Definitely missing a long term strategy – at least from outside looking in. And this harms adoption.
Especially the case of Silverlight/WPF and how it relates to HTML5. We need a solid strategy so that adopting one provides some assurance if the industry moves behind the other.

WP7’s undoing will be its lack of a Webkit browser.

Fundamentally, this is all true, however, I think there are two points that are missing from the discussion.

Firstly, UIs are often poorly designed because it is the cheapest way to build them – this is especially true in the datagrid example you mentioned. A grid might not be the best option, but it may be the cheapest option.

Secondly, the UIs I build are often designed by my customer, who will often resist engaging a UI professional specifically because they don’t want their design to be challenged.

@MossyBlog Throw my name in the hat for the available “few hundred thousand” vendors.

Ya on the topic of Scrum/Agile – people tend to get bent over rigidly following the practices vs. trying to achieve the goal of Agile. I’d say if you’re being ridged… you’re not Agile.

Don’t listen to Ryan, Scott! I’m also (semi) recently stepped “down” from a managerial to a pure designer/developer role and am ecstatic with the liberation and creativity I have daily; I’m sure you are too.
Thanks heaps for this blog. I’ve been trying to locate some decent resources for colour theory for ages, and you’ve managed to teach me more in 5 paragraphs than anything so far.
Keep fighting the good fight mate!

Wow, it has been a while since I have read an entire post. First off, I applaud you for your anti-passive writing, it is engaging and fun. Secondly, thank you for being blunt yet thorough as you define points of issue with being a “pixel polisher” as you are being used so often.
The fact of the matter is that you are putting yourself in situations to get abused by being a 24/7 freelance/fix it guy. Personally, I would like to see you as a project owner, who works with the shareholders and constituents of the project to create a final vision. UI/UX Ninja + future vision = Apple. It is time to realize where your future is headed, and that is at the helm muchacho.

Hey Riagenic, the auto-redirect on your old blog is stupid and aggravating.

Im trying to read this post, which looks excellent and useful:

http://blogs.msdn.com/msmossyblog/archive/2008/09/15/how-to-make-innerglows-with-expression-blend.aspx

But after 30 seconds it redirects me to your new site, this site, which doesnt appear to replicate that post, or do anything useful with the redirect. All it does is render a potentially great and useful thing almost useless.

Classy.

And by classy, I mean stupid.

@MossyBlog enjoyed a few others on your site as well.

@custa1200 thanks.. it’s just my little musing outloud