Yes, Microsoft is being trounced. But no, the Apple "marketing machine" not the cause, only a symptom. The real problem is that Apple has a deeper understanding of customers than Microsoft does, and are more efficient at turning that understanding into great products.

Microsoft's first issue that they still think a product’s worth is the sum of it’s discrete features, while Apple sees a product’s worth as the ability to solve a customer’s problem soup-to-nuts. Microsoft will include a feature even if it doesn’t really work (you know, MSFT gets it right on v3), but Apple will only include technologies that work well together out of the box. Think of iPod+iTunes vs. MSFT’s WinCE + “Plays for sure” program.

The second issue is that anyone can deliver the functionality these days (think Linux). Customers want more, they’ve gone up to the next level on Maslow’s fundamental needs:

• Level 1 = functionality must work
• Level 2 = it works and makes me feel good
• Level 3 = works, I feel good and it is beautiful

Which level are your products in? And what about your competitors? Are you going to be an Apple or a Microsoft?

I would like to thank everyone for attending my session at this year's TechEd Developer conference in Orlando, FL. Below I've included a link to my slides, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. This is very similar to the Mix08 Advanced SEO Presentation I gave a few months ago at Mix08, except I expanded the "Diagnosing SEO issues within your site" section. For a deeper dive on the subject, check out the 3 hour SEO for Web Development workshop Vanessa Fox and I presented on this topic at Web 2.0.

I also recommend you check out the Live Search Webmaster Center for information about how Live Search is crawling your site, news and discussion forums. Have I done enough shameless plugging yet?

• Advanced-SEO-Web-Development-TechEd-2008.pptx (5.31 mb)

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Are you in the local seattle area and interested in the technical side of search engine optimization? E.g. Implementation/ operational best practices, design patterns, site reviews, etc? Then you should come check out one of the upcoming events being hosted by Jane & Robot in May. Each event will have a couple 15 minute talks by a local expert, time for Q&A, and then a couple in depth site reviews. (not to mention free beer and snacks!)

Tuesday, May 13th @ 6pm

Solo Bar, 200 Roy Street, Seattle
Sponsored by Microsoft, so they’ll be providing lots of swag in addition to food and drinks. Vanessa Fox will be talking about how a search engine works, and someone from Microsoft will talk about ASP.Net and Silverlight best practices. Then we'll do the Q&A, site reviews and have general networking time.

Sign up at Upcoming.org: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/594441 

Thursday, May 29th @ 6pm

Google Seattle office, 651 N 34th St. Seattle
Sponsored by Google, so expect a lot of primary-colored furniture. For this session we'll focus a bit more on diagnosing issues with your site, and look out for a few interesting guest speakers.

Sign up at Upcoming.org: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/622645