What’s most remarkable to me about Windows XP Media Center Edition is how quickly it has developed a high-quality user community. You’ve got independent sites with busy forums (The Green Button and xpMCE.com). You’ve got Media Center MVPs like Peter Near and Chris Lanier, to name just two. And then there are enthusiasts who work at Microsoft and have their own blogs that focus on Media Center issues.
This week, Thomas Hawk interviews Microsoft’s Media Center Bloggers – Charlie Owen, Matt Goyer, and Sean Alexander. In part 1, Matt Goyer has a good summary of what’s missing from Media Center today:
One, we need to take our HDTV support to the next level.
Two, we need to keep our user interface simple and clean while adding more functionality and features.
Three, we need to create buzz around our product. Media Center awareness is way low.
A bit later in the interview, Sean describes the ultimate test of a new consumer electronics device, using a technical term I predict you’ll never, ever find in any official Microsoft marketing copy:
…there’s something what we call internally here at Microsoft the “SAF”- Spousal Acceptance Factor. It’s a very important informal metric we use internally just like the “eating our own dogfood” metric where we take builds home to test in addition to formal betas and usability testing.
In general I’ve noticed that my wife’s friends really gravitate towards the photo and home video features in Media Center whereas the guys seem to just want to grab the remote are into the TV and Music aspects.
I’ve found in either case after a few minutes of just letting people use the remote and get comfortable, Media Center sells itself. Our challenge is getting people to take the test drive.
I can’t wait to read the next three installments. Oh, and if you’re wondering what Media Center is all about, watch the two-part video from Microsoft’s Channel 9 (that’s Robert Scoble asking the questions).
Ed Bott 