The Microsoft BUILD conference ( formerly PDC ) is going on this week in Anaheim, California. Promoted as “a new event that shows modern hardware and software developers how to take advantage of the future of Windows”, BUILD included a detailed preview of the next major release of Windows, code-named “Windows 8”. As previously reported, Windows 8 offers support for ARM-based chipsets which means that it is intended to work across a spectrum of devices, including mobile phones and tablets. Microsoft also detailed new tools for developers to help write applications for the more than 1 billion people around the world who use Microsoft Windows every day. These items were the focus of a USA Today article published earlier today where I was provided with the unique opportunity to share my opinions on Windows 8 with respected journalist, Byron Acohido.
Specifically, I explained that enterprises of all sizes have made considerable investments in utilizing Microsoft applications as mission-critical parts of their organizations. As a result, it is critical that Microsoft delivers a compatibility strategy for Windows 8 which allows businesses to continue to leverage their existing investments while still being able to take advantage of the new Windows 8 innovations. On the developer side, I noted that Microsoft has traditionally invested a considerable amount of energy and resources in providing a comprehensive enterprise development platform which includes not just run-time support for the desktop and web, but also best-of-breed development tools, application lifecycle management tools, databases, and deep integration with a variety of third party products. With Windows 8 and its support for open web standards such as HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, as well as for devices such as tablets and mobile phones, Microsoft is again demonstrating that it is paying attention to modern industry trends and setting itself up well for a future where all devices are treated as first-class citizens. I added that we are all aware of the market challenges which Microsoft faced with Windows Vista. Windows 7 clearly restored some of the lost credibility in the market, so it is critical that Windows 8 continues to build on this momentum with a balanced approach between product innovation and quality. Finally, I noted that enterprise customers are traditionally slow to adopt new technology. I believe the way for Microsoft to potentially mitigate this is to focus intensely on product quality, provide an appropriate level of backward compatibility for device drivers and business applications, and create enough excitement with innovative new features that it influences the early adopters to “pull” the laggards forward on a more aggressive timeline than they would typically adopt new technology.