Can Microsoft learn to innovate?
May 9, 2008 – 12:41 pmMicrosoft execs don’t miss any opportunity to claim that Microsoft is one of the biggest innovators in the tech world. Officials routinely cite Microsoft’s multi-billion annual research and development spending as proof that Microsoft is an Innovator (with a capital “I”).
As I note in Microsoft 2.0, R&D spending doesn’t necessarily translate to more/better innovations. Plus, many of the “innovations” to which the Softies point aren’t seen by the rest of the industry as anything to write home about. And Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has thrown his weight behind more than one concept (voice/vision-centric input; SPOT watches; Tablet PCs, Surface multi-touch tabletops) that haven’t panned out so well.
Privately, some Softies acknowledge that Microsoft needs to find new and innovative ways to innovate. In my book, I touched on some of the incubators, greenhouses and other new business ventures, products and initiatives Microsoft is testing as possible new innovation channels. A few of these had yet to go public by the time I submitted my book manuscript. But now there is more public info on some of them, specifically:
Microsoft’s Live Experimentation platform (ExP). The ExP team describes the platform as something that “enables product groups at Microsoft and later on will enable developers using Windows Live to innovate using controlled experiments with live users.”
Officelabs. A year ago, I was hearing talk about a new incubator in the Microsoft Business Division that was trying to become more agile and open. It took Microsoft until late April 2008 to acknowledge publicly the existence of “Office Labs.” One of the first Office Labs projects to see the official light of day is ”Search Commands,” a tool that was codenamed “Scout” — an add-in for navigating more easily Office 2007’s new Ribbon interface.
There are still other as-yet-unannounced innovation projects at Microsoft. Stay tuned for more….
2637 Responses to “Can Microsoft learn to innovate?”
My opinion? Microsoft is already innovative. There are a multitude of changes under the hood of Vista. Memory management changes, Aero, improved plug and play, 64bit (yes, it’s the only complete 64bit system on the market now). Past innovations? Plug ‘n Play with with Win95 which got better and better with later releases, and their developer tools are arguably the best.
So where does MS miss the boat? Why is Vista not as appealing as OSX???
Microsoft had not Innovated where it counts the most! User Xperience! Apple dominates here. You only need to see an grandmother having a great time with her iPod, iPhoto and Canon Camera to understand that. Apples are simply easy-to-USE and easy-to-love!
Windows is still quite CONFUSING and INACCESSIBLE to a lot of people. You only need to access your control panels, try to change your wallpaper, try to add a new user, or try to understand where the great disconnect lies.
So Microsoft, Pssst! Here’s what you need to do. Stop working on geeky innovations that are so under the hood that I will never see them and make it easy for me to use and manage my system. Have you seen Apple’s Time Machine? Make my windows backup experience that easy.
AQUA is cool, but did you really add a 3d interface to simply mimick XP/2000 with a dash of transparency???? That is soooo dull compared to AERO or XGL on Linux. Come on!!! Opening and closing my windows on Vista should IMPRESS me and make me say ‘COOOL!’
A lot of people rightly ask, where is the WOW.
a. Self cleaning toilet - Innovation
b. Space Rocket - Innovation
MS needs more Rockets and less self cleaning toilets
Thanks for listening
- Efosa
By Efosa on May 11, 2008
I don’t think that Microsoft will ever innovate something… The big huge OS (Windows) stayed very similar to the old Amiga Workbench until XP and Vista came… Microsoft can do very amazing copies of stuff… they are pretty good with that.
By Beshr on May 12, 2008
Isn’t the Office 07′ UI, Surface, Photosynth, Mediaroom, Xbox Live, Media Center, among other things innovative?
I thought they were cool as well as innovative.
By Quikboy on May 27, 2008