During their keynote at E3 Microsoft prominently mentioned a User Voice system for gathering feedback, features and ideas for the Xbox platform which joins the feedback system for Windows Phone which has resulted in features being prioritised or done at all at the behest of those giving their feedback.

It’s no longer a case of shouting into the ether, posting comments on websites to say how much you’d like a feature done, changed or even removed and no one but fellow commenters to agree, disagree or otherwise, but that’s changed but now the problem is no-one seems to have noticed. A few years ago Microsoft would have ignored the calls of the internet commenters, reviewers or people in tech generally and there would be nothing anyone could do about it but now all that has changed.

Want the Start Menu back in Windows 8 — you got it, it’s coming in future update answering the calls of all those users who missed it and still delivering on their newer experiences.

Decide that Cortana is a cool name for Windows Phone’s assistant and should be the final name — effectively making a concept from a video game a reality.

That an always-on requirement for Xbox One wasn’t acceptable before launch — you got it, this was removed and quite a few other changes and features based on feedback including the launch of a site where this feedback will be listened to.

When using the pen with Surface Pro 3 the start button on the side could be accidentally activated and desiring a solution for this — you got it, there was an update developed that disabled the button when the pen is close to the screen and an update in the future to allow this to be customisable.

Those are just a selection of the ways in which Microsoft has changed their mind and decisions they’ve made not just from lots of feedback but from the constructive feedback of one individual, and this highlights the main issue — why does nobody take this on more, there’s still anonymous comments with no real feedback or alternative given or comments in places Microsoft won’t see them that just perpetuate the old myth that Microsoft is an unstoppable force that can’t change, pivot or manoeuvre — but it is, and that’s a big change they aren’t an immovable object any more, they will listen, have listened and will continue to listen, they just need to hear — and people just need to listen, you can make a difference and if that choice is another platform or product that’s fine but don’t assume nothing has changed because it has, and change can go the other way too, maybe that alternative will stop listening — old attitudes are hard to shift, the fact I can’t post this article using Internet Explorer shows there’s a long way to go but it’s time for everyone else to listen, there’s so much to gain from listening and so much to lose by not, that goes for any company, competitor or anyone else.