Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Enterprise, Software, Developer
Microsoft Mac BU gets a new GM
The Macintosh Business Unit of Microsoft, that company we love to hate, has announced that a new General Manager has taken over the group. Craig Eisler, the former Mac BU big cheese, has moved onwards and upwards into the bowels of the Redmond-based software giant in a position with the Entertainment & Devices division. His new replacement is Eric Wilfrid, a 14-year veteran of the company who has been with the Mac BU since it was organized in 1997. Wilfred started with Microsoft in 1994, working on the Mac version of PowerPoint. He was also involved in all five releases of Office for Mac, the Mac versions of Internet Explorer and MSN, and Virtual PC.
Wilfred announced the change in a post to the Mac BU blog today. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping that Wilfred takes the Macintosh development team in a new direction -- preferably away from Steve Ballmer's recent comments about Mac users not getting "the full version" of Office.
If you had one thing to tell Mr. Wilfred as he takes over the helm of the Mac BU, what would it be? Leave us a comment!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jason said 8:07AM on 11-01-2008
Get those significant Entourage updates done fast for full (or nearly full) parity with Outlook!
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Andrew T. said 11:35PM on 11-01-2008
Tell me about it, work for Apple tech. support and get people calling all the time wondering why Entourage sucks and why it couldn't be like it's Windows counterpart.
Jorg said 7:51PM on 11-02-2008
The Windows counterpart sucks just as bad!
mentalsticks said 8:59AM on 11-01-2008
"I don't know about you, but I'm hoping that Wilfred takes the Macintosh development team in a new direction -- preferably away from Steve Ballmer's recent comments about Mac users not getting "the full version" of Office."
You know what? I'm pretty sure he *will* go ahead and ignore Steve Ballmer's direct orders and the existing policies of the $198B Microsoft Corporation to increase the Mac's marketability at the expense of Window's market share. I really am.
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quandmeme said 12:42PM on 11-03-2008
Apple has iTunes for Windows so it can sell iPods, but hasn't extended iWork, or iLife (outside Mobile Me) and we're not whining. We all know that Microsoft would do better in the midterm if if castrated Mac Office and let all the serious Office development take place on the Windows side. If no IT department can make an argument that Macs are good in the corporate network because of interoperability problems and lack of comparable software, Windows and Office will continue to make money of Microsoft.
It would be shortsighted to make Mac Office great or even equal!
Alex said 9:06AM on 11-01-2008
I'd ask that the next mnt. release:
Interoperate with external icals (google calendar)
I'd ask that the next official release:
Not get all chrome happy. I find entourage to be a better email client than mail, but I can't use it because it takes up so much of my screen trying to be shiny purple.
Then I'd ask him to please find one of the more political savvy Microsofties, do whatever it takes to get them into the MacBU and pay them to be the "compatibility guru" for file formats both for Mac Office and for 3rd party ISVs that want/need greater compatibility with microsoft standards.
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Daniel said 9:14AM on 11-01-2008
What about a decent version of MSN Messenger? One with webcam, shared folders and maybe display images that actually load...
I know that people will tell me that there are other (better) ways to IM, but the fact is that every single person here in Brazil uses MSN, and the main purpose of an IM client is to chat with other people, so you get the picture...
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Gus Jenkins said 9:19AM on 11-01-2008
Don't Eat The Yellow Snow
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Doug McIntosh said 8:27PM on 11-01-2008
Boop-boop diddy ooh eye-yahhhh...
hihosilver said 10:25AM on 11-01-2008
Fix Entourage - parity with outlook
combine updates for office 2008... this should be easy!
vba
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THJ said 10:38AM on 11-01-2008
Test out the Snow Leopard betas and help Apple with the AD/Exchange infrastructure stuff.
Be the guy that brought Apple to the enterprise.
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Mike said 10:52AM on 11-01-2008
Please give Entourage parity with Outlook, and give OWA parity across browsers.
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john said 11:29AM on 11-01-2008
In addition to what was already said:
- Fix the Entourage database to make it Time Machine friendly.
- Optimize application startup times.
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Flunky Carter said 12:12PM on 11-01-2008
discontinue it.
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iomatic said 12:50PM on 11-01-2008
Discontinue Flunky Carter.
Flunky Carter said 12:52PM on 11-01-2008
DISCONTINUE YOUR FAYSE.
ConsultDifferent said 1:31PM on 11-03-2008
Well said!
Denton said 12:59PM on 11-01-2008
Fix Office 2008 so that it works with Spaces.
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oligore said 11:17PM on 11-01-2008
I tried it with spaces and I would get background of a palette in one space and the buttons on another. I once even got the cursor on one space and the page on another.
iomatic said 12:50PM on 11-01-2008
EXCHANGE TASKS NOW! *hint: Enterprise users
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