Microsoft, Unify!

Dear Microsoft

I am a fan. Like, really, a major fan. I believe that you are one of a few companies who are building for the future (Tesla being one of them). And out of the big three, the only one looking forward. Windows on Arm, HoloLens, OneCore, Azure, Surface, Xbox Scorpio. All important and remarkable things. All future ready. And for that, I am an even bigger fan.

As well as being a fan on the consumer side of things, Microsoft System Admin is also my chosen career path. For business and pleasure, Microsoft is my choice. This very blog is hosted on Azure using my MVP credit. I could go on, but I think you might have an idea by now.

As a fan, I must ask you…

Microsoft, what are you doing? What do you mean, what do I mean? Ok, let me break it down. *Record scratch*

Microsoft To-Do, Wunderlist, Cortana Reminders, OneNote To-Do, Outlook Tasks, Sticky Note To-Do… Do you see the problem? Cortana talks to Wunderlist and Sticky Notes, Sticky Notes can’t talk to OneNote or Outlook Tasks and OneNote To-Do’s are in a corner all by themselves. There are multiple apps, programs and even A.I. that’s doing the same thing. Does this not seem crazy? And this is just one example from the consumer side.

Would you like to have an example from the business side? I thought so, so here we go. Office 365 has Planner – great for giving work to individuals! Microsoft Project is great for getting all the work into a nice plan, but can’t talk to Planner which would be great. Project does top down view of the tasks and Planner could take that info and tell people what to do and when.

Oh but it gets better! Teams has a Planner and Notebook built in, but its completely separate from the team Planner and Notebook on Office 365. Outlook Tasks do not sync with either Teams Planner or Office 365 Planner. And Staff Hub is sitting in the corner – great for 20 shift workers. Terrible if you have 200+.

I understand you need to build for multiple corporations, all moving at different speeds, all doing different things, I really do. I would just like to see some form of fore thought… How delighted would customers be when they see the to-do they put in Sticky Notes get mirrored to their Microsoft To-Do app and Cortana pops up and reminds them when its due?

Take Windows 10 as an example. It was thought out and planned and given to a bunch of rabid fans (not unlike myself) and we obsessed over how to make it better. We take this passion, this obsession with improving things with us everywhere. We aren’t just limited to Windows 10, or even Server 2016. This passion follows us into every nook and cranny you touch. How many people have only bought Minecraft on the Windows Store? I know I have. How many fans have subscribed to Groove even though Spotify is free? (Me!) And one thing you do not need to be asked is how many fans have gone on and on about a new Windows 10 mobile phone or the now legendary Surface Phone (please don’t let us down Panos!)?

So dear Microsoft, the groundwork is there. It could all work together beautifully. All of your offerings should come across as one platform, as one box of Lego that just fits together, and the customers decide how many Lego to buy to get their businesses running.

Microsoft, I am a fan. I want to see you expand your goal of empowering every person on the planet to do more. Not because of job security, but because this company is building for the future. A future I like the look of. Let us, the rabid fans, help you turn customers into fans, not quite unlike us.

Thank you for reading.

—
Kyle