Microsoft is now officially in the modern tablet fight with the release of the Surface RT on Friday. It's obviously a very new product, so there are bound to be some growing pains. That said, this could be a make or break moment for Microsoft and it's really important that the Surface RT provide a good user experience for those willing to take a chance.

If this early review from Brent Ozar describes the typical experience, Microsoft is in for some trouble. Brent, for the most part, loves the hardware. The software is where the problem lies. I know software will be updated and bugs will be fixed. Sometimes quickly, sometimes after more time passes. I'd still say most of what Brent experiences is inexcusable when you're a late entry to a product category. Microsoft is frustrating the very buyers willing to take a chance. They will talk to friends and family about their experience. Some will blog and tweet.

The whole experience smacks of a company that arbitrarily picked a device launch date, reality be damned. Errors and problems like those shown in the videos simply can't be foisted upon the user. They need to be worked out before launch.

I'm not the market for the Surface RT. I'm entrenched in the Apple ecosystem for many reasons. I don't see that changing in the short term. That said, I really want products like the Surface to be successful for fans of Microsoft and for those you are still brand agnostic. Competition is good and if they're successful with the Surface, Microsoft will force Apple to raise their game. Everybody will win.

I can't say I'm optimistic.