Panos Panay Appoints New Lead for Windows Insider Program

Microsoft announced today that Panos Panay has appointed Amanda Langowski as the new lead for the Windows Insider Program.

“It’s clear we need the right person to lead this powerful community into the next era, which is why I’m excited to announce Amanda Langowski as the new lead for the Windows Insider Program,” Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay announced. “Amanda’s passion for Windows is evident in her 20-year career at Microsoft, which began with coordinating beta programs for Windows.”

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The Windows Insider Program has been essentially leaderless since Dona Sarkar stepped down in October. But Ms. Sarkar told me late last year that she was continuing her relationship with the team on the side and that it had the right people in place to continue forward.

Today’s new appointment suggests that Panay, who recently picked up the leadership of Windows after threatening to bolt to Apple, isn’t so sure about that.

“Amanda will … drive the Windows Insider Program forward by enhancing our communication with legacy Insiders and growing the diversity of our community to ensure more customers are reflected in the products we’re building together,” Panay notes, seemingly referring to the communications issues that have dogged the Insider program for years. “I’m also looking forward to working hand in hand with Amanda to realize this vision for the future of the Windows Insider Program.”

Interesting.

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Conversation 14 comments

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    23 March, 2020 - 1:48 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Amanda will … drive the Windows Insider Program forward by enhancing our communication with legacy Insiders and growing the diversity of our community to ensure more customers are reflected in the products we’re building together,” Panay notes,"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="ql-cursor"></span></span>Yeah, that worked since 2015 so well. </p>

  • red77star

    23 March, 2020 - 2:16 pm

    <p>The right solution would be to completely close the windows insider program, re hire QA and actually test Windows on real PC machines and not virtual machines. Windows 10 is a shitty product but time works for MS. meaning people will have to eventually move to Windows 10 if they want to stay on Windows platform.</p>

    • ncn

      23 March, 2020 - 3:17 pm

      <p>My take on that is a bit more nuanced. Yes, I agree that QC needs to be reinvigorated internally. But the insider program should be viewed as validating <em>direction</em>; not the software itself. Yes, I expect bug reports…but even now I don't think MS actually depends on the insider program for those. The bugs they fix do seem to come from internal testing…by their nature they seem unlikely to have been stumbled on by insiders. I'm holding out hope that the 10X project will simplify the system somewhat so as to make it easier to modify correctly.</p>

      • SvenJ

        23 March, 2020 - 3:41 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#533287"><em>In reply to ncn:</em></a><em> </em>I think you'd be surprised at how many bugs are found and reported by Insiders via the Feedback app. Even more so by the number that are still shipped after having been reported for months and years in the Feedback app. </blockquote><p><br></p>

        • Paul Thurrott

          Premium Member
          24 March, 2020 - 9:07 am

          Months and years are the important parts of what you wrote that we should be surprised by here. 🙂

  • christian.hvid

    23 March, 2020 - 2:34 pm

    <p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;“I’m also looking forward to working hand in hand with Amanda&nbsp;…"</em></p><p><br></p><p>We desperately need some new metaphors this year.</p>

  • madthinus

    Premium Member
    23 March, 2020 - 4:45 pm

    <p>I like the term legacy insiders? What does that even mean. I think what he is trying to address is the fact that the insider program is not representative of the broader Windows customer base, i.e. Businesses </p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      24 March, 2020 - 9:05 am

      I think you’re on to something.

  • professorwhiskey

    Premium Member
    24 March, 2020 - 2:59 am

    <p>Perhaps "legacy insiders" should be "longtime Insiders"? Or maybe we get put out to pasture to yon "Skip-Ahead Legacy Ring version 2004." Jeez.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      24 March, 2020 - 9:02 am

      I’m over-analyzing this, I know. But “legacy” is one of a few keywords he used that I think are purposeful in that post.

      Microsoft refers to Windows as “legacy,” meaning not new, interesting, or forward-leaning.

      • professorwhiskey

        Premium Member
        25 March, 2020 - 2:06 am

        <blockquote><a href="#533416"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>That wasn't a shot at you, Paul. I knew what he meant, I was just being an asshole who copes with jokes.</p>

        • Paul Thurrott

          Premium Member
          25 March, 2020 - 8:31 am

          Gotcha, thanks. 🙂

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    24 March, 2020 - 5:04 am

    <p>I dont get it why some are so excited a guy from Microsoft uses some <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">metaphors&nbsp;on a marketing post? It really doesnt mean anything at all. Its just blahblahblah. </span></p>

  • longhorn

    24 March, 2020 - 9:52 am

    <p>“I’m also looking forward to working hand in hand with Amanda to realize this vision for the future of the Windows Insider Program.”</p><p><br></p><p>So what about the VIRUS? It's not like he is just using some random words and metaphors. Also, thanks to all the Windows Insiders, you are now legacy. Is he trying to mock people?</p><p><br></p>

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