Microsoft are of the opinion that users of Media Center applications do not want 3rd party apps to look like or work like Media Center itself.

This is at odds with 99% of the feedback I've ever recieved as a Media Center developer, but I quote Charlie Owen from MS -

The pool of customers we listen to and try to satisfy is much larger than folks realize. 'Customers want a unified experience' is not supported by the broad data I see everyday.

   - Chalie Owen, Microsoft (from the Media Center Sandbox)

Now, I'd like to ask a question simply for data-gathering purposes. Do you - as a Media Center user - want your applications to integrate completely with the Media Center experience, looking and working the same way, or would you prefer every application to have a unique look, feel and method of interaction, with a clear seperation of "Media Center Mainstream" and "3rd Party App"?

Microsoft has offered their reasoning why they don't want to give developers access to components of the system, and although I feel it limits their developer base, I don't feel too bad about that decision, because it does force users to really understand the MCML system. However, the statement that users out there don't WAN'T to have a consistent interface seems unlikely given the real-world feedback I've recieved.

So - I've posted a poll. Please, answer it yourself. And if you can, spread the word about the poll and encourage answers from other users of your Media Center PC - I want to get serious feedback from as many people as I can about this particular issue.

http://thedigitallifestyle.com/cs/forums/ShowThread.aspx?PostID=6021#6021

Reasons Why There Is Not A Unified Interface:

http://blog.retrosight.com/WhyOurLookFeelIsntAvailableToApplications.aspx

Arguments FOR a Unified Interface (My Personal Perspective, And Of Users I've Dealt With): 

I know that for every family with a Media Center PC, there's usually 1 or 2 tech-savvy people who have no trouble picking up the basics of navigation in moments. But there is also almost always another 1-2 people who are technophobes, and simply will not access something that is unfamilliar to them. I also know that for every program I have ever written in Media Center, the first thing pointed out in any review or user feedback is "Make it look more like Media Center".