Which & What Microsoft Technologies I love the most

*This post was a part of an online writing competition, and does not reflect the views of KD.*

 "Computers"

Try and think about that word just for a moment. Now go back 5 years of your life and think what it meant back then. If there's any credibility to what I believe, the common part of each of those time-scale searches in your head will surely be Microsoft. Not literally that exact word, though, no.

It is largely understood that the onset of the computer age in the world has been dominated by the Big Two: Apple and Microsoft. And why not. The first Apple computer, Apple I, was released in 1976. Microsoft, however, released a micro-computer, named Altair 8800, in 1975. That should tell you just how far back the foundations of these two great rivals are laid.

It is fair to say then, that the reason of anything and everything related to computers today, remains synonymous with the bitten apple and the four windows. But hey, this post isn't named "Surviving on Computers". So, you'll have to excuse my biased nature.

After a log drawn out-and successful-age of Windows XP, Microsoft was looking to do what it does best. Reduce your best invention of the years to look like a has-been. Of course, Windows Vista was no help with that specific mission. So, just like that, Windows 7 was born. Admittedly, "revolution" was a small word for this particular OS. Being a sufferer at the hands of the Vista-trauma, Win 7 was a breath of fresh air. The whole dynamic of the desktop had changed. The speed was amazing. The look was silky. The gadgets were useful. And the themes for the background were belle. 7, it turned out, really was a magical number.

The funny part is, Microsoft has the unusual habit of making sure its new tech is always in bed with the old one. This is not to say that MS Paint should not has survived on Win 7. Or perhaps that we needed any sort of upgrade on it. This is to say that, for a such a huge company, Microsoft do really understand the quote, "Don't fix what is not broke". And don't we all love them for that. MS Paint is one of the unsung heroes of technology for the people whose jobs depend on editing. The simplicity of "Print Screen" along with the use of a simple 'brush' and 'eraser' are hard to look past. It is often said, "Simple does it". And how Microsoft knows this.

Now, simplicity doesn't just extend to these "smaller" programs. It is some feat for the guys at Microsoft to have made sure that their venture into the mobile world wasn't an uproar from their faithful. The idea of Office 365 sounds so obvious, I know. But the impact of the same is undeniable. The ease of just writing whenever you want, accessing any document in its perfect layout, and a hundred other features is bliss to be experienced on my Lumia.  The fact that I could currently be writing this is Word on my phone while I wait for my turn at the doctor's is something I am truly thankful for. You don't get the same feel of writing on any other processor. Really.

But then, Microsoft really does not care about how successful its last product maybe. 'Coz when Windows 8 made its debut, the perks of Win 7 looked ancient.

Speed? Ha, you gotta be joking. The whole aspect of boot time was destroyed. There wasn't any! Switch on, Switch off. As simple as that.

And then came the Live Tiles. And how. While this certain aspect was already famous on the smaller devices, the idea of having immediate updates on your desktop without even hovering over to the screen with your mouse was amazing. Weather, search, sports, stocks, messages, People, news, calendar, games, camera, music,.... You name it, there's a live tile of it.

Having been using my phone for about 2 years now, the idea of losing it is truly baffling. No, not because of the data. I would get that back in an eye-blink. Thanks to OneDrive, that side is covered. Even my contacts are perfectly safe in my Live account, so that's not a concern either. No, my problem, is that Microsoft have created such a perfectly personal phone, I consider it as my identity now. Its the way the software just lets me define it to look and feel as I feel. The colour factor. The Photos Tile, showing me my favourite moments, beaming me up. My Music (although I don't like what they've recently done to the interface!) which is carefully set up in its playlists and seems to always know what I want to hear when I press "Play". And then, there's Cortana. I think I'll need a whole different post for her. I mean, it. I mean, her. I mean,  err- you'll know once you use he- I mean, the technology. (:P)

All in all, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, while people may look at the many flaws of Microsoft and the classier (read: Expensive) brand of Apple, My heart is set on Microsoft. And the heart wants what the heart wants.