

My Short Affair with Microsoft Surface Pro and the Retail User Experience - godskind
http://www.apmexaminer.com/my-short-affair-with-microsoft-surface-pro-and-the-retail-user-experience/

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cosmie
>"Finally, and perhaps a contributor to my decision to return the Surface Pro,
the recent browser usage statistics from New Relic show that IE is down to a
paltry 14.8% share across more than 2 million application instances. If that’s
not a signal that Microsoft's role as THE predominant client is beyond repair
I don't know what is."

I don't see how IE's browser share is relevant to the Surface Pro or Windows
as a client OS. Windows _Vista_ , the disowned stepchild, even has a higher
market share than OS X[1].

For the record, I have a Surface Pro as my daily workhorse. I do everything
from classes to work, programming to statistical modeling to Photoshop. It has
issues, but overall I enjoy it. The only thing it completely fails at is Adobe
CS, as they refuse to fix issues with high DPI Windows screens and their
custom interfaces. This article doesn't even touch on the merits of the device
itself, or using it for anything.

I also had a fantastic experience with the Microsoft Store, as I accidentally
broke my Pen within a few hours of getting it (my fault), and it only took a
10 minute call to get a new one sent out Next Day shipping for free. Most of
that was confirming the issue was the pen, and not the computer (to know which
needed a replacement).

[1] [http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-
share....](http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-
share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0)

~~~
godskind
Since I believe the browser and apps are the future of most clients browser
share was a small contributor in deciding whether to keep or return a device
design that wasn't working for the "way I compute.

~~~
cosmie
The device design not working for you is understandable. It _does_ have some
unexpected/unusual quirks owing to it's form.

But I still don't see the correlation between a single browser share and the
fate of the client OS. With things such as the Browser Choice window for EU
installs[1], it's understandable that the decoupling of IE from Windows would
result in a market share decline for the browser. Even while declining, IE
still has twice the browser share of Safari[2]. And although I can't find free
aggregated stats that let you dice browser percentages by OS, my own analytics
accounts show Chrome being roughly twice as popular on Macs than Safari. That
doesn't mean OS X is doomed and everyone should move to Chromebooks...

[1] [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/what-is-the-
brows...](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/what-is-the-browser-
choice-update) [2]
[http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp](http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp)

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jaxbot
I'll be one to say that my experience with the device and the stores has been
the opposite, so it can be either way.

It is, indeed, not a laptop. It works well on a desk, or a small tray in a
classroom, or, if you have an SP2 with the second angle, it makes a decent,
but not amazing, laptop.

It's really designed to be a device that can be used in a variety of
scenarios, and is decent at all of them, but not great at any of them.

I personally like mine, and it's worth a shot if curiosity sparks. The
Microsoft Stores are super friendly, and will let you basically take the
device from the display and use it around the store. I put Vim on one and
experimented with it on my lap, and found the experience to be decent enough.

That being said, it's top heavy and overall a strange device. If you love 100%
of everything about an MBP, you probably won't like this. But if you don't,
then give it a try. Can't hurt anything.

Just as a fair warning to anyone who reads this to take it with some salt ;)

~~~
godskind
I'm always open to new hardware and software experiences and mine might have
been better with a Samsung ATIV 9 plus or some other really nice ultra book
for the way I compute.

I think I could work in any OS but the one thing that really struck me as
missing in my Surface Pro experience was the accurate way to input. Apple's
products have superb keyboards and trackpads and I was really struggling with
the Type 2 cover to feel like it was translating my input well.

------
Jare
"I was hoping the [$499] Surface Pro would cure my desire for a new 13 in.
retina Macbook Pro"

A Surface Pro is the wrong device for someone who is already happy with their
tablet and laptop, is not invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, and does not
need an ultraportable work / drawing device. However, if one or more of those
applies, giving the Surface Pro a shot may be an eye-opening (even if flawed)
surprise.

~~~
godskind
Since I'm working on a 5 year old Macbook Pro of course I want a new one :)

I think that the Surface Pro is compared to both Macbook Air's frequently. It
is almost exactly the same guts as an 11 in Macbook Air.

Just because I purchased it on sale doesn't mean I didn't expect it to fill a
need that I have for an updated computer. With the keyboard it totaled > $630
and an 11 Air isn't all that much more on Apple's refurb site.

I don't regret trying it one bit. And I was just sharing my experience and
context.

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keithwarren
I keep hearing this same line over and over, that Microsoft should stick with
the enterprise which is what they are good at.

For anyone with more than 10 years experience, this kind of statement is
hilarious because not that long ago Microsoft was laughed at as an
'enterprise' software company. Oracle, IBM, Tibco, SAS - these were enterprise
companies and Microsoft was a consumer software company.

But that by and large is unimportant history for what they face now. There has
been a sea change in the relationship large corporations have with their
information technology departments. For most of the time since computers
became a basic necessity for white collar workers, the IT group dictated what
devices could and should be used. They bought specific laptops or desktops and
that was it. If you wanted to use a personal information management device
like a Palm Pilot or Windows CE device, you had to plug it into the computer
at the office. That meant IT had to approve the device because they needed to
ensure its compatibility with their Windows setup and your enterprise
infrastructure.

I dont need to regurgitate what happened, but needless to say we no longer
need that tether and devices now speak directly to the services. This frees
management and workers to buy the devices they need and want. Upper management
gets an iPhone or iPad and they want to work with it, IT has to bend. I have
seen this in our consulting practice over and over - IT did not want to allow
iPads but C*O level folks insisted and voila, we now support iPads. IT did not
come around, they were forced by good consumer devices that just worked.

Microsoft recognizes this sea change and knows that they have to be a player
and a big one in the consumer device market as this market is now dictating to
IT, not the other way around. Consumer devices now drive the choices in the
enterprise so Microsoft cannot give up here, they have to double down.

~~~
godskind
Agree with everything you said. 10 years ago (well maybe more now) Microsoft
was laughed at in the Enterprise but now you can hardly find a big business
not running Exchange and Active Directory at least.

You may be right that Microsoft can't give up here. If that's the case they
will need to improve their execution versus the competition.

------
gum_ina_package
Well of course the Surface Pro isn't a laptop. Just like the iPad isn't a
laptop. The form factor of both devices just doesn't make it a competitor to a
laptop.

However, the Surface Pro is the only tablet that can do everything you can do
on your laptop. That's the important distinction. It just can't do it well
(form factor again).

I've personally found that the Surface Pro is great to bring to class and with
an external monitor/keyboard/mouse, it makes a great daily computing device.
However, I am thinking about buying a ThinkPad Yoga to replace both my Surface
and Laptop. I need something where I can take notes (going paperless rocks),
but also something I can write code on.

~~~
godskind
I agree with you. And I think I said that in my post. If you are a mobile
person that needs a full computer on the go for work, home and being out
Surface Pro might work.

But so would any ultra book I think.

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adamconroy
Quirky review. Trying to cure your desire for a $1300 laptop by purchasing a
$500 hybrid tablet and then declaring that it isn't good as a laptop is quite
prescient.

And the nail in the coffin was that other people aren't using IE.

Important and insightful blogging. You really must keep it up.

~~~
godskind
Just because it was on sale. The Surface Pro is really a $1029 device ($899
retail price + $129 type cover).

My point about sharing the sale price was at $499 how could I not love this
gorgeous little device. And the answer was it did not work for the way I
compute.

Since I consider the browser the real client of the future the IE share
numbers were a contributor to my final decision to return vs keep.

I do realize when I share things though that I open things up for debate.

~~~
adamconroy
Well you aren't comparing apples. The tablet weighs a lot less, has hybrid
functionality and is touch screen. If you made the tablet heavier, with a non
touch screen and a built in keyboard it would cost about $400 at rrp. So it
isn't logical to compare with a $1400 macbook

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shearnie
When oh when will the surface dock be available to consumers.

That is when it will click for everyone why have a surface.

