My Suggestions and Ideas to Microsoft’s Survey about Azure

2016-08-02

Microsoft Azure website released a survey which was about its Azure website. The following were my submitted content:

  • Helpful and Quick Found information:
    Microsoft Azure provides lots of content and information, but the "lots of" sometimes do not helpful enough even let readers confusing. For example: for website background task, what technologies we can use ? Can your website (Azure) provides a solutions list ? I learned couple of weeks and realized I might select either webjobs or azure service, but your website never mentioned it using clear tutorial. Also, what the major difference between webjobs and azure service for a background task ? when we should use webjob but not azure service ? Is possible webjob implement a background task which sharing data in memory but not use your azure storage or folder ? I can not get any clear answers, but they should be in a FAQ part;

  • Prices information
    Another thing: Is it possible give price information in each Azure service or product page ? when I use Azure, I do not know which product or service free, every time when I use a new service, I have to go to price page to search price first. Also, not all azure services or products given clear price information.

  • Up to date information:
    Some information are out of date, for example, I can not find helpful information or tutorial based on new versions of Visual Studio 2015. most of cross-platform samples were not work well for me, for example: most of Xamarin related information and tutorial are out of date since Visual Studio 2015 has merged Xamarin development function;

  • More free resources to users or developer
    Need more free services to attractive more Azure users. for example: why do not provide real free website hosting with database for development, and why do not provide same price website hosting just like any other hosting providers ? I want a shared hosting just like DreamHost which I am using now. what I want just put my personal blog websites to Azure, but your price is too expensive. I know you might say Azure is not a common hosting but is a cloud platform, but I just want Azure to attract more users, Using cheap hosting services to get more customers. If I were Azure leader, I should consider this option for sure, otherwise, to common customers and small business, our question are: why we should use Azure? hard to find benefit currently.