Friday, February 6, 2009

off subject, but can't be helped: Microsoft has gone mad

I know the terms old-fashioned and historian have an obvious relationship, but I wanted to vent; welcome to my outlet.

I have been following the march of the new Microsoft user interfaces (UI) in Office, Vista and the yet unreleased Windows 7. It has been depressing. I have been watching for clues that Microsoft is paying attention to their more experience users and, well, it has been a dark period for those of us looking for a glimmer of hope.

I am not a Microsoft MVP, but I know enough to have a valid opinion. My experience dates back to DOS and late great Windows 3.11 for Workgroups. I have used the Microsoft Office applications since before they were bundled together (for those of you born in the 80s, that means I have nearly 20 years of Windows experience). I ran the Windows 95 beta and managed several small networks with Microsoft's Small Business Server line. When it comes to being a user, I know what I am talking about.

The first problem is with the Office Fluent interface. Many commentators have fallen in love with the new UI, I haven't. The quote you see most often is sounds like this: "once you have used the ribbon interface for a while, you will find it easier to use than the old menus". Bunk. I can say, with over a year of using the Ribbon interface, that Excel has been ruined and the new Word is less usable than the 2000 version. The biggest problem is that the menu keeps moving. You cannot remember where something and go back to it, because every Ribbon icon must be remembered in context to what Ribbon is up. It is like having one menu bar. Pathetic.

Now, why did Microsoft change the user interface? I surmise three reasons. First, the new interface is designed to make Word easier for new users. Second, Microsoft wanted to create a user interface that, once adopted (see crammed down users throats), could limit the ability of alternatives (Open Office) to mimick its behavior. Third, to keep cramming new functions into Word, they needed to rearrange the menu real estate.

The problem with these three ideas is that all of them strike against the installed user base that represents 80 to 90 percent of all users with any concessions. Even when the new versions of Windows changed the layout of the Control Panel, a classic mode was available (of course, excluding Vista and 7, but we are getting there). There is no way, through Microsoft, that you can restore the old menu system or get rid of the new Ribbon.

Now I have said that Word has the been the reason for the changes, what about Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, etc? I believe that, for Microsoft, Word development drives the others. It is the only explanation I can see to explain why the sort and filter commands in Excel are not on the main ribbon. If you only use Excel a little, and not for actually reviewing data, you won't use these basic functions used by people who actually need Excel.

So what is the problem with Vista and Windows 7? You can search for Vista and hate for the details, but the biggest problem with Vista was that it was not better than XP. It was slower, more complicated, more expensive, no classic menu options, and sold in varieties that, unless you bought the Ultimate version, represented a step down in basic ablitiy over XP. Microsoft responded by pushing Windows 7, but what adjustments have they really made? It might be faster than Vista and XP, but it is still more complicated, withoug classic menu options, and sold in varieties that, unless you bought the Ultimate version, represented a step down in basic ablitiy over XP.

The other problem is that the professional reviewers have failed to understand the problems created by Vista, Windows 7, and the Ribbon interface. Professional reviewers compare Windows and Apple operating systems and user interfaces. Most users don't. I have used Apple machines less than 30 minutes in the past 20 years and I bet most users fall in the same category. When a professional reviewer looks at a the new Microsoft changes, they have Apple thoughts in their heads. When I look at the Microsoft changes, I have XP thoughts in my head. Where the professional reviewer would see familiarities with Apple and be happy about it; I would see everything moved around without reason.

The bad news is, it isn't going to get better. I do not know what older users are going to do once Microsoft hangs the XP and Office 2003 users out to dry in a couple of years when they stop security patches. The economy will recover in time, but your computer won't.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Here is mine (and mine alone) recipe for white chocolate bread pudding. It is time to share.


White Chocolate Milk:

12oz Bag of White Chocolate Morsels
1 pint of 2% milk

Custard:

5 eggs
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

Bread:1 loaf of French Bread Baguette.

Fruit:
½ cup of dried blueberries (or more. Who will complain?)

Optional Dish Prep:2 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoons of unsalted butter


Topping:
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

This goes into a 9x9 dish.

Heat the milk in the microwave for 2 minutes in a safe container.
Melt white chocolate (microwave in 1 minute increments and stir until a consistent paste and stir in milk until consistent (in other words, white chocolate milk). You may have to reheat the mixture to get it to combine.

Once the chocolate cools back down below 100 degrees (when it stops feeling hot), Add the white chocolate milk, eggs, vanilla extract, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a mixer and thoroughly combine.

Cut the French bread and slice into 1 inch slices. Tear the slices into one-big-bite pieces and place into the 9x9 Pyrex dish until it loosely comes to ¼ from the top. Take the bread and fold it into the custard in the mixing bowl. Add the dried blueberries. After 15 minutes, fold again to ensure complete coverage and soaking.

Preheat oven to 350 with an open middle rack. Set a pot of water to boil. Get out roasting pan.

Butter the 9x9 Pyrex dish and take 2 tablespoons of sugar and swirl in the dish to coat, shake out excess. Pour pudding mixture into dish. Place it in the middle of the roasting pan and pour in hot water until it reaches half-way up the side of the dish.

Carefully using gloves, place roasting pan and contents in oven on rack and cook for 20 minutes. At 18 minute mark, melt topping butter and combine with sugar and cinnamon. Brush or spoon onto top of custard and return to oven. At 30 minute mark, pull from oven and, using a spoon, pry in the middle of the custard and see if it is still liquid. If the middle of the custard fills with liquid, it is not done. Test every 5 minutes until custard is cooked. Quickly (and safely) remove from roasting and place on counter to cool for 10 minutes at least.