“Microsoft introduced what it said would be a slimmer and more responsive version of its Windows operating system on Tuesday, while unceremoniously dropping the brand name Vista for the new product,” John Markoff reports for The New York Times.
“The new version will instead be branded Windows 7… The company did not say when it would sell Windows 7 to the public,” Markoff reports.
“After almost two years, Windows Vista is still getting a lackluster reception from consumers and facing a relentless marketing barrage from Apple,” Markoff reports.
“The problem was highlighted last week when Microsoft reported its financial results for the most recent quarter. Its Windows unit reported just a 2 percent rise in revenue against a 4 percent decline in operating income,” Markoff reports. “The computer industry viewed the setback as a shift of historic proportions. The company acknowledged last week that the mix of Windows sales in both mature and emerging markets had tipped more toward low-cost PCs, which come with lower-margin versions of Windows and often not Vista.”
“Steven Sinofsky, the Microsoft technologist who has led the development of the new version of Windows said that he had not taken particular offense at Apple’s ad campaign teasing the giant software developer. However, the laptop did have an ‘I’m a PC’ sticker on its cover, a reference to a recent series of ads Microsoft ran that were widely viewed as a somewhat belated response to Apple,” Markoff reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Yet another Microsoftie who doesn’t seem to understand that Macs can just as easily say “I’m a PC,” too – and faster:
• Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer doesn’t know that Macs can run Windows – October 06, 2008
• Microsoft’s $300m ad campaign doomed? ‘I’m a PC, too’ says Apple’s OS-unlimited Mac (with video) – September 23, 2008
• Apple debuts new ‘Get A Mac’ ad: Fastest Windows Vista notebook is an Apple Mac (with video) – December 04, 2007
• Apple MacBook Pro is world’s fastest Windows Vista notebook – October 30, 2007
• USA Today on switching: Apple Macs can also be screaming-fast Windows machines – March 15, 2007
Markoff continues, “He then demonstrated a “pre-beta” version of Windows, acknowledging that some features were still missing. The presentation focused generally on the more polished control features of Windows 7 including how on-screen notifications are handled, an issue that was an irritant for early Vista users who complained about the nannylike behavior of the software.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Dale,” “Spark,” “Chuck,” and “Joe” for the heads up.]
It’s still Windows, no matter what you call it and how you spin it. It’s still based on the same spaghetti code as Vista. When will these guys learn you can’t keep delivering crap on top of crap? I’d bet Windows 7 will do as much if not more for Apple than Vista.
And Windows 7 or Vista SP2 will be delivered when?
Why do they show off a half assed beta…with missing features to boot! Then, it informs the public that they don’t know when it will ship.
What is even more surprising is that the un-informed are just lapping this up! Talk about vaporware….ssshhhesss!
Haven’t they learned from Apple, yet? Don’t release anything until it’s ready!!!!
What happened to 2 through 6?
They are so desperate it’s pathetic. May Monkey Boy stay in charge as long as it takes.
MicroCrap screws it up again.
” …. the laptop did have an ‘I’m a PC’ sticker on its cover …. “
Stupid, means, “Run as fast as you can away from this POS.”
The problem for MS is convincing consumers and the enterprise to either buy new PCs with Vista or buy Vista licences for all their billions of old PCs. Given both the world economy and the Windows Genuine Advantage problems neither of these is likely.
Why jump to Windows 7 when MS even admit it is Vista fixed up? Their usually approach of bundling apps would have been an easier sell. I can see nothing of value here for consumers or enterprise. Even a free year on Windows Asewer, a Zune for home ultimate, or an XBox game would be an incentive!
My Take:
A pre-beta??? So, that’s a late alpha?
They are still using the floppy icon for “save”!
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They could at least update it to a Jazz disc.
The taskbar icons with multiple borders to indicate number of files open is completely useless (and reminds me of Apple’s poor decision to implement the same in Stacks – although receeding slightly to the left and not right like in the taskbar and in the “Library”). What happens if you have 10 files open for a particular app? Will there be 10 borders?
Wonder where they got the idea for that sidebar and their “Libraries” Smart/Search Folders? Hmmmmmm……
Mojave? That’s a big, dry desert isn’t it?
Yep, just about sums up the Windows user experience…
Wow, fresh lipstick on a pig.
If you can’t fool the public, maybe they can fool the developers?!?
If it’s bloated like a V**ta, Slow like a V**ta, and built on V**ta it must be V**ta 2.
Coming soon to Windows Near you!
“You can’t polish a turd.”
Although they keep trying to.
HolyMackeral,
That’s what I was thinking last night. Those who downgraded to Fista from XP will have no compelling reason to purchase Windoze 7. Those still on XP may purchase it, but it’s resemblance to Shitsa, which scared them from downgrading in the first place, may cause them to think long and hard about it. I can see a lot of those “still on XP after 10 years” people considering a Mac when 7 comes out.
Lose-lose for Mafia$oft.
Feces come in all shapes, colors and sizes.
Spaghetti-coded Pasta…
Instead of Windows 7 they should call it Windows 2….which better reflects the turd it actually is.
A turd by any other name smells the same.
Windows #2
Oh, look a Veggietales ad! I Love Veggietales! Uh sorry, was Uncle Fester’s crew saying something? It must not have been that important.
It really is pathetic that MSFT rolls out something that is so far from baked. This is obviously part of their Marketing budget, and not development budget. (see the brilliant apple ad “Bean Counter”.) Watching Enderle suffer through some touch screen yee-haw was excellent. Plus, he was saying absolutely nothing in his chatter with the Beeb.
The Chinese consider 7 unlucky. In this case, so do I.
Did you knew that “Windows vista…I mean, windows 7” presentation was a Flash file running on top of XP?
They make a little interactive presentation in Adobe Flash (yes, they even didn’t wanted to use Silverligth) to simulate a windows 7 environment. That is why the touch screen responses were delayed to the human touch and that is why they are only showing a little picture manipulations.
Even with the name change they’re on “7” and we’re on “10”, and I’m sure ours goes to “11”. So there!
Don’t worry Windows users; I’m sure they are going to fix everything in this version. They are finally going to make Windows easier to use, more reliable, less annoying faster, and – Ha ha Hah ha heh HA Ha hah ha ha. Ha!
The “Microsoft Guru” that works in my Best Buy has the same “I’m a PC” sticker on his tablet PC. Like it really means something.
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