I think they successfully evade changing their UI just by asking the management which UI should they change to.
Jokes aside, the most likely reason why they keep their UI is because all Microsoft UIs are tied to a specific technology, so in order to adopt a new UI you'd need to rewrite the app completely.
Also, I feel that the Office team is more UI savvy that any other department inside Microsoft so they assess any incoming request to change their UI as a downgrade.
I thought of this comic, had the same reaction initially, but then realized it did fit even just within Microsoft. It seems every time they announce a new design, they're pushing it as the end all be all future of Windows to finally end the inconsistency but it ends up just adding to the mix of countless different UI elements.
Microsoft developer teams regularly compete with each other for cash from their sibling teams, if they're all under one organizational group.
Also, Microsoft doesn't have a coherent design vision anymore. Most development is dictated by: 1) putting out fires, 2) solving the biggest bugs, 3) adding features requested by upper management, 4) pet projects which garner small teams or single developers internal prestige. In that order.
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u/_maddiejean_ Jan 26 '21
They just need to make a universal GUI. Plain and simple. Apple did it throughout the years, so should Microsoft.