Comments on: Microsoft Originality http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/ Web Technology and Real Life Merge Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:16:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0-alpha By: Vinnie http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-25801 Vinnie Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:30:53 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-25801 I've always thought Microsoft hardware was top-notch and well designed. For example, my intellimouse fits my hand almost perfectly (seriously, the only "complaint" I'd have about it is that I can't find a left-handed version), and the XBox controller, as much crap as it initially got, I thought was very innovative with the cords that snap off rather than taking the whole console down with it (my dog tripped over them a lot ;)). Software? I have a love-hate relationship. The two pieces of MS software I find a joy to use are Excel and SQL Server. Much of their other software drives me insane though, because of its "annoying" factor (MSN messenger and Outlook I'm looking at you). And of course, IE is a pain in any web designer's ass. I think Microsoft can do a lot better than it has lately with regard to its products. A lot of it seems like its features get committeed to death or uselessness, a common sign for larger companies with byzantine management structures. Sadly, I see Microsoft going in a direction similar to IBM in the future, which sucks because I like their mice and video games :) I’ve always thought Microsoft hardware was top-notch and well designed. For example, my intellimouse fits my hand almost perfectly (seriously, the only “complaint” I’d have about it is that I can’t find a left-handed version), and the XBox controller, as much crap as it initially got, I thought was very innovative with the cords that snap off rather than taking the whole console down with it (my dog tripped over them a lot ;)).

Software? I have a love-hate relationship. The two pieces of MS software I find a joy to use are Excel and SQL Server. Much of their other software drives me insane though, because of its “annoying” factor (MSN messenger and Outlook I’m looking at you). And of course, IE is a pain in any web designer’s ass.

I think Microsoft can do a lot better than it has lately with regard to its products. A lot of it seems like its features get committeed to death or uselessness, a common sign for larger companies with byzantine management structures.

Sadly, I see Microsoft going in a direction similar to IBM in the future, which sucks because I like their mice and video games :)

]]> By: Vinnie http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-244943 Vinnie Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:30:53 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-244943 I've always thought Microsoft hardware was top-notch and well designed. For example, my intellimouse fits my hand almost perfectly (seriously, the only "complaint" I'd have about it is that I can't find a left-handed version), and the XBox controller, as much crap as it initially got, I thought was very innovative with the cords that snap off rather than taking the whole console down with it (my dog tripped over them a lot ;)).<br><br>Software? I have a love-hate relationship. The two pieces of MS software I find a joy to use are Excel and SQL Server. Much of their other software drives me insane though, because of its "annoying" factor (MSN messenger and Outlook I'm looking at you). And of course, IE is a pain in any web designer's ass.<br><br>I think Microsoft can do a lot better than it has lately with regard to its products. A lot of it seems like its features get committeed to death or uselessness, a common sign for larger companies with byzantine management structures.<br><br>Sadly, I see Microsoft going in a direction similar to IBM in the future, which sucks because I like their mice and video games :) I’ve always thought Microsoft hardware was top-notch and well designed. For example, my intellimouse fits my hand almost perfectly (seriously, the only “complaint” I’d have about it is that I can’t find a left-handed version), and the XBox controller, as much crap as it initially got, I thought was very innovative with the cords that snap off rather than taking the whole console down with it (my dog tripped over them a lot ;)).

Software? I have a love-hate relationship. The two pieces of MS software I find a joy to use are Excel and SQL Server. Much of their other software drives me insane though, because of its “annoying” factor (MSN messenger and Outlook I’m looking at you). And of course, IE is a pain in any web designer’s ass.

I think Microsoft can do a lot better than it has lately with regard to its products. A lot of it seems like its features get committeed to death or uselessness, a common sign for larger companies with byzantine management structures.

Sadly, I see Microsoft going in a direction similar to IBM in the future, which sucks because I like their mice and video games :)

]]> By: Jason J. Thomas http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-244942 Jason J. Thomas Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:25:39 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-244942 I'm with Jerald on this one. I had few problems with NDS, but I do seem to recall some of my colleagues having, shall I say, interesting times with the introduction of its early versions. Nonetheless, my former employers had an NDS tree that has been running flawlessly since around 1994. <br><br>Now, there were some interesting issues introduced in later versions of DS--eDirectory, as it is called these days. Nonetheless, from a bare-bones application of LDAP functionality, I would take NDS/eDir any day of the week over AD. <br><br>Like Jerald, I miss NDS quite a bit, too. Heck, there are some things that NDS has handled easily for years that AD just cannot handle now. I’m with Jerald on this one. I had few problems with NDS, but I do seem to recall some of my colleagues having, shall I say, interesting times with the introduction of its early versions. Nonetheless, my former employers had an NDS tree that has been running flawlessly since around 1994.

Now, there were some interesting issues introduced in later versions of DS–eDirectory, as it is called these days. Nonetheless, from a bare-bones application of LDAP functionality, I would take NDS/eDir any day of the week over AD.

Like Jerald, I miss NDS quite a bit, too. Heck, there are some things that NDS has handled easily for years that AD just cannot handle now.

]]> By: Jerald Sheets http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-244941 Jerald Sheets Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:51:06 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-244941 Interesting.<br><br>Now, I didn't have the problems with DS everyone else seems to have had with NDS. It was just a fancy LDAP storage infrastructure. I had no trouble with NDS trees local or across both slow and fast links. It was very logically thought out, laid out, and implemented.<br><br>Yeah, I liked NDS quite a bit. ;) Interesting.

Now, I didn’t have the problems with DS everyone else seems to have had with NDS. It was just a fancy LDAP storage infrastructure. I had no trouble with NDS trees local or across both slow and fast links. It was very logically thought out, laid out, and implemented.

Yeah, I liked NDS quite a bit. ;)

]]> By: Aaron Brazell http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-244940 Aaron Brazell Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:41:49 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-244940 Jerald: Okay, if you say so. I still prefer Logitech, but it's not a matter of preference.<br><br>Jason: Yep. NDS was a bane to the existence of all network admins. I also remember the less-than-smooth uptake of AD too. Good times. Jerald: Okay, if you say so. I still prefer Logitech, but it’s not a matter of preference.

Jason: Yep. NDS was a bane to the existence of all network admins. I also remember the less-than-smooth uptake of AD too. Good times.

]]> By: Jason J. Thomas http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-244939 Jason J. Thomas Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:36:45 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-244939 Actually, it was Novell's Directory Services (NDS) that was the technical progenitor of Microsoft's Active Directory. One of the issues with the introduction of AD with Windows 2000 was its use of proprietary extensions to the Kerberos authentication scheme--a long-standing authentication mechanism. There were many places--educational institutions that had to make modifications to allow the easy integration of AD systems into their existing Kerberos infrastructure. <br><br>Nonetheless, there are very few who will argue with MS tendency to be very good at marketing. They are also good at increasing adoption by giving something away initially to build support for the product. Compare this to Novell's products through the years (as a former and still occasional NetWare Admin). Novell has been notoriously bad through the years with marketing. Great technical products, but incredibly bad marketing. Actually, it was Novell’s Directory Services (NDS) that was the technical progenitor of Microsoft’s Active Directory. One of the issues with the introduction of AD with Windows 2000 was its use of proprietary extensions to the Kerberos authentication scheme–a long-standing authentication mechanism. There were many places–educational institutions that had to make modifications to allow the easy integration of AD systems into their existing Kerberos infrastructure.

Nonetheless, there are very few who will argue with MS tendency to be very good at marketing. They are also good at increasing adoption by giving something away initially to build support for the product. Compare this to Novell’s products through the years (as a former and still occasional NetWare Admin). Novell has been notoriously bad through the years with marketing. Great technical products, but incredibly bad marketing.

]]> By: Jason J. Thomas http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-21297 Jason J. Thomas Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:25:39 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-21297 I'm with Jerald on this one. I had few problems with NDS, but I do seem to recall some of my colleagues having, shall I say, interesting times with the introduction of its early versions. Nonetheless, my former employers had an NDS tree that has been running flawlessly since around 1994. Now, there were some interesting issues introduced in later versions of DS--eDirectory, as it is called these days. Nonetheless, from a bare-bones application of LDAP functionality, I would take NDS/eDir any day of the week over AD. Like Jerald, I miss NDS quite a bit, too. Heck, there are some things that NDS has handled easily for years that AD just cannot handle now. I’m with Jerald on this one. I had few problems with NDS, but I do seem to recall some of my colleagues having, shall I say, interesting times with the introduction of its early versions. Nonetheless, my former employers had an NDS tree that has been running flawlessly since around 1994.

Now, there were some interesting issues introduced in later versions of DS–eDirectory, as it is called these days. Nonetheless, from a bare-bones application of LDAP functionality, I would take NDS/eDir any day of the week over AD.

Like Jerald, I miss NDS quite a bit, too. Heck, there are some things that NDS has handled easily for years that AD just cannot handle now.

]]> By: Jerald Sheets http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-21292 Jerald Sheets Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:51:06 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-21292 Interesting. Now, I didn't have the problems with DS everyone else seems to have had with NDS. It was just a fancy LDAP storage infrastructure. I had no trouble with NDS trees local or across both slow and fast links. It was very logically thought out, laid out, and implemented. Yeah, I liked NDS quite a bit. ;) Interesting.

Now, I didn’t have the problems with DS everyone else seems to have had with NDS. It was just a fancy LDAP storage infrastructure. I had no trouble with NDS trees local or across both slow and fast links. It was very logically thought out, laid out, and implemented.

Yeah, I liked NDS quite a bit. ;)

]]> By: Aaron Brazell http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-21289 Aaron Brazell Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:41:49 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-21289 Jerald: Okay, if you say so. I still prefer Logitech, but it's not a matter of preference. Jason: Yep. NDS was a bane to the existence of all network admins. I also remember the less-than-smooth uptake of AD too. Good times. Jerald: Okay, if you say so. I still prefer Logitech, but it’s not a matter of preference.

Jason: Yep. NDS was a bane to the existence of all network admins. I also remember the less-than-smooth uptake of AD too. Good times.

]]> By: Jason J. Thomas http://technosailor.com/2006/10/17/microsoft-originality/comment-page-1/#comment-21288 Jason J. Thomas Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:36:45 +0000 http://www.technosailor.com/microsoft-originality/#comment-21288 Actually, it was Novell's Directory Services (NDS) that was the technical progenitor of Microsoft's Active Directory. One of the issues with the introduction of AD with Windows 2000 was its use of proprietary extensions to the Kerberos authentication scheme--a long-standing authentication mechanism. There were many places--educational institutions that had to make modifications to allow the easy integration of AD systems into their existing Kerberos infrastructure. Nonetheless, there are very few who will argue with MS tendency to be very good at marketing. They are also good at increasing adoption by giving something away initially to build support for the product. Compare this to Novell's products through the years (as a former and still occasional NetWare Admin). Novell has been notoriously bad through the years with marketing. Great technical products, but incredibly bad marketing. Actually, it was Novell’s Directory Services (NDS) that was the technical progenitor of Microsoft’s Active Directory. One of the issues with the introduction of AD with Windows 2000 was its use of proprietary extensions to the Kerberos authentication scheme–a long-standing authentication mechanism. There were many places–educational institutions that had to make modifications to allow the easy integration of AD systems into their existing Kerberos infrastructure.

Nonetheless, there are very few who will argue with MS tendency to be very good at marketing. They are also good at increasing adoption by giving something away initially to build support for the product. Compare this to Novell’s products through the years (as a former and still occasional NetWare Admin). Novell has been notoriously bad through the years with marketing. Great technical products, but incredibly bad marketing.

]]>