I really don't see how this design is any good. It's indeed better than their older designs. And how can anybody classify a design as being good when the central pieces of it are stock photos with a cheap feel and that just take up space?
I mean what's up with that girl on the front page, holding a butt ugly big and old laptop? Or the fellows who climb a mountain, which is somehow representative of Visual Studio - could they have picked a worse or less representative clique?
And of course, in every design I've ever seen on Microsoft.com showing people that look as if they are on crack while holding a laptop, it's mandatory for them to show at least one black/interracial dude at all times, even if the pictures are auto-rotating. Not that I have a problem with that, but they are so consistent in this policy that it reeks of design by committee and corporate policies.
Compare this to Apple.com ... one big picture of their newest product, one big title, clear as crystal top menu, 3 thumbnails of videos, either to keynote speeches, promos or Jonathan Ive.
I mean what's up with that girl on the front page, holding a butt ugly big and old laptop? Or the fellows who climb a mountain, which is somehow representative of Visual Studio - could they have picked a worse or less representative clique?
And of course, in every design I've ever seen on Microsoft.com showing people that look as if they are on crack while holding a laptop, it's mandatory for them to show at least one black/interracial dude at all times, even if the pictures are auto-rotating. Not that I have a problem with that, but they are so consistent in this policy that it reeks of design by committee and corporate policies.
Compare this to Apple.com ... one big picture of their newest product, one big title, clear as crystal top menu, 3 thumbnails of videos, either to keynote speeches, promos or Jonathan Ive.