March 9th, 2012 § § permalink
Okay, so this post is going to be short and quick. Its about a piece of software called Windows 8. The consumer preview was launched a couple of days back and with the frenzy around, I downloaded it on my system. It took a fairly long time to download and when it did, It took a whole effort on installing it.
While the install was happening, I always had this strangely un-nerving feeling, as to something is not going to be right. Anyway, the install happened and just when I turned on the laptop and used the system twice, I found that Windows 7 was probably better and faster to use than its more dashing new born cousin.
Now I always thought, since this is a consumer preview version, it will get installed as an additional software on my system, taking some disk space and that I can always un-install it. Though to my utter surprise and (disgust) later, I found out, that Windows 8 has over-written the Windows 7 installed on the system and no go back to Win 7, I would need to first take a back-up, re-install Win7 from the boot up DVD which will also help me un-install Win 8.
What pissed me off?
While I have been personally impressed with the Windows phone, the way Win 8, got installed into my system, seems like an intrusion. It never prompted me as a user, that my current Win 7 will be over written. All it said was that I need to un-install MS Security Essentials, which I said was a fair chance to take to check out the new Win 8 preview.
Its a sad state that the user which MS was targeting is now pretty miffed at the fact that he was not even asked first for a consent to sit into his system. Now one can always say, it was in the fine print and somewhere in the conditions which I accepted by checking some radio button while install, but if it was this critical, as a user I should have been made aware of what changes the install will do to my system.
I would certainly not advice anyone right now, to install the Win 8 preview, the UI is good, though more from the touch perspective. On my laptop, I would still prefer Win 7. And if you still go ahead, ensure that you make a disk partition first and then go ahead with the installation.
The Lesson
Tech companies must understand that the user today is far more evolved and would hate it if something (anything) happens without his/ her consent, even if the product is superb. Its not just about the product, its about ME (the user).
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February 15th, 2010 § § permalink
We have overtime seen many initiatives go high on the fuel of thoughts and vision but not really seeing the light of the day, when it comes to affecting positively, not just a group of people, but an entire ecosystem, which involves you and me.
Especially, its amazing to see how the Indian Corporate and Industry Associations like NASSCOM have come together towards creation of an interesting ecosystem, which is improving not only the lifestyle for many but also is a big and a bold investment in India’s future.
Recently we came across this campaign called the CyberCity Welfare Society, which is been driven by NASSCOM and major corporate members based out of Gurgaon (the Cyber City) which aims at making life easier, smooth and greener on the roads of Gurgaon.
What caught our eye was the fact that not only the corporate, but this time around, the Police and the Municipal Associations have been actively involved in the campaign, hence making sure that the voices are heard at the highest levels. Such an initiative has not been head of before and we are sure, such steps will go a long way in the future towards creating effective change.
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October 1st, 2009 § § permalink
Pepsico has shocked the entire advertising fraternity by deciding that they would put to use their almost 1.3 billion dollar advertising budget NOT for Advertising anymore!
The CEO, Indira Nooyi, in her statement to the press remarked “We know it’s good, and everyone’s pretty happy with the overall taste, so why spend all our time worrying about what other people think?”
“Frankly, it just feels sort of weird and desperate to put all this energy into telling people what to drink. If they don’t like it, then they don’t like it.”
The TOP Pepsico team has been on for this since sometime and have finally decided to shift the funds into PepsiCo’s savings accounts and utilize them for much constructive things, as people anyway dont drink or feel the advertisement. The funds would now be divided amongst various charitable organizations and for bonuses to the employees.
Interesting to note, Nooyi asked the pressmen to go back to their families, hug them and play…really play and spend good time with them, before life passes by.
I support this move and its an amazingly intelligent step by a company of the size of Pepsico.
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