Interesting Microsoft video

[blizz]

ftp://ftp.research.microsoft.com/pub/datelens/datelens-video-web-server.wmv

http://research.microsoft.com/news/monthlyfeature/datelens.aspx

the above is a nice little video demonstrating DateLens, which is a sweet calendar tool made by the VIBE group at Microsoft Research and Ben Bederson's group at the University of Maryland.

interestingly when the demonstrator resizes the calendar he reveals he has iTunes, Opera, Ws_ftp and Firebird on his desktop

 

[Trotterwatch]

Wouldn't it be in their interests in a research group to also research the opposition?

 

[Davemc]

Yeah, that is what I was thinking too.

 

[pj64er]

And you guys think that Microsoft, in its infinite wealth, would only have 1 PC to do research with?

err, if that was hard to understand, if those were for research purposes, would MS be 'researching' 4 different opposition's programs AND show off their new tech in the SAME computer?

 

[Trotterwatch]

And you guys think that Microsoft, in its infinite wealth, would only have 1 PC to do research with?

And that has what to do with anything? This could either be:

Embarrassing
or
It shows that Microsoft actively use/investigate oppositions products

Nothing major IMO

Besides Microsoft apparently do not ban use of competitors products in some of their offices, though they do apparently discourage it whenever possible.

 

[pj64er]

Besides Microsoft apparently do not ban use of competitors products in some of their offices, though they do apparently discourage it whenever possible.

Thats what I'm thinking. Not everyone at a mercedes-benz factory leaves work with a kick ass car.

 

[blizz]

I thought it was quite interesting really, especially from an advertising point of view.

of course you'd expect them to be looking at their competitors software

 

[Clements]

Lets hope they can learn from Mozilla and implement proper PNG support in IE next time.

 

[sheik124]

Lets hope they can learn from Mozilla and implement proper PNG support in IE next time.

agreed

 

[vampireuk]

Thats what I'm thinking. Not everyone at a mercedes-benz factory leaves work with a kick ass car.

Thats kind of a bad analogy, if I left a MS office with internet explorer I would cry

 

[Davemc]

I'm using IE now, it's only taken about 3 minutes to load this page anyway.

 

[vampireuk]

A record for IE