Core77

Brian Phipps reacts to news from BusinessWeek that Microsoft (the ones that make the software) is creating design guidelines for PC hardware companies.

1. #@%$#&*$#%
2. These guidelines imply that Microsoft owns the customer, and that PC makers are simply . . . delivery agents!
3. #@%$#&*$%#
4. We make the box, and they provide the software, but somehow we’re the ingredient brand!!
5. If we follow these guidelines, we will create look-alike PC products
6. Look-alike products will erode what little differentiation we have left

Sure, an integrated design/experience between hardware and software is the wet-dream of every interaction designer (and lapsed interaction designer) but as Brian points out, the industry has evolved to a point where that's problematic to implement.