Mixed Signals
Any sufficiently advanced information is indistinguishable from noise
Tuesday 16 September 2008, 4:09 PM
Microsoft makes me cry
Microsoft and a partner are launching an interesting new device.
That's cool.
The launch is on a webcast.
That's cooler.
Normally, you click on a webcast and watch it. You know, like YouTube does.
Not with Microsoft. I had to switch to a Windows machine. I had to download and run the LiveMeeting client. The client then told me off in rapid succession for using the wrong browser, having a pop-up blocker, resizing a window (really!) and - finally - for trying to listen to it. On a computer. "This presentation is on the Web", it said, "and cannot use computer audio. Please use the LiveMeeting client."
I have no idea what it's on about. But it's driving me mad, because I want to know what Microsoft is trying to tell me. And it's not working.
Does anyone at Microsoft know just how bad things are out here, when we try to use their software to get their marketing message?
I weep. Real tears.
That's cool.
The launch is on a webcast.
That's cooler.
Normally, you click on a webcast and watch it. You know, like YouTube does.
Not with Microsoft. I had to switch to a Windows machine. I had to download and run the LiveMeeting client. The client then told me off in rapid succession for using the wrong browser, having a pop-up blocker, resizing a window (really!) and - finally - for trying to listen to it. On a computer. "This presentation is on the Web", it said, "and cannot use computer audio. Please use the LiveMeeting client."
I have no idea what it's on about. But it's driving me mad, because I want to know what Microsoft is trying to tell me. And it's not working.
Does anyone at Microsoft know just how bad things are out here, when we try to use their software to get their marketing message?
I weep. Real tears.
PreviousComments on this post
Cheer up, Rupert, it could have been worse. They could have kept you in the dark about what they were going to tell you, and made you eat bad food while you were waiting...
It's true.
I did the last Apple launch. They said nothing there either, but at least we were free to slip in and out and just see the body of the presentation.
were you really surprised Rupert?
I had to endure the experience of sitting through a usability web conference that used liveMeeting. The usability talk was OK but it was wrapped in an unusability container made by Microsoft.
Aren't they supposed to be clever or something?
