Feedback: just use it

By Vito Cassisi
17:33 Nov 20, 2008 | 17 Comments
Tags: Feedback | just | use | it

Top Gun AfterBurner Force Feedback Joystick

Microsoft is listening to the public. But who's doing all the talking?

You’ve been pwning ferociously in your favourite FPS. Headshot after headshot you slaughter several foes, and introduce them to an inanimate state of failure. Sprays of curdling blood mark your territory – you’re in the zone. Then, as you emerge from the shadows, you hear the most horrifying noise one can possibly experience in this nerve-wracking situation...

*bling*

Windows has, apparently, encountered an error.

It’d be safe to assume that a user’s reaction would be to annihilate said dialogue box. Rarely do users read such error notifications. Sometimes we catch a glimpse to establish a rough idea of the issue, or – more likely – the notification is ignored completely, much like that delirious emo kid down the street. And then there’s this feature which pops up, almost mockingly, asking us a favour regarding reporting the error to Microsoft. In disgust, most people push the ‘cancel’ button with no second thought. “That’ll learn you, Microshaft!” We laugh on the inside.

But the joke is on us.

Microsoft is listening, but no one’s taking
Recently we’ve been introduced to the new Windows 7 GUI, or at least, what has been developed thus far. The results are looking positive in comparison to that of Vista and its older siblings, but how do the designers know what we want?

Believe it or not, Windows 7 is being designed based on user feedback. And no, it’s not from Joe Average’s tech blog of awesomeness and win, but rather feedback from user encountered errors, work habits, and software usage. This approach is what users have been longing for, particularly by those who understand the true downfalls of the Windows OS design. But there’s a flaw. One that has been existent ever since XP introduced their customer feedback initiative – most people ignore it.

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17 Comments

p_francis_bennett Nov 20, 2008 5:43 PM	AMEN BROTHER!!! i'm trying to give my feedback to microsoft whenever an error pops up. I used to be an ignoramus when it cam to that and i used to just click cancel.
Chr0n1x Nov 20, 2008 6:16 PM	Take it further, MS listened to http://aerotaskforce.com/ created by Long Zheng, and now many of the changes suggested there have appeared in Windows 7. To think, the website was only started this year!
Mademan Nov 20, 2008 6:18 PM	Because with the amount of money it costs, it shouldn't need feedback to be improved, let alone bloody work properly.
moofactory Nov 20, 2008 8:01 PM	If anything, I want a customizable os that has its own variation of windows blinds. or OX desktop etc. Basically a way for users to make it their own. And install or add on features like plugins or addons in the way Firefox does. I would also like to see them bring back a variation of active desktop.. I love integrating web content onto my desktop.
Lord-Ezekiel Nov 20, 2008 8:02 PM	Microsoft should be aware that most users DO NOT submit error reports and take THAT into consideration. Fools.
Girvo Nov 20, 2008 8:28 PM	@L-E I'm sure they do. It's pretty fricken' obvious. But how does that help? "I wonder what errors need fixing?" "Wait, we don't know because no-one is telling us." "...shit, now what?"
orcone Nov 20, 2008 11:49 PM	I used to report errors. Til I realised it took too fucking long. And not a damn thing was relayed back to me about the error report. And the error kept happening. And happening...
smakme7757 Nov 21, 2008 1:32 AM	@Mademan: Money doesn't make good operating systems. Informed Programmers do! And programmers get informed via User submitted feedback. Think of it like in this perspective: OS-1 has been a flop, so company X decides to create a new operating system. Then the Lead program designer asks his team: 'Ok boys and girls how do we make it better'??? and the answer is NOT money!....
SquallStrife Nov 21, 2008 12:25 PM	This presents somewhat of a juxtaposition with today's youth. The attitude of "someone else will take care of it" clashing with the "I've got a voice" culture. Social networking could be the best medium ever for conveying feedback to companies like Microsoft, but the big users of 'net-based feedback mechanisms are also the most apathetic, and would sooner provide mundane drivel ("it's shit.") then constructive criticism ("it's shit because...").
colganaitor Nov 21, 2008 1:17 PM	Whilst it's true that they're in need of constructive criticism, why not open up Windows? If people want to make it better, then they should be able to without getting a job at Microsoft. Alternatively, they could bother to release proper drivers for GNU/Linux . .
R430R Nov 23, 2008 1:30 PM	AMEN @colganaitor. although there would be many drawbacks on both sides of the counter($), IT would make allot of sense to obtain open information about what people want even if it was to be rebuilt and then closed again @Moofactory with a fully customizable operating system (like windows blinds or resource hacker)and then upon completion and shutdown of the PC it sends the settings to microsoft to create a database of different profiles for ignorant people to simply click on for a total system makeover, it's pretty much flawless.
Dumb_Computergeek Nov 24, 2008 9:17 AM	I think if Microsoft was to really get the most out of the feedback they need to be a bit more transparent in the way of getting it. I don't send the error messages on because I don't know what it's going to send. And lets face it Microsoft's history of taking action on users that they suspect are doing the wrong thing isn't great. But they I think they also need to set something up with other (probably large) software/hardware vendors so the error's can still be resolved if it's not microsofts app that are causing it. Then they might get more people submitting the error logs.
dsagill Nov 25, 2008 1:34 PM	Yeah right!! I was giving feedback but I keep getting the same response... You should upgrade the $1500 Developer version of Office XP you own because we don't support it any more. Gee thanks - and why would I upgrade XP to 2007 when all the code I have written will get flushed and even I can't find my way around the new interface!? Not to mention the fact I have reported a bug which causes Access code to crash because of reference library problems whenever I give my Access databases to clients has been present across multiple versions!! Microsuck are their own worst enemy.
Sebbs Nov 25, 2008 1:40 PM	this is mainly regarding the microsoft feedback systems, but how the hell can people argue that it takes too much out of their time? instead of clicking "Cancel" you click "Submit" and its done. also, the information that it sends is available for you to see too, though as its basically just a dump of what all the kernel processes were doing at the time of the crash, its mostly useless to most of us. I've found the feedback tool under Vista to be quite good too, because often it actually gets sent a response with a fix! Open up Control Panel and have a look in the "Problem Reports and Solutions" item. I've actually found it useful, particularly when the problem is well known. By the way, I'm looking in the information section now and one of the items has a note saying "This problem is being researched". Feedback on the progress to a solution based on my feedback! From Microsoft no less. I really don't think that people have a right to bitch about bugs being present when they won't do anything to help sort out the bugs. (Also, just from reading the comments so far, its quite obvious who have had any programming experience and who haven't. Nothing opens your eyes more to the programmers plight than being a programmer yourself)
Bob Hawke Nov 25, 2008 2:00 PM	someone mentioned earlier.. if I was going to pay upwards of $300 for a piece of software. I would EXPECT these sorts of issues to be under control. Nor am I on their pay roll acting as a beta tester in my time. Not once have I had to compile a crash report since I've been using Linux as a Desktop, and I gladly would if something did trip up. I'll beta test windows software, but since they are making money from my work, Ill expect 25% commission of their total product sales.
.:Cyb3rGlitch:. Nov 25, 2008 2:13 PM	Bob Hawke, I don't think its fair to blame Microsoft for most issues. There's thousands of different software, hardware and driver combinations possible with Windows OSs, not to mention they rely on 3rd party drivers. It's almost impossible to create a bug free OS with such a broad market to cover while maintaining compatibility. Sending feedback helps them correct what they can.
smadge1 Nov 26, 2008 9:17 AM	i report every error with windows home server, hopefully they will make bug fixes and changes to the next version.

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