I used to work for the Usability Group at Microsoft-- Usability being the dept that finds "regular people" to test their products on. (Yes, they really do test stuff before they market it.)
I would call people who had volunteered for the program, ask them a bunch of questions, and if they fit the profile, invite them in to test stuff.
What I noticed was: 1) They had kind of strict profiles, and if you were computer savvy enough to want a laptop (or you didn't have kids), you didn't fit their less-savvy Persona.
2) No one within easy driving distance of their labs (in Redmond, WA and silicon valley) fit their low-end profile. (I was calling little old ladies that knew the difference between RAM and ROM. That's more than *I* know.) ...
So the reason *they're* not making less flashy stuff is that no one has officially asked them to.
Note: If you want to get involved in long-distance testing, sign up at http://www.microsoft.com/usability/default.htm
and tell all your writer friends. (You even get free stuff if you participate)
*** I also used to write for a computer trade magazine. (I had no clue about computers, but my cover letter was the only one without any typos. Sigh.) We only covered Big Exciting Faster Better More stuff. There is no story in cheap and simple. So if companies wanted to get in the press, they had to have big exciting and new.
And, at least last time i was involved (4 years ago) There Was No Margin in Hardware. The only people making money were people selling storage or writing software. And the only way to sell hardware, says received wisdom, is if it's sporting Flashy Expensive Hardware.
Because there's so little margin, they aren't going to take any risks in changing the form factors (um, that is, the physical shape of the computer and what you can do with it).
...
So, really long answer, and that may have been a rhetorical question, but in case it wasn't, that's the info i have. :)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
*cough cough*
Date: 2004-11-24 03:50 pm (UTC)I would call people who had volunteered for the program, ask them a bunch of questions, and if they fit the profile, invite them in to test stuff.
What I noticed was:
1) They had kind of strict profiles, and if you were computer savvy enough to want a laptop (or you didn't have kids), you didn't fit their less-savvy Persona.
2) No one within easy driving distance of their labs (in Redmond, WA and silicon valley) fit their low-end profile. (I was calling little old ladies that knew the difference between RAM and ROM. That's more than *I* know.)
...
So the reason *they're* not making less flashy stuff is that no one has officially asked them to.
Note:
If you want to get involved in long-distance testing, sign up at http://www.microsoft.com/usability/default.htm
and tell all your writer friends. (You even get free stuff if you participate)
***
I also used to write for a computer trade magazine. (I had no clue about computers, but my cover letter was the only one without any typos. Sigh.) We only covered Big Exciting Faster Better More stuff. There is no story in cheap and simple. So if companies wanted to get in the press, they had to have big exciting and new.
And, at least last time i was involved (4 years ago) There Was No Margin in Hardware. The only people making money were people selling storage or writing software. And the only way to sell hardware, says received wisdom, is if it's sporting Flashy Expensive Hardware.
Because there's so little margin, they aren't going to take any risks in changing the form factors (um, that is, the physical shape of the computer and what you can do with it).
...
So, really long answer, and that may have been a rhetorical question, but in case it wasn't, that's the info i have. :)
alia