Yeah, oftentimes the defaults are poor choices, but that doesn't mean IMHO
that one should adopt a resigned attitude that takes such folly as
acceptable. Part of my reason for the long diatribe after the basic
question is: I assume at least *somebody* at Microsoft is reading these
posts, and there is a chance that these comments might filter back to the
programmers.

OTOH, if Microsoft has a "brick-wall" policy between customer service and
the S/W devs, they are doing themselves a major disservice and probably
somewhat reducing their market. Good product design of necessity requires
not just company-solicited feedback but also daily feedback from customers
using the product. Any company wishing to improve their sales should look
at the feedback of customers in the field and ask whether changes are
warranted in view of what people are saying.

....

However, just because you have a powerful industry position doesn't mean
you have any need to assert this status by deliberately choosing options
that counteract the common wisdom. Indeed, if one does such, it tends to
suggest a lack of confidence in one's own position of strength. I don't
really think Microsoft has anything to fear wrt to competitors sucking up
their market any time soon.

As I posted elsewhere recently, I don't think the programmers at Microsoft
really use their own software in day to day activities, and they don't have
a true feel for how the users really use it and for what the users really
need/want. They have scads of usability data and such, but I think a lot of
that is self selected, meaning it's sent in by the people who don't know
it's there or how to turn it off. And I sometimes have alternative
explanations for observed trends.

I'm basically happy providing workarounds and embellishments so people get
what they want from the software on their boxes.

- Jon
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Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com
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