Windows Majove - Really?

[TremblingBluStar]

This is no doubt very old news, but I saw my first commercial last night on Miscrosoft's "new" operating system, Windows Majove!

For those who have not heard of this, Microsoft, in a move spelling of desperation borrowed a play from softdrink companies and told customers that Windows Vista is a "brand new" operating system called Majove. When customers are impressed (on hidden camera) with Majove, Microsoft says "ah hah! Users really like Vista! Diet Windows now tastes more like regular Windows!"

Really? What are they trying to prove? I honestly can't what the point is, considering most of the "casual" PC users I know already upgraded with no problem when they bought a new PC, and this ad seems to feature only casual users being given a short demo. In other words, whose mind are they trying to change?

The hardcore users have problems with Vista that a few minutes of using Vista will not change. So this commercial will have absolutely no impact on their decision to stick with Vista.

What it might do is change the mind of a few casual users who haven't upgraded because their nerdy brother in-law told them Vista sucks. Maybe. Even then, most casual users upgrade Windows when getting a new PC, so I doubt this will entice them to go out and purchase a brand new boxed copy of Windows!

What do you guys think of this? A good marketing move, or a sign of desperation? I see it as another sign that Microsoft's marketing division exists in some alternate reality where making things look shitty sells products.

 

[Twilight]

I'm just a little surprised by the people's reactions to it.

Vista probably doesn't deserve the bad rap that it gets - it's just a heavily skinned XP with some minor improvements and some added compatibility and bloat issues. It's not unimpressive when you try it out for 30 seconds, but its not amazing by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a pretty looking XP. I think people would be more "wowed" by, say, Ubuntu with full Compiz effects turned on - that's more flashy and responsive, or even OS X, which sports a very fashionably designed UI.

So I'm guessing these "wowed" people are (a) faking it so they can be in a commercial (2) drugged with ecstasy as part of the Mojave test.


Having said that, I think the ad campaign is successful. Why? We're talking about it.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

Vista probably doesn't deserve the bad rap that it gets - it's just a heavily skinned XP with some minor improvements and some added compatibility and bloat issues.

Exactly. I still say that Windows missed an opportunity to keep the XP brand and simply call Vista XP 2.0. I mean, it works for Apple!

 

[firehawk12]

I was in a store yesterday looking at laptops and overheard someone asking specifically for Windows XP. It's just one of those things that has crept up because of a horribly mismanaged launch and many, many small problems and changes.
Vista has that "Windows ME" reputation in the general public and this is just a way to show that Vista isn't as bad as they think it is. Like I brought up in that other thread, it's brand management meant to counteract bad PR (I suppose like Paris Hilton going to church after being arrested) rather than product promotion meant to emphasize Vista's features.

 

[Michael Chris]

this is just a way to show that Vista isn't as bad as they think it is.

Oh but it is.

 

[The Evil Dead]

I've used Vista for 18 months with 0 issues.

Of course, I've also had an Xbox 360 for 2 years now that hasn't red ringed so maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[Arrqh]

this is just a way to show that Vista isn't as bad as they think it is.

Oh but it is.

Nope.

There's a lot of FUD on Vista. This is their way of attempting to address it.

 

[Agent Richard07]

When you switch from Windows 98 to Vista like I did, it is a real improvement.

 

[JonathonWally]

Eh, I don't get it, I use Vista, have no problems with it. And yes, I know computers and operating systems.

XP won't use my hardware as effectively as Vista does. Quadcore and all my tons of ram.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

When you switch from Windows 98 to Vista like I did, it is a real improvement.

Yeah, but if you were used to riding a horse and buggy an '87 Hyundai Escort would blow your mind!

 

[Twilight]

this is just a way to show that Vista isn't as bad as they think it is.

Oh but it is.

No, it's not.

I'm sorry, but if somebody claims that Vista is somehow worse than XP or even close to approaching ME levels, they simply don't know anything about operating systems, or have bought into the common myth about Vista.

It's a functional, mediocre operating system. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's marginally better than XP, massively better than ME, mostly inferior to OS X, and hugely inferior to modern linux distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSUSE, etc.

But it's not the disaster that people claim it is.

 

[Marc]

this is just a way to show that Vista isn't as bad as they think it is.

Oh but it is.

No, it's not.

I'm sorry, but if somebody claims that Vista is somehow worse than XP or even close to approaching ME levels, they simply don't know anything about operating systems, or have bought into the common myth about Vista.

It's a functional, mediocre operating system. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's marginally better than XP, massively better than ME, mostly inferior to OS X, and hugely inferior to modern linux distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSUSE, etc.

But it's not the disaster that people claim it is.

No but it's a disaster for Microsoft because unlike other operating systems it's not moving in terms of sale volume and what extra sales MS do claim are more due to a increase in the number of OEM units sold.

Surveys from groups like Gartner are showing that large business sites will continue with XP and skip Vista in favour of the next release of which is rumored for a release next year (the same is going for Office 2007)

When you consider that Microsoft spend 5 years getting Vista to the release point, the end result is rather under whelming (XP came out in 2002, Vista was release to Open Licence customers in November 2006 and retail/OEM in January 07). In fact it was rumoured that OEMs had concerns over Vista and that it could impact their sales in the Christmas season.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I switched to Vista for a couple of weeks then switched back to XP, for a few reasons. Firstly I can't find updated drivers for my wireless card, so I have to switch off WPA to get the network connected, not really a huge problem, I used Mac filtering and WEP instead, not as secure I know, but it's enough that people can't just connect to my connection.
Secondly, for some reason when I had my TV connected to it it wouldn't virtual desktop on the TV, so the resolution on my monitor was resricted to 1024x768, and I couldn't get theatre mode to work properly for when I want to watch videos.
Thirdly, I couldn't get iPlayer, nor 4oD download manages to work.
Also, UAC annoyed me. I know it only comes up when changing settings, etc. and you can switch it off, but what's the point in a security feature if you'd just gonna switch it off. I think they should have gone with the Mac/Linux like solution. Chaning a users settings it lets you do, but if you're changing something that will affect the whole system, then you have to enter an admin password.
I don't think Vista is as bad as some people make it out to be, but it did have a fair share of annoyances for me.

 

[Cutter John]

Oh sure, I'd probably be impressed with Vista too if I saw it running on a system set up and configured by a MS technician.

I'm sure Vista is fine, but for me it mainly just comes down to money. I don't want to spend $120+ on a brand new OS when XP still works just fine. Hell I only upgraded to XP because a friend at MS hooked me up with a copy.

I'll stop using XP when its too old to run modern aps, or MS puts out an OS that just knocks my socks off.

 

[firehawk12]

I don't think anyone actually buys Windows anymore unless you build your own PCs. And even then, you either have OEM hookups or MSDN access.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I don't think anyone actually buys Windows anymore unless you build your own PCs. And even then, you either have OEM hookups or MSDN access.

I know I buy OEM. I was thinking my next computer may well be a Linux box.

 

[firehawk12]

Games and random freeware keep me tied to Windows. Until EActiUbivisionSoft release some kind of game only OS that is.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Games and random freeware keep me tied to Windows. Until EActiUbivisionSoft release some kind of game only OS that is.

I kinda got to the point where I thought "sod it, consoles for gaming" so I'm not too bothered about the gaming side any more.

 

[Rii]

I don't mind the Vista FUD, it allows me to believe that I'm some kind of superman for not having experienced any of the issues that apparently plague the operating system.

 

[The Evil Dead]

I don't mind the Vista FUD, it allows me to believe that I'm some kind of superman for not having experienced any of the issues that apparently plague the operating system.

Haha, yeah. Microsoft should hire me as a technician, I must be a computer wizard.