Current mood:	disappointed
Entry tags:	bloated technology, windows mojave, windows vista

Microsoft swings and... misses?
Microsoft has decided to get on the offensive with Windows Vista (just a little too late, IMO) and so they've decided on a new public campaign... aimed at 40+ somethings?

On one end, they've decided that in order to pitch Microsoft's name brand out to the masses they've decided on... Jerry Seinfeld?  Maybe 10 years ago he would have appealed to the demographic they're looking to impress... but spending, like $10 Million on just Jerry in a $40 Million dollar on a comedian who's at the end of his usefulness. 
Plus, the commercials they're airing now have NOTHING to do with any product Microsoft offers.  In addition, the entire commercial is Fiction... nothing in it is being truthful!  What does that say about whatever we're supposed to believe from whatever else transpires from the rest of this campaign?
Seriously, how else can you show how Microsoft and Apple are so different from one another?  Apple uses a trendy, hip character in a sleek campaign that has been pretty successful for their brand for several years now.  Microsoft decides to fight back with... an aging comedian who appeals to an older demographic with no straight-forward punch back at the "competition" or even encourage consumers to use/buy their products?   ... instead they went "Hey, Apple uses comedy to poke fun at us.  Comedy must work!  Who's the most expensive comedian we can get?  Jerry? Oh! I know who he is!  Let's get him!  .... who cares that we aren't going to address the problem here, let's throw money around and hope some of it sticks!"  

Now... the "Mojave Experiment" line of commercials and such are also missing the point.   If you don't know about it, Microsoft showed off an "experimental OS" called "Windows Mojave" and when people Ooohed and Ahhed over it, they told them that it was actually just Windows Vista.  Unfortunately, this still doesn't address the problems I have and others had with Vista.  It's not about the eye-candy, or how it works properly on a machine designed to run it.  The problem was that Software and Hardware made before it was not supported by the new OS, and that there were networking and other problems when dealing with other computers with older Operating Systems.   I just wonder how long it'll take for folks to mock these commercials with people being shown "Mojave" and then trying to install their old printer, or a copy of a program they need for work, but no longer installs or functions correctly on Vista. 
Maybe it will aleviate the fear some folks have, and maybe there's enough updates and software/hardware out there that functions seamlessly these days... but for folks who still rely on certian functionality among networks and with software/devices, Vista just isn't going to cut it.

And then again, maybe Microsoft isn't worried about 12-35 year old demographics.   Maybe they feel secure with their 90% share of the market and are hoping to soothe the "home maker and retiree" demographic.  Heh.  

Mind you, I'm a minimalist when it comes to computers and items.  I prefer functionality over eye-candy when it comes to things like computers, programs and devices.
• My computer tower is a sleek black tower that came with a god-awful blue LED in the front that I have to cover with tape.
• I run Windows XP in the Windows 2000 setting because I like the functionality at my fingertips without having to go through menus to get to what I want... and when I do have to go to a menu, everything is right there.  It doesn't try to think for me, or go through steps to tell it what I want. 
• I use Trillian for all of my IM Messengers not only because it's just one program, but because I've been able to turn everything off and find a minimalistic skin (called Micro).  I turn all of the sounds off, I don't need flashy things jumping around, or annoying games playing in the background... I just want to click on a name (one of several hundred on the list, which is why small letters with as few crappy things on top and bottom are nessecary) and get a window that I can type in.
• I use a Motorola i850 cell phone, but I miss my i60c... with its monochromatic screen because it functioned better as a cell phone.  That's right... I want a cell phone who's main objective is to function as a cell phone.  I don't text, I don't send photos or movies, I don't play games, I don't listen to MP3s... I want a cell phone that is designed to be a phone.  I've noticed that no phone since my i60c gets as good of reception.  Why don't cell phone makers focus on reception of their phones rather than the gimicks?  Because "it gets reception better" isn't sexy. :(

I guess what I'm getting at is that I prefer functionality over eye-candy.  If the eye-candy doesn't take away from the functionality, then I guess I'm okay with it... but keep the focus people!  ... but maybe I'm a dying breed.  Maybe I'm one of the last who doesn't like the un-nessecary bloating of technology that takes away from the simple function of the device.  *sighs*
If Vista not only works with programs and hardware that I need/use, and I can make it work/feel like Windows 2000 (at least on the surface) , then I'm willing to accept it.

</useless rant>