I’ve been trashing Microsoft quite a bit lately (some of it might be behavioral regression from my anti-Microsoft days). I think a lot of it has to do with how much I dislike Windows 8 and how easily people are blindly being lead to its use like sheep to the slaughter. I think Windows 8 is Microsoft’s worst design idea since adding that damn ribbon to the top of all their Office products.
There I go digressing again.
The truth is, I don’t hate everything Microsoft. In fact I love Windows 7. In my opinion its the best version of Windows. I often joke that it took Microsoft 7 versions to finally get it right. I also spend most of my career working in Microsoft technologies and I enjoy it. I’m pretty good with .NET, so clearly I’m not a hater, I just think that not everything Microsoft makes is gold. I like to remain pragmatic.
At home I not only run a machine with Windows 7 but I also have a Mac Mini and I’m currently building a Slackware (Linux) file server. So when it comes to operating systems, I’m not loyal to anyone. (Ask me about peripherals, however and Logitech will be the only one I recommend.) When I’m asked about phones or tablets, it isn’t a matter of which company is better because they all have their skeletons; I often tell people to try out the devices at the store and pick for yourself. If its an iPad, a Galaxy tablet or a Kindle Fire, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as it meets your needs.
The application of technology to your life shouldn’t be about what the latest gizmo or widget that Company X has created (and marketed with unnecessary gusto and fanfare). The decision to apply technology should be based on if it properly meets your need and if it has the potential for some longevity. The last thing you want to do is buy a device (like a Windows phone that will be obsolete in April 2014, per Microsoft), or implement a technological solution that you will have to replace in a year.
When I’m making a recommendation, to me, its more important to find the right solution that best meets the needs of the consumer or client. I won’t recommend something just because its the latest buzz by Microsoft or Google. It has to be the best option, above all other potential solutions because that’s what the customer ultimately wants.
/cheers