Good Advice

Stop Speaking in Bull$#!*

Make sure you read the hilarious ripping on a Microsoft Press Release:

Let’s turn to the granddaddy of software development:

Windows Phone 7: A Fresh Start for the Smartphone

The Phone Delivers a New User Experience by Integrating the Things Users Really Want to Do, Creating a Balance Between Getting Work Done and Having Fun

That’s a headline and sub-head from a press release. (Thanks, DF)

What the hell does any of it mean? What do users really want to do? Absent Robbie Bach and J. Allard, I don’t trust the word “fun” anywhere in a new product announcement from Microsoft, either. They probably mean an optional Comic Sans UI.

I've often wondered what marketing people are thinking to themselves when they write this kind of rubbish - do they actually imagine someone reading it and thinking "Wow, I've always wanted a phone that could balance my need to get work done and have fun! This is exactly what I've been after!!".

It's one thing to think that people are stupid enough and believe a lot of dumb things (generally true). But it's another thing to think that even dumb people will be motivated by these kinds of empty platitudes. That, I just can't fathom.