---
layout: post
title: "Microsoft is getting cool (but not its website)"
date: 2015-02-17 18:57:19 -0800
comments: true
categories: 
---
Microsoft is getting kind of cool. For instance, open sourcing .NET last year caused quite a buzz. Ars has a good piece about this: [Microsoft’s continuing efforts to be cool](http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/02/microsofts-continuing-efforts-to-be-cool/).

Three weeks ago Microsoft made another minor but totally unexpected move: they integrated AgileBits' `onepassword-app-extension` ([GitHub](https://github.com/AgileBits/onepassword-app-extension)) into the 5.0 release of the OneDrive iOS app. I didn't realize this until I read [yesterday's blog post on the OneDrive Blog](https://blog.onedrive.com/onedrive_secure_password/). This is really amazing when you put it in context: I mean, take a look at [Apps that love 1Password](https://blog.agilebits.com/1password-apps/), i.e., apps that have integrated that extension. Out of the ninety apps listed to date, there are only a dozen apps that I've heard of, and the only brands bigger than 1Password are Microsoft, Tumblr, Uber (infamous), and Walmart (what?). Microsoft embracing third party is surely an interesting phenomenon.

Meanwhile,

* Microsoft still won't let us use our password managers to its fullest (of course we can't blame it on the OneDrive folks): 16 characters max in this day and age (screenshot taken today)? Hmm. And I remember Microsoft recently said password length isn't the main source of vulnerability of its customers. WTF. Who cares about *your* stupid customers. I just want to protect *my own* data, and make sure that in case of a breach on *your* side, I won't face the same loss as your technologically illiterate customers. But that's not currently possible with Microsoft.

![](http://i.imgur.com/CNv76zw.png)

* Microsoft's UI design is still shit, [as well as their website](/blog/2015/01/21/web-design-microsoft-vs-apple/); I mean, seriously:

![](http://i.imgur.com/wu66zZc.png)