Integration Standards

“I do not use Microsoft products because they force their products onto me such as Internet Explorer, Office and all their online crap like SkyDrive !!!”

“I love my Apple Mac, all their products are integrated into each other perfectly. Praise Steve”

I am sure my viewers on Tweaked for your Pleasure has seen some type of debate on Microsoft such as;

“Oh, they are focusing me to use their product instead of others. They are evil for that.”

Normally these people are talking about the Windows operating system and how Internet Explorer is installed by default, how Windows Live integrates with other Microsoft products such as Microsoft Office, their online cloud-based file hosting SkyDrive and all that stuff. These people for some reason get annoyed and pissed off because Microsoft tries to be helpful and integrate their services true maybe Microsoft is doing it only to make a profit but as soon as Apple came along many of these people said the following.

Oh iTunes is great. Not only does it work with my iPod, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPad, QuickTime, Bank Account and everything but it also changed my life and makes everything so much more easy.

Now I am not having a moan about the “fanboy” or cult following of Apple products but why is it when Microsoft does something and tries to make all their products work together better so that it ultimately helps their end-user and then everyone turns around and moans? Yet although a company like Google comes along and makes everything and anything work together so that you can search for information on toast and the world raises its hands and thanks them yet Microsoft adds a tiny search bar and the world fawns.

I would like to think the reason for this is that when Microsoft did this that it was a whole new idea and seeing it is now expected that other companies do it by default but then once Microsoft does it people are still in the back of their minds still can not accept Microsoft helping out the end-user.

That said I think Microsoft could do a better job integrating its services at the operating system level while still allowing 3rd parties to do the same – just think what it could do for businesses, education and by proxy, the home market.