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View Full Version : MS Surface plagued with usablity issues.


Deamos
April 24th, 2009, 10:32 PM
I ran across this in my feeds from Engadget and thought I should share. Something about when your awesome touchscreen doesn't work out of the box, it needs a keyboard.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/microsoft-surface-setup-impressions-filled-with-mind-bogglingl/
tom66
April 24th, 2009, 10:49 PM
Doesn't surprise me... seems a bit typical of MS.
Vadi
April 24th, 2009, 11:03 PM
Well, most like design issues than usability issues. Sad though and typical.
ddrichardson
April 24th, 2009, 11:08 PM
Miller and his team first spent 30 minutes on the phone with MS phone support trying to locate the power socket
I stopped taking this seriously at this sentence. I'm not one for MS or bashing other systems - I see no point in listening to a supposed expert who can't find where to connect the power cord.
Vadi
April 24th, 2009, 11:09 PM
It actually was hidden, and it was 3 people. Anyway, apparently there are 2 versions of it - the "Developer" one which costs $2k more comes with extended instructions on how to operate the thing: http://kinesismomentum.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/skin-deep-usability-take-2/#comment-428
LightB
April 24th, 2009, 11:11 PM
MS Bob, Xbox, Zune, Surface.
Mateo
April 24th, 2009, 11:52 PM
whatever... i'm definitely buying one when they are affordable. look very neat to me.
.Maleficus.
April 25th, 2009, 12:59 AM
I stopped taking this seriously at this sentence. I'm not one for MS or bashing other systems - I see no point in listening to a supposed expert who can't find where to connect the power cord.
^^^ This. If you spend 30 minutes looking for a power connection, then, well, you fail. And as far as needing a keyboard and mouse, so what? It's a one time setup, shouldn't be too big of a deal to plug in a keyboard for a day.

MS Bob, Xbox, Zune, Surface.
What? :confused:
ddrichardson
April 25th, 2009, 01:04 AM
And as far as needing a keyboard and mouse, so what? It's a one time setup, shouldn't be too big of a deal to plug in a keyboard for a day.
Couldn't agree more - I read this and immediately thought that this is the same sort of silly criticism leveled at Linux (OMG wireless didn't work OTB!!!).

If you're business is connecting things your customer can't then surely its not in your interest for things to come out of a box, have a switch flicked and be ready to rock?
mkendall
April 25th, 2009, 04:04 AM
I stopped taking this seriously at this sentence. I'm not one for MS or bashing other systems - I see no point in listening to a supposed expert who can't find where to connect the power cord.

Considering that the Surface really is an appliance, it probably uses a 40A 250V (12/48) power cord, not a "tail." (Anyone who has installed an oven range knows what I'm talking about.) If this is the case, someone who has no idea what to look for can easily take half an hour to find the junction box.
master5o1
April 25th, 2009, 04:47 AM
Seriously, using a keyboard and/or mouse for setup is trivial.
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 05:59 AM
How can you create a full touchscreen interface and not have it respond to touch by default? That's pretty messed up right there.
gnomeuser
April 25th, 2009, 08:21 AM
One of the problems here is that they did not get the package you as a customer will get. Since Surface requires you to put up cameras and do other things when you but a Surface device from Microsoft they will send a team with your device to install it. Considering the price you should expect no less.

Aside that we are talking about early versions of the hardware something they send out to corporate customers and very likely also use as a means of weeding out problems before they launch the product to a wider audience.

I don't see how this is a useful review of the Surface experience those things considering. You as a user shouldn't need to set the thing up or enable the hardware, you just sit down and play with it.
Sealbhach
April 25th, 2009, 11:49 AM
Woo hoo, tabletop
http://images.aad.gov.au/img.py/28bc.jpg
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 12:16 PM
Woo hoo, tabletop

It's Microsoft Surface... the legacy version!

:lolflag:
mister_pink
April 25th, 2009, 01:49 PM
The original article has been taken down by the author and replaced by an explaination - the whole things been blown out of proportion. It was posted as a bit of a joke - the error was that of the company that ordered it.

Before you jump in and criticise MS, try reading the original article at least.
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 01:59 PM
Before you jump in and criticise MS, try reading the original article at least.

This is a forum. On the internet. Do you really expect people to have the attention span to do that?
Sealbhach
April 25th, 2009, 02:00 PM
Before you jump in and criticise MS, try reading the original article at least.

We wouldn't want to criticize Microsoft, would we?

.
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 02:01 PM
We wouldn't want to criticize Microsoft, would we?

I don't think he meant in general.
mister_pink
April 25th, 2009, 02:11 PM
I don't think he meant in general.
Hell no, I have plenty of critcism for them! People here just seem all too willing to jump in before taking the time to get the facts. But you're right, this is the internets, and it is fun too!
3rdalbum
April 25th, 2009, 02:26 PM
Microsoft Surface will NEVER be ready for Joe Average if you need to be a Microsoft employee to install it! :-P
ddrichardson
April 25th, 2009, 02:32 PM
I'm not sure where they're positioning this device, it seems very expensive for home use.
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 02:37 PM
I'm not sure where they're positioning this device, it seems very expensive for home use.

I think it's supposed to be more for business use than home use. I don't really know.

Personally, even if it was for businesses, I don't find the thing practical at all. At least, not in it's current state.
Spiritous
April 25th, 2009, 02:38 PM
Microsoft Surface will NEVER be ready for Joe Average if you need to be a Microsoft employee to install it! :-P

I thought you needed an Employee to install 2000? Or am I just dumb :(?
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 02:41 PM
Or am I just dumb :(?

Well....


:P
calrogman
April 25th, 2009, 04:10 PM
whatever... i'm definitely buying one when they are affordable. look very neat to me.

I'll buy one when they are affordable and the linux kernel has support for them. ;)
AsusEEEPC
April 25th, 2009, 04:14 PM
M$ is just FAIL! You buy a 17.000$ touchscreen tablet, and you need peripherals to get it to work!!! It took them 30 minutes just to explain where the power socket is!
Giant Speck
April 25th, 2009, 04:20 PM
M$ is just FAIL! You buy a 17.000$ touchscreen tablet, and you need peripherals to get it to work!!! It took them 30 minutes just to explain where the power socket is!

Read the following post from page two:


The original article has been taken down by the author and replaced by an explaination - the whole things been blown out of proportion. It was posted as a bit of a joke - the error was that of the company that ordered it.
ddrichardson
April 25th, 2009, 04:21 PM
M$ is just FAIL! You buy a 17.000$ touchscreen tablet, and you need peripherals to get it to work!!! It took them 30 minutes just to explain where the power socket is!
$17000 Touchscreen : $20 Keyboard

0.12% of the cost on a keyboard doesn't seem like a major fail and if you're a company setting things up for people then you're going to have a USB keyboard hanging around surely?