Tell us about your background and how you came to work at Microsoft?

I was an Electrical Engineering undergraduate at Virginia Tech, one day I walked past a flyer for a Microsoft scholarship contest. I applied, interviewed, and got the scholarship. As part of the package, Microsoft offered to fly me to Seattle for internship interview...I said "sweet free trip to Seattle"! After that I did 3 internships with Microsoft, loving every summer. The first one I worked on Natural Language Processing in Microsoft Office, the second one is when I developed the SideWinder 3D pro (the first commercial gaming device to inertial sensors), and the 3rd one I worked on a smart remote (it also shipped). 

What surprised you about working at Microsoft?

The vibrant culture, youth, energy, excitement, and its massive impact. It was a big company with a campus college feel to it.

What was your first computer?

Atari 130XE and the Acorn Electron... yay baby! J

If you were graduating right now, what technologies and industries would you be drawn to?

The same I went to graduate school for at the UW: BioEngineering... a revolution in the making. My job at Microsoft is interface technology with people, I view that on the spectrum of Bioengineering... As I evolve in my career here I think computing will be moving closer to the Bio end.

Who are some of your favorite people to follow on Twitter?

Changes... I jump on tweeter from time to time to read and understand people's thoughts on various events.. it is really insightful.

What are some of your favorite sites to read?

No one in particular... I look at more aggregation portals like search engines than specific sites.

What does the Applied Sciences Group at Microsoft Research do?

We help understand what is next for certain products groups and then help translate that into a products. We go from research to development and back. "The Applied Sciences Group (ASG) is an applied research and development team dedicated to creating the next generation of computer interaction technologies. The interdisciplinary group focuses on the synergy between optics, electronics and software to create novel human computer interfaces. The ASG mainly supports projects for next generation computing and interface hardware for various divisions at Microsoft." We live in the world between pure research and product development, we don't do research for the sake of research but rather to develop a new technology that enables a new experience which can have impact to Microsoft's product offering or influence the offering itself. Our impact can range from creation of defensible intellectual property, features of a product, a new product, or a whole new business. We sit and work very closely with the product groups, understanding the challenges. When it comes time to technology transfer we work side by side as one team to help cross new technology development chasm. We are neither researchers or engineers, but both, with a strong passion of making a difference in the world be creating new experiences that matter.  I love this model of invention as I see it as the new breed of corporate innovation, but I am biased J

I couldn't help but notice that Batman's R&D group is also named the Applied Sciences Group. Coincidence?

Not at all

What technologies are we on the edge of that you're most excited about?

The evolution of human interface technologies, display and sensing technology is a hot bed! Getting more data from the world and then using sophisticated software to understand that data and do something magical with it... Then turn around and communicate with  the user to immersive them as seamless as possible the information that needs to get communicated.

As the first person to integrate an accelerometer in a gaming device, you recognized early on the importance of motion detection in devices. tell us about the importance of sensors and how they are changing how we use computers. What's next?

The more the computer understands about the user and its environment, the smarter it can be and the more natural of an experience it can provide. More of that...

The role of displays are widening; on one hand we are moving to incredibly high DPI screens, on the other hand we're seeing a trend of projecting onto varied surfaces including our own body. What do you see in the future for display technologies?

I see low power being a huge trend. Today display consume 40% of the battery of a mobile or laptop device... this is a huge opportunity to extend the life of your device and make it thinner and lighter. I also see displays becoming more and more immersive—smart displays—like the one we show where two or more people can be watching the same display but looking at different content.

You have a history of connecting living things to machines, whether through the cockroach car, mothmobile, or your NUI work at Microsoft. What is the connection between man and machine look like in the future, and what benefits does it afford society?

One of the traits that separates us from other creatures is the ability to invent tools that can be used to reciprocally advance ourselves. The more seamless the interface between the tool and the mind, the more powerful the tool becomes, and the more intertwined the tool becomes with the fabric of humanity. This evolution has no ceiling but the current limits of imagination.

3D has wavered on the edge of public embrace for 50 years, but still hasn't taken firm hold. What needs to happen in this space for 3D technologies to be a part of our daily lives?

Many things for it to be ubiquitous: from the hardware needs to be better (no glasses), software infrastructure, more available content, more content creation, and content delivery... Eventually 3D will happen, else what is the point of having two eyes  

How did you get into technology?

As a child, I remember playing a few computer games and I had fun writing complex programs using LOGO, but it was my brother who was in love with computers.  I had limited interest in them.  Then, frustrated that my brother's computer was taking up the phone line by making weird sounds, I marched into his room and demanded to know what he was doing.  He showed me Usenet and IRC.  Computers became much more interesting to me once I realized that they were made out of people.

What was your first computer? 

An Apple Macintosh.

Tell us how you came to work at Microsoft?

I actually interviewed at Microsoft after finishing every degree.  When I finished my bachelor's in computer science, I was given a job offer at Microsoft to work on Passport.  Instead, I chose to go to MIT.  After I finished my master's, I thought I was done with school, but the Microsoft recruiter told me that she thought I belonged in graduate school and should come back to Microsoft to work in Research when I was done with my PhD.  I didn't plan on doing my PhD, but six months later, I ended up back in graduate school. 

As I was finishing my PhD, I decided that I didn't want to go on the job market.  I was planning on taking a postdoc in order to focus on new research before looking at faculty jobs.  During a trip to Seattle, I got a phone call from Linda Stone (former VP at MSFT) who knew I was in Seattle because of Dopplr.  She told me that I should come to dinner.  There, she introduced me to Jennifer Chayes and Christian Borgs - who were starting the new lab at the time - and told them that they should hire me.  I laughed at Linda and told them all that I was not on the job market.  Yet, I immediately clicked with Jennifer and Christian and they convinced me to come interview. 

I've always adored Microsoft Research.  It's reputation is phenomenal in computer science worlds.  And I realized that there was the potential of making that true in the social sciences as well.

What surprised you about working at Microsoft?

I'm consistently amazed at the support that I receive and the freedom that I have to continue doing my research. I fall in love with Rick Rashid and Jennifer Chayes on a daily basis. 

Tell us about what you consider "networked publics". 

Networked publics are publics that are restructured by networked technologies. As such, they are simultaneously (1) the space constructed through networked technologies and (2) the imagined community that emerges as a result of the intersection of people, technology, and practice.

What are some of the events in social networking that stand out to you as most interesting?

I realize why the "big" stories are most interesting to others, but I'm a social scientist.  I'm most in love with the small things, the everyday, the mundane, the sad. 

For example, I've been spending the week reading about Ashley Billasano who tweeted her story before she committed suicide.  It's a heartwrenching story where she highlights how the system failed her.  She told her story - publicly - because no one else would listen to her.  This story kills me. 

The internet mirrors and magnifies everyday life.  It reveals the good, bad, and ugly of what happens all around us.  That's what I find most interesting.

One of the bigger changes is that news is increasingly starting with Twitter and expanding virally. What advice can you give a newsroom to benefit from social media and not be duped by a hoax? 

Fact-checking is more important today than ever before.  It's also the case that people want to control their own stories.  Historically, we needed intermediaries to publicize our words.  Today, we have new possibilities of building our own audiences.  At the same time, we need investigative reporting more now than ever before. 

How has worldwide social connections changed 'growing up'? 

While there's the possibility of connecting to anyone, most young people actually communicate with the people that they know from school, afterschool activities, religious institutions, summer camp, etc.  The technologies are powerful, but they aren't connecting people in the ways that you might imagine.

What do you think is a good age for youths to start using social networking? 

This is a family decision.  It all depends on what's appropriate for the individual child.  As with everything, maturity is not a magical process that happens at a distinct age.

What advice would you give adolescents who are eager to start using social networks?

Whenever you share on social media, you're always navigating multiple audiences.  You aren't just talking to your friends; you're also talking to your grandmother, youth minister, and coach, even if they can't currently see what you're posting.  Think about how each message might get misinterpreted in unexpected ways and work hard to present yourself in a way that you're proud of.

What advice would you give parents whose children are eager to start using social networks? 

Digital parenting works best when there are open lines of communication.  Make sure that you're in constant conversation with your child about what she or he is doing.  Ask questions.  Recognize that your child often knows more about the technology than you do but that you have greater perspective.  Work to learn from each other.

Do you see a point in the future where two classes -- those who participate in social networks and those who don't -- have unequal opportunities?

Most folks love to highlight the democratizing potential of social media, but in fact, these technologies often reinforce existing inequalities and create new ones even as they break down existing barriers.  

For companies that have been slow to adopt social networking, what are the biggest benefits they may be missing and how do you suggest they start learning about this space?

The key to social media is to be authentic.  This doesn't mean try to be authentic or perform authentic-ness.  But actually be authentic.  Be a human, not a robot.  Sadly, most companies tend to treat it as another broadcast or publishing venue and there's no humanity to what their employees post. 

Who are some of the people you enjoy reading most on Twitter? 

My favorite people?  My close friends. 

What are some of your favorite sites? 

I'm actually really boring.  I'm a news junkie so I read multiple newspapers (online) each day.  And I go to Twitter every day.  But otherwise, it's more sporadic.  I really miss the days when I could just surf the internet but I sadly lack the time to be able to do that so I rely heavily on friends to send me fun things.

What is the last book you read and your favorite book of all time? 

Last fun book: "Ready Player One."  Soooo much fun!  Favorite book of all time: "Stone Butch Blues".

Simon, tell us about your background and how you came to work at Microsoft?

I graduated from the University of Reading (UK) in 1995 with a BA in Typography & Graphic Communication. I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on typography on the web, which led my professor forwarding my name to the typography group here at Microsoft. I was an intern on the typography team over the summer of 1995 and joined Microsoft full time in January 1997. I've worked within the font team for my entire time at Microsoft, so an interesting fact about me is that I didn't interview for my internship or FTE position so I've never been through a Microsoft interview loop and never had an informational interview for a job on another team. I love typography and fonts, and running the font team is still my dream job.

The team currently consists of five program managers, and we're currently part of the Windows Core Experience Team. Previously we were part of Windows International. But despite being part of Windows we have a charter to manage font production and licensing company wide. So we get to help Microsoft games studios and product groups license fonts, we create custom fonts for devices, and work with the marketing team on our corporate branding fonts, as well as maintain, update and commission new fonts for inclusion with Windows. Within Windows we partner closely with the globalization team on complex-script "shaping engines" and the Windows graphics team on font rendering, but as we're part of the Core Experience Team we get to work with the UX Designers on the way fonts are actually used in the product.

What surprised you about working at Microsoft?

I'm sure something must have surprised me in 1995, but I don't recall what.

What was your first computer?

A Sinclair ZX81 purchased when I was ten years old.

If you were graduating right now, what technologies and industries would you be drawn to?

I think I would gravitate towards typography and design, probably UX design.

Who are some of your favorite people to follow on Twitter?

I tend to follow subjects rather than people on Twitter, usually around type related technologies, and fonts.

What are some of your favorite sites to read?

I'm active on the Typophile forum, and read a variety of typography and gadget blogs. Engadget and Gizmodo are great for following UI font trends. I love to identify fonts used on other companies devices, and occasionally spot the unlicensed use of our fonts on devices. 

How has typography changed over the last decade?

If you look at print and advertising typography not a huge amount has visually changed since 2001. You do see different typefaces fall in and out of style, and it's certainly much easier to do good micro typography thanks to OpenType. You no longer have to fiddle with PostScript Type 1 "expert sets". You could argue that InDesign plus OpenType has had a greater positive effect on typography than Mac, PostScript, PageMaker and the LaserWriter did ten years earlier. 

On-screen type has changed drastically. Over the past ten years we've moved from jagged aliased text rendering on Mac OS and Windows to sub-pixel ClearType and similar technologies. Online we've moved from a small set of web safe fonts to CSS web fonts supported across almost all platforms, opening up creative opportunities to web designers and a whole new market to font foundries.  

The mobile phone space has seen the biggest change, from clunky bitmap fonts on coarse screens, to beautiful type on small high res screens that put the typical tablet, desktop and laptop screens to shame.

What are some recent technologies that designers should be fluent with?

Although Internet Explorer supported CSS Web fonts back in 1998, the technology has really taken off over the past two years. So although that's not a new technology, designers do need to be aware of it. It brings a lot of new opportunities as well as new challenges to the web typography space. Following hot on the heels of web fonts is CSS OpenType support, which gives Web designers access to typographic font features that previously could only be accessed in high end apps like  InDesign. This is a big deal, and it's not just for the Web, CSS will bring this level of typographic support to ebooks, as well as apps, so I think every designer needs to be aware of it.

What's the most important thing the average person doesn't know about typography?

Probably that typefaces are made by real people, and that it takes them a really long time to make a good font. I think there's a perception amongst the average person that fonts just exist and if there is any human involvement in font production that its minimal.

Recently we announced a joint agreement for a reworked version of Verdana and Georgia, what did we hope to accomplish these new fonts?

The development agreement was put in place a few years ago between Microsoft and Ascender Corp (who were acquired by Monotype last year), and some preliminary details were announced around the same time as IKEA started using Verdana in their catalogs. Back in 2008 we could see that the era of web safe fonts was coming to an end. There was renewed traction behind CSS web fonts, and evolving rendering environments meant that you could differentiate a wider range of styles and weights on screen at small sizes. We had also put our efforts into the ClearType Collection fonts, and hadn't invested in Verdana and Georgia for some time. Despite this, Verdana and Georgia were very well known, and had a great following. So rather than let these fonts decline and die out we set up an agreement that allowed Ascender to partner with Matthew Carter and the Font Bureau to expand the families to ensure they remained viable well into the future.

With the recent advent of higher DPI screens, is there still a need for ClearType?

Within Microsoft its generally accepted that at 300ppi ClearType's advantages are not perceptible. Windows Phone made the decision to use grayscale, not ClearType for Windows Phone 7, and their chassis spec called for a resolution of 260ppi.  But on most desktops, tablets and laptops we still have a long way to go. Having said that the Windows graphics team is working on rendering technologies that improve grayscale rendering, with a view to getting better rendering performance and acceptable results on a range of devices.

Although when the principles of ClearType are explained you'd think that it's a pretty fragile rendering technology, but that's not really the case. Most people report that ClearType text looks better than grayscale text on CRTs and rotated displays even when the ClearType rendering doesn't take this into account. But grayscale does have some advantages, it produces the exact same pixel patterns under rotation, and doesn't require the same level of end-user tuning. The ClearType tuner really helps those who are color sensitive and those with uncorrected vision. As mentioned earlier you really need high DPI displays to make grayscale readable, but if you don't have that then picking the right font, with the right level of "hinting" and displaying at an appropriate size is critical.

Can you give a few tips for people who are not font-savvy? [i.e. What should I use in email, or on a resume?]

The Office themes and template fonts are generally good choices, but bear in mind they were picked in part because they have large character sets, minimizing the need for the templates and themes to be localized.

In email the recipient may not have the same font you pick on their machine so you probably want to stick with the web safe fonts. Font embedding/web fonts haven't made it to email yet. Verdana and Georgia are good picks, as are the ClearType Collection fonts, Cambria, Candara, Corbel and Constantia, if you're bored with the Outlook default of Calibri.

Are there any sites or books you would suggest for those who are not font-savvy?

I have to recommend The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst, it's the bible of typography. Also I'm always pulling Stop Stealing Sheep by Erik Spiekermann and E.M Ginger to explain typography related stuff to feature teams. 

What font/size do you prefer to read in for long-form text?

On screen I still prefer Georgia, but Cambria and Calibri hold up pretty well.

What is the latest on Microsoft's Adaptive Layout work?

There are still feature teams working in this area, but I think most of the effort has moved to the Web.

In your opinion should newspapers and publishers use the same font online that they use in print for consistency, or are the mediums so different to discourage it?

There's definitely convergence, but licensing issues aside you really need a web-specific version of your reading font, optimized for the screen. Fortunately The Font Bureau, who specializes in newspaper fonts, have embraced the web, and understand the value of hinting.

What are your thoughts on Comic Sans?

It's not a font I would use in an email, a spec, or in business communication. It's also very easy for design students and amateur font spotters to identify. It's also clear, given the historical record that for the first few years of availability it didn't garner much if any criticism. In fact I recall being contacted by a large Hollywood digital animation studio looking to license the font on the express instructions of their senior leader. So my feeling is that a combination of misuse, overuse and it being an easy target has led to it attracting negative attention of a minority of users. It's only a font. People should get over it.  I do feel that some of the personal attacks of Vincent Connare go too far. (Fonts are one of the few Microsoft product components that have the individual creators name included in the code and exposed in our UI. Contrast this with the anonymous author of the bubbles screen saver or the Windows 7 firefly animation. Maybe we shouldn't put MS employees names on the fonts they produce in-house?)  

Generally when you think of fonts, the average person doesn't look at them as a way to solve problems. Tell me about Ecofont and Dyslexie.

Pretty much all the font work my team does is of the problem-solving variety, that may be finding the perfect chop suey font for an Xbox game, through to making sure a complex character is readable when only 12 pixels high. So when stories like the ecofont (an ink saving font) and Dyslexie (a font to help dyslexic readers) get mainstream media attention that's generally a good thing, although there are a thousand more interesting font related stories that don't get any publicity.

The makers of ecofont added holes to an existing sans serif font to reduce the amount of ink used when text set in the font is printed. Printer ink is expensive and the font received a huge amount of publicity despite there being easier ways to save ink, such as using a draft printing mode, making the text smaller, using a serif font, or even editing the text. Beyond these obvious alternatives the history of typography is full of innovative solutions to saving paper, everything from fonts designed for small print Bibles through to newspaper classified ad fonts, and more recently the work Microsoft and others have done to improve reading on the screen, minimizing the need to print. The document that's never printed saves the most paper and ink.

Dyslexie is the third or fourth font we're aware of that tries to help dyslexic readers by making easily confusable characters like "b" and "d" more distinct. However, since the 1970's it's been accepted that dyslexia is a phonological deficit, not a visual problem. In addition although the font's creator did test the new font against Arial, an analysis of the test results doesn't reveal a statistically significant difference between Dyslexie and Arial.