So Microsoft is already leaking (well, marketing) video of Windows 8. You can see such preview here.
In terms of PR I've got mixed feelings on this one.
On the con side:
I think the interface looks like utter crap. At certain times it looks ok (like when they are sliding to the weather view), but overall I just don't like all the boxes and various colors and general sense of information overload.
But it's hard to say they've done a bad PR job just because I don't like what I'm seeing in the product.
On the pro side:
- Very smart putting a video by some rank-and-file Microsoft person. The last thing I want to see is Balmer or Gates promoting another OS.
- Very smart giving a walk-through of the product instead of some super flashy marketing video with tons of glitz and music (which can be a good thing, just not in this case). No one trusts MSFT anymore when it comes to operating systems (not after Vista) so don't try to 'hype' something, instead just give the straight goods (and nothing does that better than a simple walk-through).
- Very smart doing the video in an office / R&D type setting. People don't care about launch events like they use to. What they like is the notion of smart, innovative people (note: people NOT corporations) breaking the mold. They also are more open to buying something from a group of such people. No one gets excited that Balmer has something new to sell us (yay- another billionaire asking me to buy his product - I'm being sarcastic btw). Show us the face of the rank-and-file though and suddenly we're buying something not from a mega-corporation, but from every-day-folks like ourselves.
So overall, thumbs up to the PR folks in creating this video. It's exactly the right thing to do in generating grassroots interest in Windows 8.
Having said all that though, I still think the product looks ugly and I have no interest in it. But my opinion doesn't count for much given I actually liked Vista. I'm using Windows 7 and I liked Vista a lot more (Windows 7 imposes too much on you and removes access to simple processes that I've come to enjoy - the start menu for instance is crap in my opinion).
I should also mention that WIndows 8 supports the notion I've talked a lot about, which is that companies are in replacement cycles not innovation cycles. It's clear that windows 8 doesn't actually DO anything different than any of the other OS. Sure, it looks different (and you can swipe between screens with your fingers), but it doesn't do anything different (at least not anything that you couldn't do on your previous operation systems).
Windows 8 looks more like a mobile or tablet OS than a PC OS and perhaps that's why I don't like it.
Good luck to the MSFT PR folks though, they are doing the right thing in publicizing the OS. They didn't make it, so all they can do is market it using tactics that will get people to stop and take a moment to learn about the product.
In terms of PR I've got mixed feelings on this one.
On the con side:
I think the interface looks like utter crap. At certain times it looks ok (like when they are sliding to the weather view), but overall I just don't like all the boxes and various colors and general sense of information overload.
But it's hard to say they've done a bad PR job just because I don't like what I'm seeing in the product.
On the pro side:
- Very smart putting a video by some rank-and-file Microsoft person. The last thing I want to see is Balmer or Gates promoting another OS.
- Very smart giving a walk-through of the product instead of some super flashy marketing video with tons of glitz and music (which can be a good thing, just not in this case). No one trusts MSFT anymore when it comes to operating systems (not after Vista) so don't try to 'hype' something, instead just give the straight goods (and nothing does that better than a simple walk-through).
- Very smart doing the video in an office / R&D type setting. People don't care about launch events like they use to. What they like is the notion of smart, innovative people (note: people NOT corporations) breaking the mold. They also are more open to buying something from a group of such people. No one gets excited that Balmer has something new to sell us (yay- another billionaire asking me to buy his product - I'm being sarcastic btw). Show us the face of the rank-and-file though and suddenly we're buying something not from a mega-corporation, but from every-day-folks like ourselves.
So overall, thumbs up to the PR folks in creating this video. It's exactly the right thing to do in generating grassroots interest in Windows 8.
Having said all that though, I still think the product looks ugly and I have no interest in it. But my opinion doesn't count for much given I actually liked Vista. I'm using Windows 7 and I liked Vista a lot more (Windows 7 imposes too much on you and removes access to simple processes that I've come to enjoy - the start menu for instance is crap in my opinion).
I should also mention that WIndows 8 supports the notion I've talked a lot about, which is that companies are in replacement cycles not innovation cycles. It's clear that windows 8 doesn't actually DO anything different than any of the other OS. Sure, it looks different (and you can swipe between screens with your fingers), but it doesn't do anything different (at least not anything that you couldn't do on your previous operation systems).
Windows 8 looks more like a mobile or tablet OS than a PC OS and perhaps that's why I don't like it.
Good luck to the MSFT PR folks though, they are doing the right thing in publicizing the OS. They didn't make it, so all they can do is market it using tactics that will get people to stop and take a moment to learn about the product.
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