Steven Sinofsky, former Windows president, shares his personal reflections after purchasing the new Mac Neo. The device triggers deep nostalgia and melancholy about Windows 8 and Surface, which he led over a decade ago. He argues that Windows 8 and ARM Surface were not 'early and wrong' in the traditional sense — the hardware and software were capable — but the failure came from not moving the Windows app ecosystem fast enough to a modern, secure, power-efficient model. He contrasts Microsoft's 'run everything forever' compatibility philosophy with Apple's two-decade effort to modernize its OS and app frameworks, which ultimately enabled Apple Silicon and products like Neo. Sinofsky expresses pride in the Windows 8 team while acknowledging the emotional weight of seeing Apple succeed with a vision he believes Microsoft was close to achieving.
Sort: