You are a self - loathing tool

Never apologize for being who God made you - just my humble opinion.

As a Brit, I love that the UK ads are getting a bit of attention.

Normally we have the job of "de-Americanising" materials for UK audiences, which can be quite difficult in some cases, where American spelling is used in product and resource names.

Windows Live Favorites <- herasy.

Isnt this just kiddie porn? Why hasnt microsoft been jailed for this yet?

Does anyone think that Microsoft are patronising their customers? First we are shown how stupid we are that even a kid can do things we can't, then we are told how poor we are and that a Windows PC is cheap.

Also I wonder if these are the right adverts at all, Microsoft makes most of their money from businesses and are unlikely to make much from children and the homeless, so why are they spending so much to appeal to them? Are they still working on the lock-in strategy?

I think that they are facing a real dilemma because Linux could become the business OS of choice and OSX the consumer OS with Windows left in the middle not really appealing to anyone (well, maybe the poor). Even Joe knows that multimedia is best edited on the Mac.

This is my favourite ad so far. Those Canadians are so funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbJSuduTrPs

That is the best video ive ever seen. It certainly is representative of the windows crowd. Ive been saying all the time ive been here that windows is for retards. That video proves it.

@BillyBob: I think you think too much. I don't mean that in a snarky way, its just that you're over analysing the ads.

Unlike commenters here, most people (including me)don't have much of a passion about any particular OS. These ads are seeking to simply attach a feeling of warmth and familiarity with Windows in peoples minds. Of course, many business decision makers are also parents - the ads aren't trying to make a ration link, just an emotional one.

The problem is that people are already familiar with Windows and fluffy bunnies and children are the last resort of advertising.

Businesses want security and reliability, not pictures of bunnies. They are not going to justify a $1 million roll-out of Windows 7 'because Lewis is so cute'. Those decision makers will quickly find themselves unemployed like Frank, Lauren, Giampaolo and Lisa.

Since, "Clump" started with a certain point of view, here is my humble and opposite point of view to bring some balance.
-
God does not exist, therefore God didn't make you the way you are.
-
The concept of a "God" is just a figment of imagination invented thousands of years ago to explain what could not be explained back then, especially if it was frightening.
-
Humans are the result of millions of year of EVOLUTION.
-
Your mom and dad made you. Who you are today is the result of their love and care (or lack of it), the values they taught you (or not taugth), the education you received in school (or did not receive), and the social environments you were exposed to.
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As for the Ads, they are just little brats, and being English makes them even more obnoxious than Americans.

Wow, these comments are so cynical and negative. I think these ads are the perfect antidote to the "I'm a Mac" ads.

The "I'm a Mac" ads were from almost 3 years ago now, if you are going to provide an antidote then you should not wait until the patient is dead before administering it.

The main problem with the ads is that they do not show the benefits of buying a new computer. If you add up all of the hardware in the adverts, you are looking at thousands of pounds. What do you get for your month's wages? The ability to make panoramas?

The iPhone ad is a perfect example of how you should show off your product. There is nothing in the ad except the phone and someones finger. It then runs through a list of features, they all make it look worth the small price.

Adding cute children and animals is the last resort for any marketing team who decides that the product is too boring to appeal to anyone. If the product was any good then you would be raving about it, rather than how cute the little British children are.

Microsoft should be worried, I am sure Apple is working on some sort of explanation about how Windows costs more than it is worth and are planning to tell everyone. Microsoft had hidden behind the PC brand which is not even theirs. What if the next Apple ads attack Windows, not the poor old PC?

I personally think that Microsoft is sick in its corporate head.

These adverts lie. MS should be taken to the Advertising Standards Authority for customer deception.

But then again it's nothing new, is it.

David,

It's OK if you don't believe in me. I still believe in you.

Joe, it sounds like the kids in the ads may be "English." But Britain includes three countries -- England, Scotland, and Wales -- plus a bit of a fourth if you include Northern Ireland. The Welsh and the Scots tend not to enjoy being called English.

Man what a load.

The negativity fairly drips off the screen. Even references to kiddie porn.

You guys need to get a life.

@Joe.
I agree with you, those kid's are damned cute. Not cute enough to make me wish I was a Brit though. I'd still be 42, and that sucks no matter what your nationality is. Why don't you just fake a British accent and start hanging out at pubs?

a very nice bunch. Better company can be had, that's for sure.

@Shilo

Nobody is allowed to be critical of anything involving cute children? You cannot go wrong with children and small animals as your corporate mouthpiece. Just slap them next to your logo and everyone will love you and your products, no matter how shoddy they are.

If you want to comment how cute animals are, then youtube has plenty of content for you to coo at. They have cats doing funny stuff and children saying the darndest things.

I think billybob has put his finger (pun intended) on what's missing in these adverts. Besides missing the truth, Microsoft has got the "cute" children. But as billybob says "Adding cute children and animals is the last resort for any marketing team who decides that the product is too boring to appeal to anyone." So the question is, where is the puppy?

Is Microsoft now too cheap to pay a puppy for these advertisements? Come on, they could use a animated puppy, if they that cheap. Clippy comes to mind, borrowed from Microsoft's other great OS, Microsoft Bob. I can see the ad now, even Clippy can use Winders, and not get viri. HAHA

@David,
What God says it true, and in my small way I say it too:
"It's OK if you don't believe in me. I still believe in you."

@billybob,

Do you have any education in marketing and/or business? I think you missed the obvious: M$ is targeting consumers, not businesses, with these ads. It's called "market segmentation". You should read up on it before you post again.

Great ads much better than the American ads, God forbid MS make an ad that shows their software is easy to use. Apple ads are like political hit pieces mean and negative, Mac fanbois are happier when MS just takes it, now their hitting back and Mac weenies are all in hysterics, its quite funny really.

Captain Obvious, read what I wrote again. I know they are aimed at consumers. My point was why are they spending so much time and effort in the consumer space when it accounts for a relatively small percentage of their profit?

I think they stand much more chance of keeping healthy profits with business not consumers, the consumer space is being squeezed out by Linux at the low end and Apple at the high end. The long term prospect is not good.

It shows with their failing efforts with Vista that they are not appealing to the businesses that they rely on. Nobody wants to upgrade to Windows 7 because it does not really offer anything to businesses. If they made something that helped people make money then they would sell far more copies of Windows than these ads.

Marketing starts with making something worth marketing. I know that much.

@billybob

"Nobody wants to upgrade to Windows 7 because it does not really offer anything to businesses."

You see BillyBob, you are the problem. A pure example of someone saying something on the internet just to say it. Another uninformed opinion. I'm an MCT that teaches this stuff for a living and I also take part in Windows 7 Wednesdays - a program introduced by Microsoft to show off features of Windows 7 to their partners that are going to make a dramatic impact on their BUSINESS.
Ever heard of: DirectAccess, Branch Cache, Search Federation, Bitlocker To Go, or App Locker? I'm guessing no, no, no, no, and no. Those are a sample of some of the added benefit Win7 will bring to the table. But keep spewing your uninformed drivel - it makes the internet more fun!

haha loving the ads too!

Sorry, I meant that they do not offer anything which has a significant return to the business. I have heard of all of those, but if they were such hot selling points then every business will be falling over itself to upgrade.

Instead we have stats which say that the uptake is likely to be very low.

If it costs my business $1 million to upgrade then my return from those features needs to be > $1 million. If companies want any of those features, they are available from other suppliers as a bolt-on extra which means they do not have to rip and replace to get the full benefit.

The figures speak for themselves, businesses are not demanding Windows 7.

@God
How can nothingness believe in me? It must be fake.
-
All that preaching really sounds like some MS marketing BS.
-
I guess MS got inspired by those who have 2000 years experience lying about nothing concrete.

@billybob :

Surely you jest.

AppLocker. That's built in highly configurable application white listing. Built into the operating system. No need to bolt anything on. Only the applications that administrators approve will run. That means Malware is going to have an awful hard time impacting any computer it does manage to infect. Server 2003 came with options comparable to this, but nowhere near as configurable. And speaking of bolting on, Windows Vista is already much more secure than Windows XP. That alone is beneficial to business. Windows 7 will be as secure as Vista with the added on benefit of running on lower end hardware.

So the REAL bar to Windows 7 will be the economy and legacy application support. Application compatibility can be overcome using presentation technology built into server 2003/2008. The economy can only be overcome by time and/or a global miracle. Security as a whole, and especially "new stuff" tends to take a back seat during downturns. Especially downturns as stark as the current one. As far as I'm concerned Windows 7 as a lot to offer, but in this climate good enough is acceptable. XP fits the good enough category quite nicely.

@Charlie :

When the first Kid said Huzzah that was just precious. No one here says Huzzah, it sounds so victorian. But when that kid said it, it sounded new. Just brilliant.

@David....

THOW SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.

Oh... and ummmmm....

THE STREETS SHALL RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE UNBELIVER.

Damn that felt good. I'm ordering a new Crusade, or at least an inquisition.

Wow, Mac fans sure are a bitter bunch aren't they?

These ads were pretty cute!

It's not the Mac fans... It's the Linux Free-Tards.

@BrianZ:

Re: "You see BillyBob, you are the problem. A pure example of someone saying something on the internet just to say it."

Wow! This sounds like a tin-horn dictator that hates a free press just because they have opinions that are different from his own. I guess billybob touched a raw nerve, huh? Different opinions aren't permitted by the Holy Church of Microsoft, are they?

Re: "I'm an MCT that teaches this stuff for a living and I also take part in Windows 7 Wednesdays - a program introduced by Microsoft to show off features of Windows 7 to their partners that are going to make a dramatic impact on their BUSINESS."

So, you're smarter and more experienced than the average bear. And so are most Linux users, I bet, as they seem to have that added level of curiosity, willingness to learn, and ability to adapt that is missing from the masses.

Re: "Ever heard of: DirectAccess, Branch Cache, Search Federation, Bitlocker To Go, or App Locker? I'm guessing no, no, no, no, and no."

And your point is what? I know a whole lot of otherwise-talented people in non-computer walks of life that have never heard of these terms, could never learn them without their eyes glazing over first, and who struggle unsuccessfully to understand even the most basic concept of web-based email as compared with a local email client such as Outlook, OE, Eduora, or Thunderbird.

The masses cannot be expected to learn all of those things of which you speak. And therefore, they cannot be expected to find value in those things of which you speak.

By the way, we have Windows XP, iMac, and Ubuntu at home and use all 3. My own experience shows me that:

1. Windows XP is the only choice for supporting the Blackberry Desktop Manager and the Garmin MapSource updater. And for the masses of sheep that don't have a clue about operating systems and need the widest possible experience pool to help them de-louse their systems on a continual basis.

2. The Mac + Final Cut is the only choice for high-end home video. Yeah, people can do video on Windows, and some can even do it on Linux. But anyone who can do serious HD home video production well is among the upper crust of talent. And doing serious video on Windows requires the addition of superhuman patience. While doing serious video on Linux requires even more superhuman patience, or else the deep pockets of a major studio to fund the custom development required.

3. Linux is the only choice low-cost development environment for POSIX-hosted servers. Yeah, I know some people write code for Unix and use Windows and Dev Studio. But they'd be dead in the water if it weren't for us Unix/Linux types to keep their code compiling and running on the intended platform. And yes, a very small number of folks actually develop server-side Unix-based applications. And so, I don't profess to be in the mass-market realm; just in that tiny 0.0001% of highly-skilled people whose work helps the world run better but whose demand for tools doesn't fuel the growth of Microsoft.

And so for the moment, there is ample room and need for all three of these platforms. Of course, the Holy Church of Microsoft, as with most major religions, views competition with a blinding hatred.

@Massive Quasars

No I do not jest, if companies have been running XP for all this time and not managed to lock down their desktops then they have a lot more to worry about than how much it will cost to upgrade to 7.

There are plenty of applications on the market which do application whitelisting. Even the more expensive ones have to be comparable in price with replacing your entire IT infrastructure.

Most of the super features of 7 are things which the end user should never see or know about. Upgrading all of their desktops will add extra training costs which are not necessary with a bolt-on solution.

@billybob.

Don't know where you work, but in my experience Upgrades have always been phased.

At my company we didn't do forklift upgrades to Vista.

We did slow migrations as older systems died out. Buy a new PC and the OS comes with it. Now we're at about 89% Vista adoption. And chances are we won't be going to Windows 7. Why bother? Our computers are fairly new. There are however large numbers of companies who have put off buying new computers, or who have Enterprise agreement with Microsoft and can upgrade for less if they choose.

And it was you who brought business into this equation when clearly this marketing scheme is targeted at consumers and doesn't even mention the word "Windows" let alone "7".

In the end No one can reliably make predictions on the adoption rate of.... anything. Businesses will do what suits their needs. For our part Windows 7 will become widely available just as my company is doing a refresh for 70 Laptops. If the RTM tests as well as the beta has most likely I'll be requisitioning new ThinkPads with Windows 7.

And why not? The laptops already budgeted, Windows7 laptops will fit right into my Server2008 domain and be configurable by Group Policy. No such thing as a free ride in business.

@MacFan...

Shut you mouf, or I'll bitch slap your Grand Ma Ma.

We absolutely do not need any hedgehogs in the adverts!

Windows 7 isnt even out , and isnt even finished and hasnt even got its DRM installed yet and here you are praising it. I say wait until you see the final product then test it, and you will see its just Vista and is the same speed ie slow and same drm and same hard drive footprint. Testing a beta unfinished deliberately no DRM product to get praise is to take a dump with no toilet paper present. Win 7 is toast as soon as the masses see it in its finished state. DEAD ON ARRIVAL.

BrianZ, those four points you mention are examples of reasons why I've been moving away from Microsoft based products. They're all nice features tied to a particular Windows version and surely to a particular type. Lets take Bitlocker. It's available in Vista, but not all the Vista versions. Heck not even Vista Business.

Why can Microsoft just release them as extra packages. Remember the Plus! in Win95?

@Massive Quasars, you say Windows 7 will be as secure as Vista and run on lower end hardware. But that's 2009-2010 lower end hardware. Which means 2006-2007 mainstream hardware. Which means same hardware Vista was released on. So what's new?

@Philosopher

Hey Philosopher, I completely understand what you're saying and it wasn't my intent to come on a message board and start tossing tech terms around - how boring is that? - I was simply responding to a very specific slam that was directed at an OS that is being written off by a MS hater MONTHS before it's released!! So when I state that BillyBob "is the problem" I stand by that statement. The internet is plagued by people spewing misinformation that sits on a site or a blog or a forum for eternity with no interest in correcting their position when they are proven wrong down the road. And when you make the uninformed comment that Windows 7 "doesn't offer anything to businesses," that is no longer an opinion. That is a statement that this gentleman is making without the knowledge or experience to back it up. And it's a LIE. How do I know BillyBob doesn't have the experience? Because I deliver seminars on Windows 7 and I DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE! The OS isn't OUT yet! No one has seen it in a large scale production environement, and yet, we have someones "opinion" that it's a dead duck in the business world. It's laughable. I decided to intervene because it happens again and again and perception is reality in a lot of cases. I never meant to sound like we should all live in a MS world and I understand different tools for different situations.

Gerardo Tasistro :

Gerardo I run 7 on a 6 year old laptop with 512 megs of memory. It's responsive and zippy.

Is that low end enough for you?

I've also tested it on the oldest systems we have, HP D500 with 1 gig of memory and pentium 4 chips. Runs fine. There are bars to upgrading, but hardware just ain't one of them.

Massive Quasars, last week my 14 year old brother installed Linux on a laptop from 1997 or 98. Used to have Win95. It's responsive and zippy. What does this prove? Nothing. My brother isn't a significant sample of the population and neither are you.

By the time Windows 7 hits the shelves my first laptop to have Vista will be a low end machine. Heck it's even beginning to look low end compared to some netbooks. So on the average low end machines then will be what used to be mid to high end machines when Vista was launched. And we can all remember how many enthusiasts came out then saying they ran their Vista machines on some low end machine and it was responsive and zippy.

But once the majority of the population began to have Vista those exceptions became less and less common and the sad truth settled it. Vista was slow and I don't see anything new that proves Seven will be any less so. I'm way past the point of believing MS press releases.

@BrianZ
-----------------------------------
and yet, we have someones "opinion" that it's a dead duck in the business world.--------------
-----------------------------------------------
It is a dead duck in the business world, have you seen the data and charts joe has been posting about business uptake of 7 when its released. No One wants it so it is a dead duck in the business world.Get a grip Brian. Maybe go take a dump.

Why do they all have what sounds like fake British accents. Especially the girl!

@BrianZ
I think you hit the nail on the head, it isnt out yet, so any position of "it offers nothing to business" is just as true as any claim someone makes that it is.
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At the present time, we dont know the product that will hit the shelves, or would you like to argue that pre-Vista release was all excitement and innovation, yet the package that hit the shelves was vastly different.
-
The Mojave Experiment, which IMO was a experiment to push Vista with a deception of sorts, only highlighted that if you left Microsoft to choose the specs of your machine in a controlled environment, then Vista would be fine. Try it in a real environment and its somewhat different.
-
Billybob hits on a valid point. But I would ask you then as someone who lectures on an unreleased OS:
-
What does 7 offer that cannot ALREADY be achieved either natively or via 3rd party software in XP/Vista?
-
Ive yet to hear an answer on that, except for a faster boot time and smaller footprint?, both which are features already existing in alternatives to Microsoft products and if indeed that is the selling point, is it really one that users would want to spend money on getting?
-
Are you challenging the comments from enterprise in the main that are reluctant to move from XP, dont want to touch Vista and are dubious of 7?
-
Please enlighten me. I too make a living from using Microsoft products, so in one respect you could say I have a financial interest in seeing them promoted. Why then do I support alternative to Microsoft products at home? Could it be they really are better? Or am I just a tin hat wearing single male living in his parents basement desperately wishing for a girlfriend?
-
Im sorry if Ive missed out any other insults that have been thrown at me in the past, but these are the most popular.
-
Quote BrianZ "The internet is plagued by people spewing misinformation "
-
How true that is, that is why alternative users come to the Microsoft Watch site, to ensure that a balanced view is given. Or do you agree with one of the recent comments made by a Microsoft supporter that "Linux needs a compiler to play a DVD"?
-
Quote BrianZ "I understand different tools for different situations." - Do you? Since you seem to speak from a Microsoft supporting viewpoint, Id be very interested to hear what non-MS products you would champion.

@Goblin

Microsoft is supporting 256 bit encription for https sites under Internet Explorer 8 but they have refused to upgrade XP from 128 bit to 256 bit , so you have to upgrade to Vista or 7 to get the better modern security for internet banking. Typical microsoft stategy to get users to upgrade. Under linux 256 bit security has been around for a while but banks are only now supporting it.

Agreed completely Kitkat. You can see a method in that, as in my opinion it underpins proprietary software.
-
Regardless of the company, theres no benefit in releasing a super package in one version since you need a selling point for later releases.

@BrianZ: "So when I state that BillyBob "is the problem" I stand by that statement."

But what is "THE problem"?

Your inability to 'educate' people enough that they think Windows 7 is a worthwhile upgrade?

Microsoft's inability to make an OS that people want?

The general public's unwillingness to listen to your 'education'?

If I am causing you problems then I want to know (if only for bragging rights). Either way I am very happy to be causing problems for Microsoft. It is incredible that the internets offer me and people like me the ability to affect massive multi national companies. Power to the free-tards!

I saw your response and corrected my statement. Windows 7 does not offer anything that makes the massive costs worthwhile. Everything you mentioned can be added to XP without ripping and replacing all the clients and servers. Therefore Windows 7 has no benefit (that cannot be elsewhere for a lower cost) to business.

You did not disprove that statement, other than some vague comment from Massive Quazars about how you do not have to upgrade everything at once. The cost is still there even if I roll out over 3 years. I would argue that this is just prolonging the pain and cost.

Go on, repeat how I am spewing rubbish without backing up your claims. No wonder you are finding it hard to 'educate' people.

We are the free tards, We are the free tards, those are the micro softies, cause we are the free tards, of the world.
Every free tard wants to rule the world.
Daddy doesnt understand it, he always said free tards were good at school, cause there aint no micro softies, and there are no mac tards, what reason do you need for DRM, DRM DRM.

@BillyBob
BillyBob, I certainly never meant any comment on this board to come across as a personal attack. When I refer to you as "the problem" I was speaking collectively as you being part of something that has spun out of control on the internet - which is speaking authoratatively about something you probably have no business speaking about. And I'm not only talking about Windows 7 and I'm certainly not only talking about Microsoft. I'm talking about every product, every launch, every new technology, that draws criticism before everyone knows the facts. Speaking specifically of Windows 7, we won't know if it's a winner or loser for at least another 2 years. I happen to know with confidence that the OS will be released this year. I also happen to know that if you take all of the speed of XP and team it up with the security, feature-set, and usabilty of Vista (with more UI changes tossed in) you're going to have a winner. And from what I understand, the pricing is going to be VERY attractive. So, I'm not really too concerned about that, but time will tell. What I do know for certain is that Server 2008 R2 and Winows 7 is going to make a killer combination for business - IF the features work out as planned - nad no one knows for sure at this point, time will tell.
Back to the point: Let me give you an example - I don't use Macs. I've never used them. I try not to even eat Apples. I don't like their hipster-brand and I certainly don't like their condescending advertising. But let me tell you something - you can look me up on any tech forum you like and you will NEVER, EVER, be able to find one post on any forum, or blog, that quotes me ripping on their product. Why? Because I don't use their products. I have no authority to speak on them, so as much as I don't like their brand, I keep my mouth shut and my fingers off the keyboard for anything related to the Mac. That's what I wish more people would do because the internet is bloated with conjecture. And to the poster talking about the interest level of companies moving to Windows 7? I see IT folks every week in training, most of them know only what they're forced to know, and very few follow the tech community (and I'm floored by that on a weekly basis). Very few know anything at all about Windows 7. I would assume they all see it as Vista SP2 - which it most definately is not. So, it's going to take some time for people to work with it and Microsoft has their work cut out for them. I can tell you that no IT departments look forward to migrations. But the truth of the matter is this - companies ARE going to migrate eventually, and hopefully Windows 7 gets it right.

She talks like The Transporter.

You do not need to use a product to have it's benefits explained to you. It is obvious that you do not have a compelling argument why anyone should upgrade to Windows 7.

I am not saying things like Windows crashes all the time or that the Explorer is impossible to use, I am only asking which feature would justify a massive expense of upgrading. All the features you mentioned are already available for XP so are not worth an upgrade. You follow up with the line that businesses will upgrade anyway. Does that mean they will be forced out by obsolescence? That is not a compelling feature.

I find it very strange that you are a Microsoft salesman yet you do not even look at the competition. How can you explain the benefits of Windows 7 over, say Linux if you have never used Linux and do not know the features?

I use Mac, Linux and Windows so I probably know more about the competition than you do.

Simple question. Why should I upgrade all my workstations to 7 in 1 year just for BitLocker when I can add TrueCrypt for 1/10th the cost today?

@billybob

Because it is not just bolted on improvements their are plenty of under the hood improvements that make it more attractive then XP. And most companies wait until the machines die out then upgrade thats how it's always been.

Nobody is disputing that it is more attractive than XP, it is probably more attractive than 3.1 too.

The point is why spend all that money upgrading from XP to 7? The answer from MS marketing seems to be 'you are going to upgrade anyway'. Nice.

Getting back to the original point, this is the same problem that the client side is facing. Nobody knows why they want/need and Microsoft seems unable to show off their features. Instead they resort to exploiting children to make themselves look appealing.

Maybe it is a cultural thing.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/17/microsoft_tv_campaign/

Gerardo Tasistro :

I am really not getting your argument. And frankly I'm not going to give it any thought.

Final point windows 7 will run on most hardware released since 2003.

I don't know where you work, but I do consulting work at over 50 different Companies in southern California. I can honestly say that the vast majority of the systems deployed at these companies could easily, Run windows 7. After a memory upgrade that number edges even higher. And memory cost what?

Now of companies with REALLY old hardware, let's be honest, they're not going to upgrade the OS anyways. And I never made the assertion that every company in exsistence was going to upgrade to Windows 7. I just take issue with the whole "No one wants windows 7" Statement. It's hyperbole. But then you know that.

@BillyBob.

Billy you must not be an American.

If you were you'd know our advertisers will use anything that works. Kids, puppies, the clergy, soldiers, lies. It's all game.

Reprehensible? Maybe. But in that respect they are really no different than any other fortune 500 company.

@Brian Z
I don't use Macs. I've never used them. I try not to even eat Apples. I don't like their hipster-brand and I certainly don't like their condescending advertising. But let me tell you something - you can look me up on any tech forum you like and you will NEVER, EVER, be able to find one post on any forum, or blog, that quotes me ripping on their product. Why? Because I don't use their products. I have no authority to speak on them.

__________________________________________

Refreshing attitude.

Study predicts bear market for Windows 7

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2240259/study-predicts-bear-market

"Around 83 per cent of those surveyed said that their companies would be skipping Vista altogether and moving from Windows XP straight to Windows 7. Of the 17 per cent of respondents who did plan on upgrading to Windows 7 in the next year, more than half said that a desire to avoid Vista was the main reason for the move.

Additionally, 50 per cent of the respondents said that their companies had considered switching to Linux or MacOS systems rather than a new version of Windows.

"Negative public perception of Vista seems to have helped build this layer of distrust with Windows 7,"

"I don't use Macs. I've never used them. I try not to even eat Apples."

Are you Ballmer?

Apple says the Mac is cool, Microsoft agrees

http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry4251.html#

"
The latest attempt to grab attention by Microsoft has been the Laptop Hunter series, perhaps better known as the Lauren and Giampaolo show. These turn the focus onto the value proposition, showing 'ordinary' users on a budget choosing Windows-based machines every time. The Giampaolo character was pretty obviously chosen for his 'cool' image and to try and rub some of that cool factor off onto the Windows laptop. Indeed, he even admits to being cool enough to buy a sexy Mac, but then goes on to explain why he is savvy enough to choose Microsoft instead.

It has been a long time coming, but Apple PR has at last responded. In a quote given to Business Week one Bill Evans says that "both Apple and Microsoft can agree... everyone thinks the Mac is cool." He goes on to stick the knife in by adding that "A PC is no bargain when it doesn't do what you want."
--------------------------------------------------
These ads could come back to haunt M$. When M$ own advertisements reinforce that "Mac is cool," and windows PC's only advantage is cheap, then their product brand will take a further hit.

E74 and Red Ring of Death: Same But Different

technologizer.com/2009/04/17/e74-and-r/

Now this E74 Xbox360 problem, in a previous link, it was estimated at a 16% return rate. Nobody is much talking about this, not even Joe Wilcox, but this is going cost M$ a lot of money to fix these just like the original RROD. It also should be telling people that the XBox360 is basically only good for maybe 3 years, tops.

Opinion: Microsoft ads continue to defy logic
The takeaway message? Macs are cooler than PCs

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=&articleId=9131714&taxonomyId=&intsrc=kc_feat

"Apple executives must have been giggling like school girls when the ad featuring Lauren De Long debuted. "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person," says Lauren after entering an Apple retail store. Microsoft starts off by saying that Macs are cooler than PCs--regardless of how sarcastic it's meant to be--and no matter what Lauren finds, that point stays with you.

There are a couple of important points the commercials don't bring up: the operating system and the cost of owning the computer. Have you noticed that Microsoft never mentions Vista? It's like the OS doesn't exist anywhere except on the hard drives of poor, unsuspecting consumers. Apple talks about OS X all the time. Have you ever wondered why? Because it works. It's that simple."

Thanks for that BrianZ, but you didnt answer any of my points.
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Quote BrianZ (in respect of MACs) "Why? Because I don't use their products. I have no authority to speak on them."
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So then how can you know that Windows 7 is the best solution? If you havent tried the alternatives then your opinion on 7 may be relevant to the Microsoft product line but youre hardly in a position to claim any advantages over other platforms if you havent used them, or would you consider than unfair?
As you say earlier "I understand different tools for different situations. " well obviously you dont, because you havent experience some of those different tools.
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Moving on, Quote "I happen to know with confidence that the OS will be released this year."
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Yes, I believe around July/August at the latest. Ive made a similar comment at the beginning of the year.
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Quote BrianZ "companies ARE going to migrate eventually, and hopefully Windows 7 gets it right."
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Your right of course companies will migrate, to what they migrate to is the question and (IMO) its not set in stone that it will be a Microsoft product.
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Quote "which is speaking authoratatively about something you probably have no business speaking about. "
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God forbid free speech, IMO the naysayers of the pre-vista age had the same leveled towards them. I wonder how many can dispute those comments now?
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I would class 7 as a SP3+ and IMO a Vista core with optimizations and code fixes that should have been present when they were needed more (i.e in a time when specs were lower and for Vista) It seems to me a case of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted, since now that technology has moved on, Microsoft seem (IMO) to be backtracking and now want to accommodate lower specs on the desktop (or atleast improve the experience on technology that was supposed to be Vista ready at the time)
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Please BrianZ, I would appreciate you answer the points I put politely to you in my previous post.

Businesses will have to spend thousands upon thousands on ram upgrades and maybe hard new drives just to run Windows 7 properly on their XP era machines.

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Or migrate to Linux, do some one time retraining for the Linux migration and save a ton on licensing fees which would pay for the Linux retraining and still have money left over....

"Or migrate to Linux, do some one time retraining for the Linux migration and save a ton on licensing fees which would pay for the Linux retraining and still have money left over...."

One thing you Pro Linux people can't seem to comprehend is that there are many companies with software that only runs on Windows. There is no Linux version. So migration to Linux will never happen. You give Linux away for free - and it's totally useless because the software you use to run your business doesn't run. And forget Wine. According to www.winehq.org "Wine is still under development, and it is not yet suitable for general use." So dream all you want about Linux taking over Windows someday.. it isn't gonna happen.

Quote "One thing you Pro Linux people can't seem to comprehend is that there are many companies with software that only runs on Windows."
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Yes I can, Im caught in the .net (sic) at work. I choose to run Linux at home because in my opinion its far superior.
Let me make this clear (and I have said this many times) I make money from using Microsoft products. I dont dream about Linux taking over, I dream about people making an informed choice as to their system without having to be mislead by some of the pro MS rubbish we see here.
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If Wine really wasnt suitable for general use then Microsoft have real problems (IMO). Its already been reported (and Ive experienced) that Windows binaries are running better through Wine than through native Windows. If Wine is not yet suitable then I dont think that bodes well for MS when it is.
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Quote "You give Linux away for free - and it's totally useless because the software you use to run your business doesn't run."
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It depends what you want to run and if there isnt a better alternative. Off the top of my head, I cant think of anything MS made that I want or need to run at home. I believe many users feel the same.
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If the poor counter argument was not enough to show that the alternatives view could not be understood fully by the MS faithful, its the fact that the MS faithful are blissfully unaware that its not just Linux that is being spoken about and highlighted. FOSS is more than just Linux and users of Windows can experience it with alternatives to MS cashcows. For example OpenOffice.org, afterall Firefox seems pretty popular to the detriment of IE.
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Quote "it isn't gonna happen" - You cant predict that anymore than I can say it will. It doesnt matter in anycase. Just like you cant say "you use to run your business doesn't run" since you havent a clue what everyone here is running at work or at home.
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@BrianZ
Why wont you answer the points put to you?
Was I not polite? I sincerely look forward to your answer.

Wow,, Goblin, this may be a first for you. to admitt that Wime does it better. I have to admitt that I did not trust you. But at least u finally give up the truth.

The truth is, if you have the knowledge, GNU/Linux will run your windows apps and games better than Vi$ta. M$ does not care about you users. And no matter what Andre or Flatfish say, its just not going work.

Wow shillers this must be a first for you - To actually believe anyone would actually think the above post is the real Chips B Malroy. Since Ive been in conversation with chips via email for quite some time and I know exactly where he stands in regards to FOSS.
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One point you have correct though "GNU/Linux will run your windows apps and games better than Vi$ta"
- As long as they are supported in Wine, and you really want to, that is.
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The rest of the imposters remarks make no sense, I would ask what the imposter thinks "not going work" but I really am not interested.
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Good try, first Ive been subject to an imposter here and now Chips, all in one thread. Keep practicing, someone might believe it eventually. Thanks though, it all helps when I can link examples such as this to prove my points.
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Looking forward to Ubuntu 9.04 btw?
http://www.ubuntu.com/

Thomas:
"One thi~1 you Pro Linu~1 peo~1 can't seem to compre~1 is that there are many compa~1 with soft~1 that only runs on Win~1. There is no Linu~2 vers~1. So migra~1 to Linu~3 will nev~1 happ~1. You give Linu~4 away for free - and it's tota~1 usel~1 beca~1 the soft~2 you use to run your busi~1 doesn't run. And forg~1 Wine. Accor~1 to www.winehq.org "Wine is sti~1 under devel~1, and it is not yet suit~1 for gene~1 use." So dream all you want about Linu~5 taki~1 over Wind~2 some~1.. it isn't gonna happ~2."

(This is how it looks when properly formated using advanced MS-OOXML technology. Take that crazy freetards!)

Maybe there can be some Linux ads, you know, something like a 7 yr. kid trying to make his/her sound work and scouring the internet for two days before finally giving up and having daddy/mommy install windows for them.

From their accents, the kids are English, which is a subset of British; like Californian is a subset of American.

Because England contains about 80% - 90% of the the population of the United Kingdom, it's easy to forget or ignore the other British countries (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), but it does annoy us when it happens (I'm a Scot).

Often when Americans - or English people - say English, they should really say British instead. If you consistently use British, rather than English, it's less likely to inadvertently offend. No guarantees, though :-)

"Suddenly, I feel how flat is my personality—as in, gulp, being American."
"Became American, which means clueless, how would I know."

Why is this necessary? Stop apologizing for being American. This doesn't mean you have to be arrogant instead, just don't deliberately insult an entire nation of people, not just once but twice. I came to this article to read about and watch some interesting ads from the UK and end up getting insulted by a fellow American who clearly holds his country-mates in low esteem.

Hey, Chimps, you and that fucking idiot-savant, Marco still getting shill merchandise from Linux these days.

Also are you and Goblin still banging Jess Meats in the ass along with yourselves?

How sh!t guys... so many arguments over a simple ad series??? No need to over analyze the situation.

Microsoft used kids to demonstrate it's OS because it's attempting to show that even they can use it easily. Whether this is true in reality is beside the point, they just need to create the illusion. Simple concept. No kiddie porn, no last ditch marketing attempt.
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Speaking from experience, it is very hard to convert a business that has been using one OS for years to move completely to another OS. Some custom applications specific to the business will need to be converted. Wine is not an option because of support issues. Companies like to have a phone number to dial to get instant support rather than scouring through forum posts looking for an answer.

There also needs to be a business justification to migrate away from an existing OS. "Because it rocks and is so much better" doesn't count as a valid justification. Even when there is one, it would take years for large companies to move over.

The key phrase here is "Don't f*ck with what works".
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BillyBob, you said:
"The point is why spend all that money upgrading from XP to 7? The answer from MS marketing seems to be 'you are going to upgrade anyway'. Nice."

Unfortunately, this is reality. The investment in both time and money involved with migrating from XP to Windows 7 is far less than migrating to another OS.

How about you show me a compelling argument as to why companies should move from Windows to Mac or Linux?

It doesn't seem that BillyBob is advocating upgrading or migrating to a different OS than what MS is offering. It seems that he is simply saying: why upgrade at all? I use all three of the major operating systems, and I dislike Windows the most. It requires more maintenance than OSX or Ubuntu. Although I like Linux and OSX far more than I like Windows, I definitely don't want to see either of them replace Windows as top dog. If that were to happen, then viruses and malware would become more common on the systems I use most. Plus, I like being a techno-snob. We who use Linux (and OSX to some degree) actually understand systems more than the masses who use Windows and believe all of the MS propaganda. Microsoft is the top dog in business, but it doesn't mean they are the best. Windows is somewhat "easy" to use, but it also breaks so often. All you need is one little piece of malicious code that is installed from the email opened by an ignorant user to bring a Windows network to its knees. That is power. Windows has its place in the world. I think the MS pushers on this forum are amusing. I enjoy witnessing their loyalty to MS. A good product needs no defense, because it speaks for itself.

I'm a Mac.