Why splitting the Windows UI into consumer and business versions is a bad idea

Windows Vista is dead, long live Windows 7!

That was the sentiment back at CES 2009, when Microsoft pulled the wraps off of a new and improved Windows (in beta form).  And while Windows 7 looks to fix most, if not all, of the shortcomings of Windows Vista, one important topic of discussion persists, and that is whether to split up the Windows OS UI based on target markets.

“What the hell does that mean,” you may ask?  “Enough with the business speak, already.”  What that means is that there are proponents of the idea that Microsoft differentiate Windows not by a certain feature set but rather by the user interface.  This has been a long-standing topic, with roots going all the way back to July 2008 when Paul Thurrott brought up his support of the idea on Windows Weekly episode 67.

But I haven’t even told you what the hell I’m talking about:

Specifically, the proponents of this idea suggest that Microsoft should ship two major versions of Windows: one for home use and one for business use.  Doesn’t that already exist today?  Yes – with Vista Home Premium and Vista Business.  But the supporters of this idea go even further: they suggest that Windows should be differentiated not by its feature set, but the two major versions of Windows should be distinguished by completely different user interfaces.

The idea is that businesses would be able to hang on to an old and trusted OS + interface (think XP).  This will give Microsoft the freedom to innovate on the consumer side of the OS and make radical improvements (and changes) to the UI – something businesses don’t welcome with open arms (think Office 2007 vs. 2003).  Makes good sense, right?

Wrong.  I think it’s a horrible idea.  Here are four reasons why:

1. Simplicity

Ever heard of the acronym KISS?  It stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”  Having seven different versions of Windows is bad enough: Microsoft confuses most non-geeks about which version they should go with.  And when one version doesn’t have the features that the consumer wants (think Windows Media Center’s absence in Vista Business) and the consumer already made a purchase in a confused state, it creates customer dissatisfaction.  The “confused state” comes from the top down – from Microsoft.
Add to that the possibility of there being not only different versions of Windows with different features, but entirely different user interfaces, and consumer confusion increases dramatically.  Especially compared to Microsoft’s biggest rival:

2. Apple

The fruity company is set on making its entire product portfolio dead simple, using the continuity of use approach: where the product with the least amount of features carries the user seamlessly to the next product “up” as the user’s usage needs increase (think iPod nano to iPod Classic to iPod Touch).  More importantly, Apple does very well in making one OS with one SKU.  It’s very simple to pick an OS when one option is available.  Apple has one OS that serves everyone from creative professionals to business executives and from engineers to ten year-old children.  And finally – Apple has one UI that fits everybody’s needs – it’s flexible, intuitive, and beautiful.  Why can’t Microsoft do the same with one version of Windows?

3. Businesses don’t want to change?

As I have already mentioned – some think it’s a good idea to split up the UIs of Windows: one UI targeted at business users – for the people who don’t want their computers to change – and the other being made exclusively for consumers – the people who want a fun and cutting edge.  Am I the only person who sees something wrong with this way of thinking?  Businesses don’t want their computers to change?  Said in another way: businesses are averse to learning new things and adapting to change.
If that’s how a business is run and how employees of that business see the world, then that business deserves to be left behind, in the dust, and out of business.  Businesses need to understand that as a people – we progress; we move forward – operating systems and user interfaces included.  And whether they like it or not, this will continue to be the case.  So my question is this: who wants to do business with an organization that is afraid of moving forward?  Nay, who wants to do business with an organization that is dragging its heels in the face of progress?  I know I don’t.
I realize that new user interface and new software call for employee retraining and workshops – which can result in higher costs.  I also realize that certain software needs to be upgraded or made compatible with the new OS.  None of those reasons is good-enough as to why organizations should object to new technology.  Who says that the new software will not create an environment in which users are more productive, more creative and/or more happy than they were with the old software?
Sum-up: a business that has an aversion to any new technology (for whatever reason) will be the business that is left in the dust by that same technology to which it was aversive.

4. Innovations should be available to everyone

This one rides off the coattails of #3: when an innovation is made, it should be available to everybody.  That’s the power of innovation: everyone can benefit from it.  In this light, nobody should be denied to benefit from an innovation.
This is especially relevant to IT managers in large organizations who are proponents of forking the Windows UI into a version that they know and into a consumer version with all the “new stuff” that they don’t: by doing so, the employees of such organizations would not have the benefit of using the newest innovation.
Think of it this way: Henry Ford releases the Model A in 1903.  Everybody except D&G Inc. is delighted and sees how beneficial the car can be for them.  D&G Inc. is a taxi company that decides against buying the Model A because its employees would have to learn to operate this new confabulation of a machine called the car.  Instead, D&G Inc. will stick to the traditional, reliable, and proven method of transporation: the horse-and-buggy.  In this case, IT managers are D&G Inc. while the consumers are the people purchasing the Model A.
This gets especially bad when IT managers make the decision for their users: as is often the case, IT management is out of touch with the regular employee.  Making a decision not to upgrade to the new and improved software (in our case – pushing Microsoft into selling them the traditional, reliable, and proven OS by the name of Windows XP in the year 2009) makes for not even allowing their employees to try out the new software: what if the employees would have grown a liking to it and become more productive with it?
Sum-up: IT managers shouldn’t limit their employees when it comes to making innovations available to them.  More specifically: let employees try out new, innovative software and make the decision for themselves whether it will make them better (more productive, more efficient, more effective, etc.) at what they do.  IT management should not limit the employee by making the decision for what the employee should be using.  Each employee is different and some would be more productive using the newer version of the software.

Those are the four top reasons (a nice round number) that explain why forking the user interface of Windows into completely different business and consumer versions is not only unnecessary, but is an entirely moronic idea.  Some would argue that none of the above reasons matter and the only thing that really matters is serving the customer and his needs.  While that makes for a great concept on the surface, the customer doesn’t know what they need when it comes to technology.
Want an example?  I got one – iPhone.  Not many customers knew that it was possible to create something like the iPhone.  If the customer didn’t now it was possible, then it would be impossible for him to know what he wants.  Simple.

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Posted in Apple, Business, Decisions, Marketing, Microsoft, Operating Systems