[mbruce]

One can classify sw development companies into dev centric or UI centric. Microsoft is the former. Tivo, Apple ( more to apple than this though) and some others are User centric.

It refers to where the seat of power is in the company which defines strategy and envelops products. A dev centric company like Microsoft does not become User centric by hiring a UI designer..

Hence, Windows UI will always be sub par. USer centric design is very deep, not superficially changeable, and can't be simply bolted on.

[al2o3cr]

Something tells me the COM-wranglers out there might quibble with the "dev-centric" label. :)

[nebstrebor]

Correction: Tivo was User centric, but is now just sitting back and enjoying the patent royalties.