Comments on: microsoft needs to play more http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/ "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" Wed, 23 May 2012 20:07:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jonathan Hardwick http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3821 Jonathan Hardwick Thu, 09 Jun 2005 00:08:54 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3821 <strong>If you think Microsoft uses silly product names, you're in good company</strong> I've ranted before about Microsoft product names, so it's nice to see that I'm in good company: CNET... If you think Microsoft uses silly product names, you’re in good company

I’ve ranted before about Microsoft product names, so it’s nice to see that I’m in good company:
CNET…

]]> By: Code/Tea/Etc. http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3820 Code/Tea/Etc. Wed, 02 Feb 2005 23:56:52 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3820 <strong>Fun quotes via GapingVoid.com</strong> Fun quotes via GapingVoid.com

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3817 hugh macleod Thu, 20 Jan 2005 00:06:37 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3817 Most folks in the world live on less than $5 a day, if you want to be REALLY brutal. Most folks in the world live on less than $5 a day, if you want to be REALLY brutal.

]]> By: Joy http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3816 Joy Wed, 19 Jan 2005 23:49:42 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3816 To even worry about the idea of 'work/playfulness' means you're in a fairly small cohort. Most folks in the world are just trying to earn a living. To even worry about the idea of ‘work/playfulness’ means you’re in a fairly small cohort. Most folks in the world are just trying to earn a living.

]]> By: anu http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3815 anu Wed, 19 Jan 2005 17:42:14 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3815 Eric, Maybe, but what does the word Tiger tell you when compared to Panther and Jaguar ? Is it an earlier version, or a later version ? It's a meaningless word in this context, but I guess some people get sucked into thinking that form=function. Hugh is probably not a fan of Ronseal product naming conventions either - eg Ronseal Wood Varnish, as opposed to Ronseal Leopard, which would be a much more playful name. Takes more than a name to delight me. Eric,
Maybe, but what does the word Tiger tell you when compared to Panther and Jaguar ? Is it an earlier version, or a later version ? It’s a meaningless word in this context, but I guess some people get sucked into thinking that form=function.
Hugh is probably not a fan of Ronseal product naming conventions either — eg Ronseal Wood Varnish, as opposed to Ronseal Leopard, which would be a much more playful name.
Takes more than a name to delight me.

]]> By: /pd http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3814 /pd Wed, 19 Jan 2005 07:23:23 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3814 Robert : Thanks for the rebuttal offering. Robert : Thanks for the rebuttal offering.

]]> By: Robert Scoble http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3813 Robert Scoble Wed, 19 Jan 2005 05:50:09 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3813 Brad: for fun I wear Apple and Firefox t-shirts to work. Really, I do. I'll take a picture sometime. Brad: for fun I wear Apple and Firefox t-shirts to work.
Really, I do. I’ll take a picture sometime.

]]> By: chris http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3812 chris Wed, 19 Jan 2005 02:42:03 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3812 I dunno, Bill Gates looks pretty playful here: <a href="http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html</a></a> Now THERE'S a "Tiger"... (yeah yeah, I'm sure everyone's seen it already ;-) I dunno, Bill Gates looks pretty playful here:
http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html
Now THERE’S a “Tiger”…
(yeah yeah, I’m sure everyone’s seen it already ;-)

]]> By: eric http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3811 eric Wed, 19 Jan 2005 00:46:21 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3811 Anu, There's no need for the PS distinctions when you only have one desktop and one server OS. They could call Tiger "OS X for Professionals, Home Users, 64 bit processing, Media, and More" but it is, de facto, all of these. At MS's web page, I count seven versions of the OS just under the XP heading. Whether their targeted focus of OS's is a better move than Apple's is debateable, but it certainly requries the long-winded callouts in the product name. Anu,
There’s no need for the PS distinctions when you only have one desktop and one server OS. They could call Tiger “OS X for Professionals, Home Users, 64 bit processing, Media, and More” but it is, de facto, all of these.
At MS’s web page, I count seven versions of the OS just under the XP heading. Whether their targeted focus of OS’s is a better move than Apple’s is debateable, but it certainly requries the long-winded callouts in the product name.

]]> By: memer http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3810 memer Tue, 18 Jan 2005 22:20:18 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3810 I'm one of Moffat's three percenters, but unfortunately's play's <i>not</i> the thing. The (not-so) Softies are gynormous cuz they play to big bidniz and big bidniz don't play. Consumers play. Business "just works." I’m one of Moffat’s three percenters, but unfortunately’s play’s not the thing. The (not-so) Softies are gynormous cuz they play to big bidniz and big bidniz don’t play.
Consumers play. Business “just works.”

]]> By: Brad Whittington http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3809 Brad Whittington Tue, 18 Jan 2005 21:14:38 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3809 Microsoft is Corporate Corporate Corporate. (sung to the tune of Fatboy Slim's California) I bet they think people's idea of fun on the weekend is sitting around at home wearing company golf shirts and making corporate presentations for their upcoming week at work. Microsoft is Corporate Corporate Corporate. (sung to the tune of Fatboy Slim’s California)
I bet they think people’s idea of fun on the weekend is sitting around at home wearing company golf shirts and making corporate presentations for their upcoming week at work.

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3808 hugh macleod Tue, 18 Jan 2005 19:29:02 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3808 That's great, Rob Burke... but why only internal playfulness? What kills it off by the time it reaches folk like me? I'm a big fan of "external playfulness", in case you hadn't noticed ;-) That’s great, Rob Burke… but why only internal playfulness? What kills it off by the time it reaches folk like me?
I’m a big fan of “external playfulness”, in case you hadn’t noticed ;-)

]]> By: rob burke http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3807 rob burke Tue, 18 Jan 2005 18:26:30 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3807 (The comments here have taken a slightly different direction, but--) in regards to playful naming conventions, I think Microsoft's "internal" names for projects can be pretty playful. Indigo and Avalon are cool names (methinks). And heck, Longhorn itself is named after a pub at a Canadian ski resort~! (The comments here have taken a slightly different direction, but–) in regards to playful naming conventions, I think Microsoft’s “internal” names for projects can be pretty playful. Indigo and Avalon are cool names (methinks). And heck, Longhorn itself is named after a pub at a Canadian ski resort~!

]]> By: Stefan http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3806 Stefan Tue, 18 Jan 2005 17:57:50 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3806 Microsoft used to play more... some blogosphere buzz even provides photographic proof of that. Check <a href="http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html</a> :o) Microsoft used to play more… some blogosphere buzz even provides photographic proof of that. Check http://blog.monkeymethods.org/2005/01/bill-gates-strikes-pose-for-teen-beat.html :o )

]]> By: anu http://gapingvoid.com/2005/01/17/microsoft-needs-to-play-more/#comment-3805 anu Tue, 18 Jan 2005 17:49:21 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1191#comment-3805 Hmmm.. Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 tells me exactly what I need to know about the product. Tiger tells me nothing. LC345dF-A45 as a name would give me as much information. Let's cast our minds back at IBM with their playful Warp designation. Oooh..cool name. The idea that playfullness can be artificially generated by naming conventions is pretty lame, to be honest, especially for someone who seems to despise existing and conventional marketing and advertising structures. As for MSFT's big idea, I thought it was "developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, " as I read on someone's blog recently. Frankly, who cares what MSFT's big idea is as long as they give other people the tools to create lots of little ones. Oh, and the Gates Foundation is now an important source of funding for HIV/AIDS research. I know that's separate from MSFT, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were researchers doing interesting stuff in this field within MSFT. Hmmm..
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 tells me exactly what I need to know about the product.
Tiger tells me nothing. LC345dF-A45 as a name would give me as much information. Let’s cast our minds back at IBM with their playful Warp designation. Oooh..cool name.
The idea that playfullness can be artificially generated by naming conventions is pretty lame, to be honest, especially for someone who seems to despise existing and conventional marketing and advertising structures.
As for MSFT’s big idea, I thought it was “developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, ” as I read on someone’s blog recently. Frankly, who cares what MSFT’s big idea is as long as they give other people the tools to create lots of little ones.
Oh, and the Gates Foundation is now an important source of funding for HIV/AIDS research. I know that’s separate from MSFT, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were researchers doing interesting stuff in this field within MSFT.

]]>