Ask Paul: October 26 (Premium)

Happy Halloween! This week’s Ask Paul includes a follow-up from last time plus a ton of new questions.

Microsoft Outlook follow-up

In Ask Paul two weeks ago, I was asked whether Outlook 2016 or 2019 would ever behave like the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10 and “be able to do Toast notifications when closed?” I promised to ask Microsoft about this, and did so. And received the following statement.

There are no plans to enable Toast notifications for Outlook 2016 or 2019 when the program is not running. We always take user feedback about current and desired features into consideration, and may consider this functionality at a future date.

Where, oh where, is Windows 10 version 1809

hrlngrv asks:

More of a betting pool question: MSFT released a new Insider build today, 18267, so how many more Insider builds will MSFT release before they release an 1809 build which doesn’t fubar user files?

I had expected Microsoft to re-release Windows 10 version 1809 a week ago today. And when that didn’t happen, perhaps this past Tuesday, because Microsoft often ships updates on Tuesdays. It’s possible that the second (ZIP-related) data loss bug may have played a role in the new delay. Or as Mary Jo suggested on Windows Weekly this week, that Microsoft felt that waiting until after its earnings release would be more prudent.

Whatever the reason, today would be an obvious day for this release. As would next Tuesday, the second to last day of the month.

TBH, it’s difficult not to interpret new Insider builds as indications MSFT doesn’t much care about the problems with 1809.

I completely agree. It is unprofessional for Microsoft to forge ahead with new 19H1 builds while this problem persists. No one would fault them for suspending new Insider builds for a week or so. But doing otherwise is questionable.

What’s going on with Intel and 10 nm?

jimchamplin asks:

What’s up with Intel? Really, why is it they can’t do what much smaller designers and fabs are doing? They’ve gotten whipped in process, power, and speed by more forward-looking companies like Qualcomm and Apple, but can’t do what those guys have already done.

This is something that I think about a lot. And in trying to find a similar situation in platform software, I have to go back to Apple’s inability to succeed the classic Mac OS in the late 1990’s and its subsequent decision to find an outside solution, which was of course NeXTStep.

That said, you might also equate Intel’s failure here to Microsoft’s inability to compete in mobile. Here’s a giant tech firm that has seen amazing success in one type of product but just can’t seem to extend that to a world that has gone mobile. The similarities are there, for sure, and I think they’re relevant. More on that in a moment.

I’ve also spoken with hardware analyst Ryan Shrout—who just this week actually joined Intel—about this issue a few times over the past year. What he told me was that Intel was succeeding where it mattered most. Remember, the PC market isn’t profitable overall, but there are sub-markets like premium PCs and gaming PCs that are profitable, and Intel is the only major player in those markets. So it is advancing the state of the art in a way that makes the most sense today for it, its PC maker partners, and its customers.

Intel’s inability to hit 10 nm reliably, and the constant delays that have resulted, are, of course, embarrassing. But Intel has also consistently outperformed the PC market, just as Microsoft has done with Windows, and this has happened almost solely because it/they have focused on more expensive premium PCs and not on these ultra-mobile devices. As I noted Wednesday, the division that makes Windows is still Microsoft’s biggest by revenue, a fact the software giant would like people to forget in this era of cloud computing and digital transformation. This is true of Intel, too: Its client PC business is it’s biggest too, as I wrote in today’s Short Takes.

Intel has, in the past, acquired companies or adopted outside technology when its own product lines were not working. (Two big examples: x64, which was invented by AMD, and is now the basis for virtually all PCs, and its Core processor architecture, which came out of Israel.) In this case, it will need to adapt to 10 nm on its own. And it’s going to take a while. But I feel like they get there, and that when they do, they will continue to dominate.

One final proof-point (or at least food for thought). HP this week announced new thin and light portable PCs with U-series processor that get up to 22.5 hours of battery life. If this is possible on today’s supposedly inefficient Intel CPUs, what does 10 nm matter in real-world terms? (This is semi-rhetorical.)

Windows as a Service

Daninbusiness asks:

Considering Peter Bright’s detailed article on the practices impacting Windows quality, If you were Microsoft’s CEO, anything that you would do to systemically improve the quality of Windows releases?

First, I applaud Peter for finally writing what I’ve been writing and talking about for two years: Windows as a Service is broken. This isn’t new, though he did tackle the subject in a rather long-winded way.

Anyway, the problem with Windows is the process. All of the issues we’ve seen in each Windows 10 feature update were reported by Insiders beforehand. But the telemetry system failed in that none were flagged as showstoppers.

How do you fix the process? You’re right to ask about the CEO, as this has to come from the top: Microsoft’s culture needs to change to reward and value “finishing the job” as highly as doing something new and exciting. For all the good vibes that Nadella has brought to Microsoft, this is the one thing he has not changed. It is his biggest shortcoming, and his worst defeat.

So I’d set out to change the culture. No small feat, I’m sure.

Windows Mail is terrible

SherlockHolmes asks:

Paul, is there any new development regarding tha Windows 10 Mail App to get the opportunity to change the default font permanently? I would be grateful if you could ask Dona Sakar or someone else. Its so strange that this feature isnt there yet.

This will require two things: People to complain about it via the Feedback Hub and Microsoft finally doing the right thing with the data it collects via the Feedback Hub. What’s most astonishing about this, to me, is that Microsoft internally believes that its Windows 10 Mail app is the shining star of the UWP world and a model for other apps to follow. But I believe it to be everything that is wrong with UWP, because all it does is highlight the immaturity of this platform. For the reason you cite, and for many others.

Thurrott Now

madthinus asks:

Any update on ThurrottNow?

No, not really. This did come up in a recent meeting, and the net result, as usual, is that it’s something I’d like to get rid of, but roughly 50 percent of people who use it really like it and would prefer for it not to change.

We have a lot of bigger projects that we’re just getting through, especially on Petri, and then some other things we’re working on here on Thurrott (like changing the article categories internally, something that won’t impact readers per se), but it’s still in the queue. Just not a high priority.

Documentary

jchampeau asks:

What’s the name of the documentary being filmed at your home this weekend?

I mentioned yesterday on First Ring Daily that 14 people were coming to my house on Saturday and Sunday as part of a documentary crew who will be filming interviews, mostly with my son and my wife. The documentary is about the need to be vaccinated: My son almost died when he was one year old and became deaf as a result of bacterial meningitis. This wouldn’t have happened had he been vaccinated, but that vaccine wasn’t approved until a year later. The good news: Kids born in 1999 or later have all been vaccinated for this. Unless their parents are reckless idiots.

I’m not sure what the name is, but it’s been in the works for years, and I will post something about it when it’s available or when I know more.

Audible picks

helix2301 asks:

I am a huge Audible fan as well just curious what you have been reading.

Since writing Reading List: Favorite Audiobooks of 2018, So Far, I’ve listened to (and can recommend) Runnin’ with the Devil: A Backstage Pass to the Wild Times, Loud Rock, and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen, Cell: A Novel, and a series of short books called History in an Hour; I actually bought every book in that series and have listened to at least half of them so far.

Audible also has a newish perk for members called Audible Originals, where you get two more free short audiobooks each month. If you do subscribe, be sure to grab those each month. This month, I picked Lullaby, which was OK, and Hi Bob, by Bob Newhart, which was pretty great.

I’ll do another audiobook wrap-up at the end of the year.

Resurrect Windows Mobile?

Daekar asks:

I saw an article this week (on ZDNet, I think) calling for Microsoft to resurrect Windows Mobile. I was surprised to see it, because I feel like it’s way too early for such move – if they ever make it. Do you agree? Given how much dissatisfaction there is with Apple and Google of late, do you think that there ever will be room for a third player, or are we stuck with The Rule of Two forever?

Yep, that was from Jason Perlow, a former Microsoft employee. And no offense to Jason, but it was the dumbest thing I’d read in a long time. Amazon’s experience with its App Store has proven how hard/impossible it would be to use an existing platform (Android) with your own store. But your own platform? No.

Cables, adapters, and chargers, oh my

drjohnnyray asks:

As somebody who travels with a lot of gadgets, what are your recommendations for storing all your cables, adapters, and chargers? So far, I’ve used a gallon zip-lock bag, but I’m looking for a better solution.

I use a bag that has some internal pockets for the items I want to carry with me, and then I use a gadget bag (which you can see in this post) for cables, adapters, and chargers that I will put in my carry-on luggage. The gadget bag came with a piece of luggage I bought years ago and have since stopped using, but it still does the job.

I agree that a zip-lock bag isn’t enough for regular use, though I do use those for international adapters and other items I don’t travel with at all or regularly.

Software quality

johnlavey asks:

I have two questions, please.

We have recently witnessed a major Microsoft software flaw in the reported data loss connected to Windows 10 version 1809. Following that debacle, a second flaw was found in the follow-up issue. Are these flaws typical of all software developers and are we focusing on Microsoft because “Thurrott” is essentially a Microsoft-centric blog? Or is Microsoft atypical of the software developer industry and oblivious and unable to resolve these software issues? Does Microsoft classify such issues as top priority?

Also. You referenced the ‘ineffectual Insiders Program’. Is the Insiders Program truly ineffective and if so should Microsoft abandon the Insiders Program, or if not, is there anything that can be done to salvage the Insiders Program to make it worthwhile?

While I do write about Apple, Google, and other companies, I do focus more on Microsoft for sure. This is partly because of my 25-year history with the company and in part because I still feel that they are “better” in key ways than other firms. This was the subject of my Integrity post.

But when it comes to software quality, it’s not just Microsoft. I’ve been meaning to write to that topic, but I brought it up on this week’s Windows Weekly when I noted the issues Google is having with the Pixel 3 XL and the problems Apple is having with the iPhone XS selfie camera. We seem to be living in an age where software is shipped and then fixed and not the reverse. And I don’t accept that these platforms being more complex than in the past is an excuse.

I also likened the Insider Program to McDonald’s on this week’s show, in that it was created to address problems, not cause problems, but that over time it was shown to be a net negative, not a net positive. (I wasn’t joking.) The issues are two-fold. First, the Insider program gives too much of a voice to nerdy enthusiasts when it comes to new features and zero voice to the 99 percent of users out there who would never participate in such a program. Second, Microsoft seems unable to take the feedback it does get to improve the product from a reliability/fit and finish perspective. Again, because of culture (see above).

Nothing will ever be fixed unless we as a community can communicate to and convince Microsoft that quality matters most of all. I try to do my part with that. But when you complain too much, as I can, it just becomes a broken record.

Night Sight

dcdevito asks:

If the leaked Pixel Camera’s new feature Night Sight is as good as it seems to be, would that push you over the edge and keep the Pixel 3 XL (or Pixel 2 XL)?

No, the existing low-light functionality in the Pixel 2 XL/3 XL is already excellent. I do go back and forth on this, of course. But just yesterday, audio playback stopped when I took a photo and then, later in the day, I lost a photo too. This phone is infuriating. It is more likely that I’d stick with the 2 XL than go to the 3 XL at this point.

Fixing Star Wars

StevenLayton asks:

If you worked for Disney, how would you finish (and redeem?) the new Star Wars Trilogy?

Honestly, the biggest mistake they’ve made so far is not changing the last movie in post so that it was Princess Leia, and not Vice Admiral Holdo, that launched the suicidal attack on the Star Destroyer. I feel that it would have been relatively easy to change, and would have made sense. Now, with Carrier Fisher gone, they’re stuck.

I’m curious how they fix this now. I have no good ideas.

Focused inbox for Mac

scj123 asks:

Do you know if Microsoft have any plans to bring focused inbox to Outlook for Mac, it seems to be the only platform that hasn’t got this feature yet.

I’m surprised that’s not there already. I assume it will be, but I will ask.

Digital wellbeing on Windows 10?

CoreyP asks:

With Google and Apple pushing for their Digital Wellbeing and Screen Time for helping people to manage their time spent on devices, do you think Microsoft will incorporate a similar feature into Windows 10?

No. Windows 10 already has a few basic things like Night light and Focus assist. But people don’t use PCs as obsessively or frequently as they do mobile phones. So I don’t really see the need for this effort.

Project Fi on other phones

simont asks:

Have you tried using your Project Fi SIM in a non-Fi approved phone? From what I read online, once the SIM is activated, you only loose the ability to switch between networks (Locked to T-Mobile) and MMS doesn’t work.

Funny you should ask, as I was just thinking about this.

So, no, I haven’t. I have used a Project Fi data SIM in other phones, which works great. But I will test this with the Galaxy S9+ this week. If I keep my Pixel 2 XL around which I would if I went with the Samsung, I suppose I could keep Project Fi if this does work.

More soon.

PWAs in Bing Search

Brendan_Hallett asks:

Its been well over a year since msft announced they would be using the Bing search engine to pull pwa’s into the store automatically. But currently this has resulted in only a handful of pwa’s in the store. Have you heard any info about when this is going to happen in larger numbers?

This is still in the works. To put this in perspective, Google likewise said that they would put PWAs in the Google Play Store, and that hasn’t happened yet either. I suspect that, over time, the ways in which Android/Chrome and Windows 10 support PWAs will be very similar if not identical. Plus in this case, it requires a new Windows 10 version, so the next possible time would be Spring 2019.

I expected PWAs to land in Windows 10 much more quickly than they have. I can’t really explain why this hasn’t happened.

Sleeping with the enemy

AnOldAmigaUser asks:

Are you going to update your “Sleeping with the Enemy” series for iOS and Android any time soon?

I was just thinking about this with regards to PWAs (see above) and Google, actually. As I wrote in [Are the Stars Aligning for Microsoft + Google?](Are the Stars Aligning for Microsoft + Google? (Premium)) (Premium), it’s possible that Terry Myerson leaving Microsoft could result in improved relations between that firm and Google. And that Google’s growing library of PWAs could come to the Microsoft Store on Windows 10. That would be an ideal “Sleeping with the Enemy” post.

But with regards to the series, it’s not so much a regular thing as something that comes up as unexpected partnerships occur. Amazon Alexa + Cortana, for example.