...!

YouTube: video YouTube: video

Ballmer's such a chucklehead. Amazing!

Thanks for the laughs!

[tech4all]

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

The sales don't back that up.

Doesn't mean it's a good OS. Just means people will buy just because it's a MS product. Same with Apple stuff. Heck look at the iPad mini, it was out of date the moment it was released and it's selling.

[perealb]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

Apple hires Steven Sinofsky.
Microsoft hires Scott Forstall.

Haven't they been fired for the same reason?

Originally Posted by fiveainone

Time for Apple to sue Microsoft for copying what they're doing!

LOL

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by The Bulge

UI is **** just be honest.

That's a matter of opinion.
I'm not a huge fan of tiles "look", but they work.

The UI changes for OSX as of late are not exactly spectacular either.
Hopefully with Forstall out, things will get better.

[The Bulge]

Originally Posted by tech4all

Doesn't mean it's a good OS. Just means people will buy just because it's a MS product. Same with Apple stuff. Heck look at the iPad mini, it was out of date the moment it was released and it's selling.

iPad mini works, it's made for people. No one gives a **** about spec if it works. I have an iPhone and i really don't give a **** about spec. it simply works the way i expect and i'm happy.

[Kwill]

Interesting that companies seem to be divesting themselves of difficult personalities. That was the characteristic trait of the late Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs changed the world but Scott Forstall couldn't map it.

[Dorje Sylas]

Originally Posted by Dr McKay

He's not the one responsible for Windows 8's radical shift. Julie Larson Green is, she's also the one who designed the ribbon interface.



Seems pretty usable to me, and I've been using it since February. It's Windows 7 but sleeker, more refined and faster. Seriously the only major difference is the Start Menu is now fullscreen, but then you can now organise it to your hearts content.

Seconded. The only problem I've had is with full screen gaming accidentally hitting the 'return to desktop' hot button in the lower right.... however that's a hold over from Windows 7 and there are some possible advantages to Tiles and not getting bad dumps out of games.

I also have not had any serious problems navigating my way around Windows 8 on a dual screen setup. The hot corners were easy to find a use. If anything the tiles environment could have been extended into a Spaces (I know Linux has the same multi-desktop/app split setup) like system to help tile non-Metro programs.

I really don't (a gut level) understand what's got people so ants in the pants about Windows 8 compared to 7.

They could dial back the Start menu backgrounds. To noisy IMO, but they'll learn and release a service pack or two.

[scottsjack]

It is hard to say who is responsible for putting out yet another half-baked major software issue from the house of Microsoft.

I've been using W8 on my Mac Pro since it's release date. The desktop works about the same as W7 but is better looking and supposedly has some good stuff going on in the background. Unfortunately Windows is still a mess to configure. For IT departments that is OK, in a world full of Mac OS users it's just not going to cut it.

It is no secret that it takes software like Stardock's Start8, or similar product, to make the desktop really usable. That issue needs MS correction right away.

Metro is a terrible mess. I've really tried using it but the standard apps are so poorly constructed and limited as to be virtually useless. Metro as it stands today is not going to cut it in the Mac OS/iOS world. Users just will not put up with that lousy of a product.

I am going to complete my third install tonight. Yesterday W8 failed to boot, my install media failed to fix the problem. Being a long-time Windows user I formatted the drive and reinstalled W8. Then I discovered that the new install doesn't recognize my recently made W8 backup disk. The ***** just never ends. . .

[metsjetsfan]

Balmer finally tried windows 8 I guess

[GorgonPhone]

windows 8 sucks.

suface sucks..

that dude will be rich for ever so who cares

[The Bulge]

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

The UI changes for OSX as of late are not exactly spectacular either.
Hopefully with Forstall out, things will get better.

At least they don't waste pixels on screen and call it UI.

[Dorje Sylas]

Originally Posted by perealb

Haven't they been fired for the same reason?

Kinda, perhaps.

The boot seemingly got the boot for being suborn and overly protective of their spheres of influence. However what they were protecting were two very different things. Forstall was seeming guarding iOS and keeping is a washing in skeuomorphic design. Sinofsky seems to have gotten it for blocking tablet/mobile development of Windows in favor of Desktop heavy focus.

So yes, they both seem to have been keeping the statuesque on their respective products. No, they were doing it for very different reasons.

[x86isslow]

Originally Posted by flopticalcube

Ballmer is the failure here. Why doesn't the board give him the heave-ho?

They may value short term profits over long-term health.

[WilliamLondon]

Feel a bit sorry for all the scapegoats these companies are setting free in the world. Will we be expected to feed them from here on?

Originally Posted by tech4all

Heck look at the iPad mini, it was out of date the moment it was released and it's selling.

Oh, you're so funny. How many other threads have you managed to slide in that (irrelevant to the discussion) droll attack? And how long before *you* realise how old and unfunny it is?

[gmanist1000]

Originally Posted by FloatingBones

Bingo. The current Microsoft is like the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

Aw, be nice... I'm a Cowboys fan

[frayne182]

I have been using Win8 for awhile now... Its alright at best. It takes awhile to get used to things thats for sure, but once you get the hang of it its pretty much Win7 with an extra layer on top.


To be honest I like Win7 more and personally find Win7 to be the best OS out there period.


With Windows 8 they tried to hard.... Sadly it looks like I will be qualifying and approving it at work though even though I'd rather just stick with Windows 7 and skip 8.