In a burst of creative energy I decided to do some clean-up work around the old web site today, fixing broken modules, freshening CSS code, and the like. I occasionally try to fix the forever broken IE PNG bug known as the gray bar on this web site. In a futile attempt, I went to my trusty Google Desktop Search bar (highly recommended if you don’t have it) and typed in “IE6 PNG bug” and got back this juicy nugget:
What have you guys been doing since IE6?
Now, given where I work and the places I have worked I am the last one to cast stones, but the gist of the post works out like this:
We got to 95+% market share and we stopped listening to our customers, our partners, and our developers.
If you don’t believe me, click the link and go read it yourself. This is “How to Ignore Your Customer: 101.” As a 10 year product management professional I can’t tell you how sick this makes me. Stating this sort of thing to the world is tantamount to saying that you have absolutely no business being in the PM role and that customers are merely a bootstrap to getting a comfy office chair. Maybe I’m an odd bird, but if I’m not sticking my neck out for what the customer needs and wants during the product release cycle to the point where my job could be in danger, I feel that I’m not doing my job.
Maybe its time I round up some more PM’s and find out what they think.
Having worked with Microsoft in the past, I know this isn’t SOP for them, but maybe I don’t understand the circumstances for deciding to mothball IE development for so many years.