The Engineer Behind Microsoft's TV Strategy

Carl Bialik from the WSJ writes "A high-energy engineer named Joe Belfiore, age 37, has led Microsoft's Media Center team for four years. The effort has gained momentum in the past year, the Wall Street Journal reports, bolstering Microsoft's defense against a challenge from Apple's Front Row for control of home-entertainment software. 'The Apple threat seems menacing, in part because of recent history: Its iPod was a late entry in an established field of digital music players but soon stole the lion's share of the market,' the WSJ writes. At Microsoft, Front Row is already causing ripples: [Bill] Gates in an email to Mr. Belfiore asked why Apple's remote control had just six buttons. The standard Media Center remote from Microsoft has 39 buttons. (Mr. Belfiore's explanation: Front Row computers don't have TV or digital video recorder functions and thus don't need as many buttons.) At stake is more than just another piece of software for home computers. Both companies, and others, are trying to build the foundational technology for all home digital entertainment.'"

Comments

Re:Not too bright, are they?

[iocat]

RE: the people who work at Microsoft. They're not crass masses. Crass masses don't really give a shit what you give them. They just know how to turn it on and change the channel. People who work at Microsoft are the kind of people who LIKE having 39 buttons on their remote, even if they only "need" 6. They're the kind of people who, when seeing a one button mouse, or a six button remote, want to cringe because of its limited functionality, instead of doing a dance at its minimal sophistication. In short they're technophile geeks.

That's why when Microsoft tries to do "sophisticated" or "minimalist" they always screw it up, because they're like "ok, what would a total fucking moron who was afraid of having 39 buttons on his remote want," instead of the Apple approach, which is more in line with "what would someone who really didn't give a shit about any of this stuff want."

The Microsoft approach gives you MS Bob and terrible wizards. The Apple approach gives you the iPod, and a totally shitty, useless mouse. (Not to mention a million rabid apologists who'll claim that hitting the command key is somehow better than having a second mouse button and a scroll wheel.)

(PS yeah yeah, I know all about the new, big-boy, "mighty mouse." Call me when there are three buttons on an powerbook, and I'll be ready to switch back.)

Re:Front Row does NOT have TV/DV record ... yet

[Serapth]

Oh yeah, the click wheel is so much superior to volume up/down controls. Hmmmm.... I want to turn this song up. Ok, scroll the wheel. WTF, why the Fuck is my song fast forwarding. Oh shit, I must have clicked twice. Lets try again. Im sorry, the interface on the iPod is pure shit. I hate mine, just off a few simple problems. 1) Volume controls should have had an up/down toogle. Reusing the same UI for fast forward/rewind and volume control is just retarded. If you disagree with me, try using an iPod in your car sometime ( while being a responsible driver and not staring at your iPod ). 2) Worst , most scratch screen ever 3) overly expensive. Now, I realise that slashdot is currently going through an Apple Wack-Off-Athon(tm) at the moment, and insulting apple is taboo. Yet, frankly the iPod is an over hyped POS. If mine wasnt given to me, I would be right pissed off at the money I (didnt) pay for it.