Windows

As someone with an unapologetic history of being a Microsoft Fanboy.  I have to say, I enjoy Windows Less and Less, these days.   

Maybe it was the perfect, Apple Trojan Horse scenario.

First, I got an iPhone.  I liked it.   Decided to develop apps for it and bought a Mac notebook.

Within a year, I was fulltime on that Mac notebook for email, web browsing, document creation.  The only time I used Windows was for development of apps. (C#, etc)

Now I have a couple macs.  Even my PC is a mac.

After dedicating a good amount of thought as to what Microsoft's problem is, in this area.   I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft's problem is that they are run by "smart" people, not "pretty" people.

Apple, with its design focus, is a far friendlier experience - which appeals to the dumb-masses - myself included.

Windows, on the other hand, Is like a hospital with a pretty paint job.   

Sure, it looks nice and the colors are great but people still go there to die.

Not, that Apple people are "dumber" by any means.  I know Apple's attracted some of the greatest engineering talent available and that plenty of bright people use Apple hardware.  For me, it's about build quality.

Microsoft... takes design principles like "ribbon" -- which saves screen real estate and declutters the UI but makes the apps more cumbersome to use.   

Microsoft, you need more dumb people in charge.  These smart folks, with their crazy puzzle-solving skills, uncanny knowledge of the number of manhole covers in Manhattan and strong engineering-logic focus, are killing you in the consumer market full of, mostly-braindead dancing-with-the-stars fans and average joe - the plumber- types.

More pretty, more ease of use, less engineering is the key to consumer adoption.

As an engineer.. well.. I need a beer.