SLOTH: A model about user’s unreasonable expectations of systems design

One of my favourite subjects during my MSc (also one of my top grades), was Human Factors in Systems Design. Therefore I shouldn’t act surprised that this subject is so present at my current work as the central focus in our process of designing and developing software.

While I consider having a user-centred design approach a fundamental aspect of successful software, involving users can also lead to problems. These problems can be easily managed though, as long as we recognise them. With that in mind, I came up with the SLOTH model, which aims to identify some fundamental issues of involving end-users in systems design.

Old Windows? No Microsoft Store for you!

Microsoft (MSFT) has announced that the Microsoft Store will cease to work for Windows 8.x devices.

Killing off the Microsoft Store for Windows 8.x? Sounds reasonable, right? After all this piece of garbage OS has not been supported for quite a while. Except that knowing MSFT, they might soon pull this off for people running previous versions of Windows 10 as well.

Dear developers: Enough with the bad coding

Good riddance 2016! Many would argue that it has been the worst year in decades. And while I do not want to get into the merit of the loss of talent the world has suffered, I did notice another heavy blow we took this past year: The quality of software developed on Windows. It seems to me that a lot of developers are taking certain liberties that are rubbing me off the wrong way. Such bad coding practices are certainly not new, but I did notice an increase in them this past year. So I wrote this open letter for 2017, in the hope that such bad coding habits can be addressed. Read more >>

A new beginning

I’ve been postponing the writing of this post long enough, but I think I owe the readers of my blog an explanation as to why there is so little updates on Dynamics CRM coming from me. So here is my long and overdue update.

Intelligent docking stations: The future of hybrid devices?

Early this week I watched Ubuntu’s teaser on what they have prepared for hybrid phone/tablets/desktops and I said to myself (and I am sure that many others did as well) “this is exactly what I have been looking for, but so far no one managed to deliver”. Read more >>

Microsoft Account and the EU Data Protection Directive: The long and winding road

— With contributions by Geoff Coupe

Microsoft has recently announced that they will now accept migrating XBOX Live accounts from one country to another. While the XBOX community rejoice in celebration, I look back and reflect on my assiduous journey to have my account migrated, and wonder if my case along with the case of a fellow friend and others who joined our cause, has contributed to this outcome. Read more >>

Warning EU Citizens: Avoid getting a Windows Phone (or Xbox Live for that matter)

One of the fundamental basis of the European Union is the principle of four freedoms: freedom of movement of people, goods capitals and services. As Europeans, we can freely move around member states and live in as legal residents.

However, if you’re planning to get a Windows Phone, prepare to have your rights as an EU citizen challenged by Microsoft. Read more >>

There is no such thing as “grey mail”

I just read today at the Windows Team Blog that Hotmail declares war on graymail. However, I assert that there is not such thing as “gray mail”.

It doesn’t matter if it is an email offering me dodgy Rolex replicas or dubious pharmaceuticals, or if it is a newsletter from a major and respectable institution. Any speculative email I receive that I haven’t explicitly subscribed to, is to be considered SPAM. Enough said.