Again, "the question is: which approach is right?" assumes that either company COULD change their approach. Should they?
Don't conflate what is reality with what could be. If that was the case there wouldn't be an iPad (or X-Box, or Metro).
Don't conflate what is reality with what could be. If that was the case there wouldn't be an iPad (or X-Box, or Metro).
Microsoft launches unfinished Windows builds (software). Apple launches unfinished Lion builds (software).
The question is flawed in that it assumes that they companies have different release methodologies for the same class of products. Both Microsoft & Apple are making similar choices for similar classes of products.
What Gruber is doing is comparing release methodologies of different classes of products that are in the same market space. What drives the choice of release method is not the market space, but the nature of the product being released.
Would it have been better to wait till manufacturers were ready with their ARM based tablets that run Windows 8 rather than something PC like that runs Windows 8? Especially since based on the current demo device we will have no idea what Windows 8 will be like on actual low power hardware...
Its job is to let developers use the functionality of the OS, and develop/debug right on the device. It's not there to run coolest or use specific SOC. For Metro Apps it won't matter what SOC you are running underneath. And I am sure ARM brethren of Samsung tablets will come out sooner or later for porting Win32 apps.
The more 3rd party applications you need on your platform, the longer a lead time you need to give to those 3rd parties. And for that matter -- Apple does launch unfinished iOS builds/features.
Microsoft Spot
Digital Home
Courier Tablet
And don't get me started on their abandon-ware hardware projects (Networking, WebTV, Digital Photo TV, Zune, Microsoft at Work, MS Automotive, etc)
Your current argument now is about a different problem (one that Longhorn / Vista faced), which is about announcing features before they were actually implemented and ready for release.
I'm not going to continue this, I believe my point has been made.
Tell that to the millions of Xbox 360 owners whose consoles died with the red ring of death.
On the other hand, I have a 3RL'd XBox which was promptly replaced with a newer one, since it's still an amazing product and have some friends who had the same problem.