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Ford and Microsoft team up again


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I dunno, the Microsoft partnership with MyTouch may have damaged Ford more than did the Navistar PowerStroke Diesel, the Firestone 500, and Firestone ATX/Explorer OEM tire partnerships combined. Millenials appear to be beyond being done with Microsoft.

 

Well somebody is buying Microsoft surfaces, so they're not completely done yet....

Edited by probowler
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See this is the danger with industry prediction and trend followings.

Just last year the car industry was dead and milenials were bike ridin and ride sharing their way to Starbucks.

 

Now that gas prices are low, all of a sudden they want SUVs again?

These kids are idiots.

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Problem is, too many people think it was MS because their logo is on the car. Reality is, the MS pieces were solid, what was built upon it (by BSquare as you mention) was crap!

 

MyFordTouch is based on a Microsoft OS and application development platform, Windows Embedded Automotive. So to the consumer, it is Microsoft.

 

QNX, VxWorks, and various flavors of embedded Linux can be described as "solid". Windows Embedded Automotive cannot. In any case, blaming the system integrators and application developers for Microsoft's deficiencies doesn't make sense.

 

It's no wonder that nearly all automakers who once used the Microsoft platform for in-vehicle infotainment systems have dumped it. BMW's iDrive went to VxWorks in the 'CCC' generation and to QNX with the 'CIC' generation; Kia migrated to Android for UVO; Ford chose QNX for its MyFordTouch successor. It seems Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is the sole holdout (Blue & Me, Uconnect 5.0, UConnect 6.5).

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The problems were not with the Microsoft OS. Sync was rock solid before MFT. The problem was bad application code as evidenced by version 3.6 which has been extremely stable. The only people still having problems have faulty hardware.

 

As much as I prefer Linux to Windows, Windows embedded automotive wasn't the cause of MFT's problems.

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MyFordTouch is based on a Microsoft OS and application development platform, Windows Embedded Automotive. So to the consumer, it is Microsoft.

 

QNX, VxWorks, and various flavors of embedded Linux can be described as "solid". Windows Embedded Automotive cannot. In any case, blaming the system integrators and application developers for Microsoft's deficiencies doesn't make sense.

 

It's no wonder that nearly all automakers who once used the Microsoft platform for in-vehicle infotainment systems have dumped it. BMW's iDrive went to VxWorks in the 'CCC' generation and to QNX with the 'CIC' generation; Kia migrated to Android for UVO; Ford chose QNX for its MyFordTouch successor. It seems Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is the sole holdout (Blue & Me, Uconnect 5.0, UConnect 6.5).

 

So, let's say you use a web site built upon a Linux platform. That web site sucks, runs extremely slow, and has all kinds of errors. Just exactly whose fault would that be? The providers of the Linux software?

 

No, didn't think so. Same goes for MFT.

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I mentioned that same information on Ford's popularity with millenials a week or so ago in a post here. That doesn't mean Microsoft gets the same score or isn't even dampening the enthusiasm some with this age group. The role of millenials in the ascension of Apple and Samsung can't be denied. Most of this generation that I know buy a Windows product only if they can't afford an IOS equivalent, and then they are a little discrete and sheepish about having done so. All sorts of tech is in their conversations, but rarely Microsoft. They barely even bother to tell Microsoft jokes anymore. I'm not in this generation, but I will never buy another Windows PC. I'm done with the overhead and hassles those require. I do like our XBox Kinect a lot, however.

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I mentioned that same information on Ford's popularity with millenials a week or so ago in a post here.

 

Ford leads all brands among millennials in consideration, and yet you think that their credibility with millennials was damaged by partnering with Microsoft.

 

Where is your evidence? Not your inference, based on the popularity of some unrelated device, but actual evidence that Ford's brand has been damaged.

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MyFordTouch is based on a Microsoft OS and application development platform, Windows Embedded Automotive. So to the consumer, it is Microsoft.

 

QNX, VxWorks, and various flavors of embedded Linux can be described as "solid". Windows Embedded Automotive cannot. In any case, blaming the system integrators and application developers for Microsoft's deficiencies doesn't make sense.

 

It's no wonder that nearly all automakers who once used the Microsoft platform for in-vehicle infotainment systems have dumped it. BMW's iDrive went to VxWorks in the 'CCC' generation and to QNX with the 'CIC' generation; Kia migrated to Android for UVO; Ford chose QNX for its MyFordTouch successor. It seems Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is the sole holdout (Blue & Me, Uconnect 5.0, UConnect 6.5).

 

 

Yes, there is a Microsoft operating system that is known or at least has the perception of consuming a lot of resources, hardware that should be configured with input from Microsoft to facilitate these demands plus those from the interface and applications. The results of this multi-headed monster have been freezes, slow performance, frustrated consumers, and poor reviews; including JD Power and Consumer Report nightmares that have resulted in gross misconceptions about overall Ford reliability. There is likely blame to be shared by all parties, but Microsoft's role can not easily be dismissed.

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Microsoft's role can not easily be dismissed.

 

Please explain your experience in coding and debugging Flash applications. And while you're at it, please also explain why Flash has experienced a titanic reduction in usage across all platforms.

 

When I am convinced that you are capable of understanding the extent to which the use of Flash contributed to the UI issues with MyFord Touch, I will gladly entertain your theories on the flaws of the Windows Embedded OS.

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Ford leads all brands among millennials in consideration, and yet you think that their credibility with millennials was damaged by partnering with Microsoft.

 

Where is your evidence? Not your inference, based on the popularity of some unrelated device, but actual evidence that Ford's brand has been damaged.

Fair enough, assessing opportunity costs is a difficult thing to do and moreso when a brand has a high perception rating in a particular group. The take for millenials on MFT is likely relatively low, too. You can't deny either that the well publicized issues with MFT haven't been a negative to Ford and a boost to competitors such as Toyota. I am not bashing Ford, but I do wish that MFT would have been much less of a negative for them. I do think that they did a lot of things right and have reaped benefits, and that these would have been greater without this niggling issue. I am also fairly sure that the value and perceptions about the quality and desirability of the Microsoft brand, relative to it's major competitors, has been in decline for several years. Apple has certainly passed it (some signs have shown it as having possibly peaked, too).

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Please explain your experience in coding and debugging Flash applications. And while you're at it, please also explain why Flash has experienced a titanic reduction in usage across all platforms.

 

When I am convinced that you are capable of understanding the extent to which the use of Flash contributed to the UI issues with MyFord Touch, I will gladly entertain your theories on the flaws of the Windows Embedded OS.

Probably the best thing Apple has done in the last decade has been to lead the push away from flash. It's unstable at best.

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Fair enough, assessing opportunity costs

 

And I don't mean to be too harsh by demanding an accounting of your understanding of the shortcomings of using Flash as an application development platform. But it would be helpful if you would defer to the experience of others on the subject.

 

Suffice it to say that I and other developer/IT people on the forum are well aware of the issues with Flash.

 

There *are* shortcomings with Windows Embedded, but I can assure you that UI issues (screen freezes, balky response, etc.) are a near universal with Flash apps.

Edited by RichardJensen
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