Meet Microsoft, the world's best kept R&D secret

[Archean]

Meet Microsoft, the world's best kept R&D secret


As far as 99.9 percent of the world population is concerned, Microsoft is a stodgy, old-guard technology company. Its bottom line is fully leveraged against PC operating systems and business software—hardly the building blocks of a future-thinking portfolio, right?

But scratch that cold, conservative, pedestrian surface, and you’ll find a Microsoft that’s a veritable hotbed of cutting-edge innovation. Indeed, the company doesn't just loosen its purse strings when it comes to research and development. No, it practically throws money at really big thinkers to build a more wondrous, fantastical future. In 2011 alone, Microsoft's R&D budget reached a record high of $9.6 billion (yes, with a "B"). That’s a lot of Benjamins, and they’re being spent on some decidedly awesome projects.

I think key is how much of it makes into end products and at the right time, that is what counts at the end of the day.

 

[captaincranky]

In 2011 alone, Microsoft's R&D budget reached a record high of $9.6 billion (yes, with a "B"). That’s a lot of Benjamins, and they’re being spent on some decidedly awesome projects.

Window 8 of course, not being one of them....

 

[Archean]

More specifically imposition of 'metro' on every user. Take that out and it is an reasonably good upgrade from Win7. I don't think it is difficult at all to get back to Win7 style start button. They could have addressed it with one easy step, by giving choice to users at the time of installation. This way it would not have affected their plans with regard to unification of OS core on Desktop/Mobiles.

TBH for me, Start button is irrelevant never used it at all, and Metro for now is an abstraction at best. However, once I've had the chance to use it on a touch enabled ultra/notebook, I'll have bit more insight into the UI. From my time with WP, I think it (metro UI on mobiles) gives nearly as good an user experience as iOS does, if not better.