Comments on: Microsoft boss on the BlackBerry http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/microsoft-boss-on-the-blackberry/ The voice of the BlackBerry community. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:37:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: C. Waters http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/microsoft-boss-on-the-blackberry/comment-page-1/#comment-60695 C. Waters Sun, 10 Dec 2006 00:12:38 +0000 http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/002926/#comment-60695 Silly me, I thought most people got BlackBerrys because of the phenominal, dependable e-mail service they provide. Silly me, I thought most people got BlackBerrys because of the phenominal, dependable e-mail service they provide.

]]> By: L. M. Lloyd http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/microsoft-boss-on-the-blackberry/comment-page-1/#comment-60546 L. M. Lloyd Fri, 08 Dec 2006 23:28:44 +0000 http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/002926/#comment-60546 I hate Windows Mobile, but in a way he is kind of right. The one thing Microsoft is really good at, happens to be the one thing RIM is really bad at, and that is encouraging development for their platform. If you look at the available software for the Nokia, MS, and Palm platforms, then look at the available software for the RIM platform, it becomes pretty obvious that RIM just isn't really in the same game as any of those other companies, at least not yet. Sure, the BB does what it does brilliantly, but it just isn't as flexible, or widely supported, a platform as Symbian, Palm, or MS. A large part of this has nothing to do with the capabilities of the device or OS, but rather with the development model. Both Nokia and MS (in their own very different ways) support third party development on their platform, and to differing extents try to keep the platform pretty open. Palm of course used to be really good about this as well, but they have been so confused and stalled out as of late that who can tell what they are doing now. RIM, on the other hand, seems to make it as hard as possible to develop for their platform, and actively avoids open standards, preferring to keep everything locked to their server software. RIM is getting better, but they still have a long way to go before they are really offering an open platform like Nokia, MS, or Palm. At the moment, they are really selling a device, a service, and some software, not a platform. I suspect that as RIM pushes more and more into the consumer market they are going to have to change that, but it is my impression that is not only going to require technological changes, but a change in their corporate culture as well. I hate Windows Mobile, but in a way he is kind of right. The one thing Microsoft is really good at, happens to be the one thing RIM is really bad at, and that is encouraging development for their platform. If you look at the available software for the Nokia, MS, and Palm platforms, then look at the available software for the RIM platform, it becomes pretty obvious that RIM just isn’t really in the same game as any of those other companies, at least not yet.

Sure, the BB does what it does brilliantly, but it just isn’t as flexible, or widely supported, a platform as Symbian, Palm, or MS. A large part of this has nothing to do with the capabilities of the device or OS, but rather with the development model. Both Nokia and MS (in their own very different ways) support third party development on their platform, and to differing extents try to keep the platform pretty open. Palm of course used to be really good about this as well, but they have been so confused and stalled out as of late that who can tell what they are doing now. RIM, on the other hand, seems to make it as hard as possible to develop for their platform, and actively avoids open standards, preferring to keep everything locked to their server software.

RIM is getting better, but they still have a long way to go before they are really offering an open platform like Nokia, MS, or Palm. At the moment, they are really selling a device, a service, and some software, not a platform. I suspect that as RIM pushes more and more into the consumer market they are going to have to change that, but it is my impression that is not only going to require technological changes, but a change in their corporate culture as well.

]]> By: Charlie Wood http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/microsoft-boss-on-the-blackberry/comment-page-1/#comment-60481 Charlie Wood Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:39:55 +0000 http://www.blackberrycool.com/2006/12/08/002926/#comment-60481 Uh, that would be Steve Ballmer. Uh, that would be Steve Ballmer.

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