My “short” story on how Microsoft has made an impact on my life

It hasn’t.

Let’s go back to 2005. My dad got me a computer, running, then latest Windows XP. The period hence till 2011, I was doing all my “good deeds” on different Windows computers I’ve had.

Of course, they got the work done but were never exciting. What’s exciting? The appeal of using a human marvel; a machine that can fuckin’ do anything. Yes. Windows never had that.

In 2011, on good advises, I made my switch to Macintosh. No, I ain’t be talking like a Lannister for the rest of this short story but after switching to a Mac, I realized what I’ve been missing all these six years. The visual appeal, the openness, the fact that this heavy lil’ unibody aluminium-made machine is what human marvel was all about.

Windows, now, felt like something that could make an old man feel good about machines and the 21st century. What I think of Windows is rather respectful than intended insulting. Windows, for me, is like an iron press, heated on coal, being used for centuries to iron our fabric. It is a good piece of technology, that isn’t original (ahem!) and has been advanced a million times through time. But, it still is the same thing. Almost like a cyborg arm but, the left one.

Let’s enlist some Microsoft products which has changed lives of many. The Office; this mighty software has ruled the section for so long that not many people realize there are other and better products to do those excel-sheet or open that document. Heard of Google Docs? Right.

Microsoft Exchange server for enterprise emails. They fucked up the whole thing. They really did.

MS Paint? Are we really going to argue over this? The most used bundled software on Windows platform has to be the Paint. What was meant to be a canvas for your child to scribble, turned into the poor man’s photo editor. Such sadness.

But Windows XP, with all mighty memories I can recall, was crazily awesome. This was the good old iron press. Then came the Vista and we all know how it ended. Windows 7 was fine. Windows 8 is tedious.

“Tedious? But I think its the best Windows ever!!! Have you seen the unified search bar in it???” Yes, I have, sort of. But have you heard of Spotlight search and things it can do?

“Tiles are so beautiful. That’s aesthetic design. I love Windows.” Yeah, right. That’s why you need that Start menu back so desperately in upcoming Windows update.

Anyways, this is a parody post to all those “Tell your Story” participants in my timeline on social networks, who were too busy sharing their Windows story to be a MSA that they committed some dreadful sins. Sins like calling it “the best operating system” and “Bill Gates is my idol” or perhaps using the words design and Microsoft in the same sentence.

So how impacting has Microsoft and Windows been on my life? Sure, they were for an introduction to machines but not much. I belief things would have been so better for me, as a designer and a tech evangelist, if I hadn’t wasted six years on a Windows.

Hail, the big brother.