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Microsoft Businesses The Almighty Buck

$100 Million Marketing Push For Vista 406

Posted by Zonk from the everyone-gets-one-for-free? dept.
GecKo213 writes "Microsoft is touting a $100 million marketing campaign promoting Windows Vista and encouraging software developers to build new programs. With the longest gap ever between major releases of Windows operating systems -- the current version, Windows XP, was launched in late 2001 -- Microsoft is facing pressure from its partners and developers to deliver technology that will convince users to upgrade. If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"
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$100 Million Marketing Push For Vista More

$100 Million Marketing Push For Vista

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  • "...what will?" (Score:5, Insightful)

    by The MAZZTer ( 911996 ) <(megazzt) (at) (gmail.com)> on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:19PM (#13582067) Homepage
    If MS will buy me 2gb of RAM and a 256mb video card I might consider.

    • Re:"...what will?" (Score:5, Insightful)

      by aktzin ( 882293 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:25PM (#13582111)
      And don't forget a Microsoft-approved DRM-compatible monitor, whenever they finally become available.

      • Re:"...what will?" (Score:4, Insightful)

        by KillShill ( 877105 ) on Saturday September 17, 2005 @02:06AM (#13583008)
        you can rest some what easy but not much.

        the DRM monitor capability is so you don't "steal" "their" precious HD video on it's way from your computer to your monitor. or should i say their monitor and computer.

        anyway, if you never watch bought HD video... well it'll be more and more difficult in the coming years to avoid it. it won't be a hinderance in the begining... which makes logical sense from their point of view. never trust the customer... err "consumer".

        one wonders... how can apple show HD video without similar DRM on their platform and microsoft can't... i mean it's not like the intel processors and motherboards they'll be using for OSx86 have Insidious Computing inside...

        hey that's a nice slogan for intel.

        Insidious Inside.
    • Yes, if Microsoft personally gave me 100 million dollars then I would switch to Vista, totally turn my back on Linux and all other operating systems and be a poster-boy for everything Microsoft.

      Hell, give me 10,000 bucks and I'd do it. But that's about the lowest I'd accept...anything lower and it just wouldn't be worth it. OH, and also have a provision that I could opt-out after a year.

      I'll wait by my phone now for Microsofts call.
    • "You'll make a grown man cryyyyyy ..."

      • You got me wondering what the Vista them song is going to be.

        I'm assuming it'll be some kind of classic rock tune with a not-so-subtle connection to the OS name, with a chorus like "I can see for miles and miles", "I can see clearly now" or maybe even a cameo of some kind, like Arnie saying "Hasta La Vista Baby" while deleting porno off his Dell.

  • well... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:19PM (#13582068)
    "If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"

    give me hookers and beer for 200$, alex

  • Nothing, really (Score:5, Interesting)

    by autopr0n ( 534291 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:20PM (#13582074) Homepage Journal
    I'm still running win2k as my prefered OS. I'll switch to linux rather then buying a new windows, why get stuck in M$s' upgrade cycle? If I ever get a new computer, it'll probably come with vista, so if I ever get it, it'll be that way.

    • Re:Nothing, really (Score:4, Insightful)

      by pin_gween ( 870994 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:30PM (#13582135)
      No doubt, I wonder what Vi$ta will do to the cost of a new PC.

      They're pretty damn affordable now, but to get all the extra memory and such will be a huge price hike, not to mention the OS itself.

      I shudder to think about it (I also shudder at M$ in general -- Pinky and the Brain always pops into my head -- if only Pinky had an inside job there)
      • The thing is, even all those cheap computers you see, come with only 256 MB of shared ram, and integrated video. This is hardly enough to give you a good experience with windows XP, yet tons of companies sell computers in this configuration. I'm sure the same will happend with vista. They'll be selling a lot of computers that don't have quite enough resources to support the OS, let alone all the other apps people like to run on their computers.

      • Re:Nothing, really (Score:4, Interesting)

        by vought ( 160908 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:02PM (#13582289)
        They're pretty damn affordable now, but to get all the extra memory and such will be a huge price hike, not to mention the OS itself.

        No offense, but aren't you forgetting that memory, MIPs/$, and storage all drop in price over time?

        While I'm certain that Vista will entice a few folks to lay out cash for upgrades (and I won't be one, since I'll still be running 10.4.whatever on this 550MHz/768MB PowerBook G4) you can't compare today's prices for those commodity parts to understand the total cost of upgrading to Vista.

        It's worth noting that this PowerBook was purchased before Windows XP shipped, and aside from the initial RAM bump from 256 to 768MB and a side-grade to a 60GB disk from the original 40GB, it's only gotten faster as subsequent versions of OS X have been released.

        I think the question to be asking about VIsta is: "How will it perform on currently shipping hardware when it is released...and will it get any faster on the same hardware through service packs?"

        • Based on my experience with earlier Windows versions, I'd say it'll run slower on the same hardware with service packs. You can run Windows 2000 on a Pentium 1 as long as you don't patch it (not recommended). Honestly, though, I don't think many people will be assuming that it'll get faster. The vast majority will either sigh and get by with XP or lower (if they don't have money, or buy new computers (if they have money). More of the techical-minded (not all of them, but more than there are now) will switc
        • anyone expecting it to get faster through service packs must have rocks in their head.services pack always (on windows) introduce bloat. besides, what kind of logic is it to buy something which under performs then hope it gets better with service packs.

    • Re:Nothing, really (Score:4, Insightful)

      by nmb3000 ( 741169 ) on Saturday September 17, 2005 @12:48AM (#13582723) Journal
      I'm still running win2k as my prefered OS.

      I still don't understand this mentality. I used to run Win2000 as well and was fairly skeptical when XP came out. It was six months before I installed it on another system I had ("No way I'm going to screw my good Win2000 install with that XPee stuff!").

      I use XP now, and have Vista Beta 1 installed on my laptop. It's not that I've started to love the "M$ upgrade cycle", rather I've discovered that as long as Microsoft stays with the NT kernel and doesn't go changing a lot of core system stuff for the worse, odds are the OS will be better.

      Why do you stay with 2000? If it was simply price, then that's your choice, but if it's not is there something in XP that you found so offensive you didn't want to switch? Here's what I found when I switched to XP: A Win2000 system with improved multimedia ability, an expanded native driver database, and better support for legacy software and games.

      If the eye candy that was added to XP annoys you, you can turn it off. If some newer features like System Restore annoy you, you can turn it off. If other added features like Auto Update annoy you, you can turn it off. Essentially you can make XP just like 2000 except for the added support for the things I listed above. Windows 2000 is technically "Windows NT 5.0". Windows XP is technically "Windows NT 5.1". This (accurately) implies that XP is a minor update to Windows 2000, and also explains the short time between the release of 2000 (1999) and XP (2001). Vista is "Windows NT 6.0" showing a major update.

      I won't switch to Vista right away, but I will install and try it out on a system other than my primary desktop. By the time an MS OS reaches it's first Service Pack, it's a very good bet that the big bugs in the RTM version have been ironed out. Simply upgrading to a newer OS doesn't mean you're somehow stuck in some cycle from then on.

  • Couldn't they spend more than that? (Score:5, Informative)

    by Junky191 ( 549088 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:20PM (#13582075)
    Last I checked they had $40 billion in cash sitting around and are minting a billion in profit free and clear every month. That's just an insane amount of money.
    • That's just an insane amount of money.

      I agree, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising when you are cutting salaries is stupid. They have their reasons, however and you will get your wish. Vista will be promoted as much or more than XP, which was hyped bigger than 98, which was hyped bigger ... you get the picture.

      Microsoft traditionally spends as much money as needed to keep the Wintel rags running and good press in general. The Wintel rags are where the clueless decide what crappy for

    • Considering (from the article) that Microsoft brings in "over $33 billion in yearly revenue" from both Office and Windows combined, $100 million seems like pocket change of an investment.

    • 1/10 the budget of XP (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Dascen ( 19119 )
      This appears to be 1/10th the marketing budget on windows XP: http://amo.net/NT/06-27-01WinXP.html [amo.net] $1 Billion but actually it looks like Microsoft itself only put up $200 Million... so thats puts windows vista at half the marketing budget of XP...
    • Why bother. It's going to be shoved down the throats of everybody who buys a PC anyway.

      I don't know why they spend even one dollar on advertising really.

  • Keep the money. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:21PM (#13582078)
    Lower the price.
    • Seriously, lower the price. When OSX is priced at $~130, I grudgingly purchased it. (Ok, afterwards I fell in love but that's not the point.)

      When XP pro is priced at $150, it was painful for me to purchase. I didn't bother purchasing another copy for my extra boxes, either looked for some crack, or pirated copy or whatever. Otherwise I just installed a flavor of Linux.

      If Vista is priced at $99, I would surely purchase one for my gaming machine. For a Pro version. Not some bs crippled Home(TM) garbage.*

      • dude, buy almost anything from newegg.com (or similar) and you can get an OEM XP for $50.
      • Not some bs crippled Home(TM) garbage

        All versions of Vista will be crippled -- by DRM. In order to play DRMd media, it will only play through the Protected Media Path (PiMP).

        XP is the last version of Windows I will personally own, or will support for friends and family (work, however, will continue to be work, whatever it is.) I have no personal need for any of the supposed "features" that would be inflicted on me by Vista.

  • That about, 1 maybe 2 laser satellites to take the world hostage

  • My Price... (Score:5, Funny)

    by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:21PM (#13582086) Homepage
    If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?

    Actually, $100 Million would be enough to convince me to switch to Vista.

    Unfortunately, I presume that the whole $100 Million won't be available to just me.

    myke

  • my shoes still fit (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Turn-X Alphonse ( 789240 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:22PM (#13582090) Journal
    I won't buy another pair of shoes untill they get a hole or don't fit any more.

    My OS is just fine and still does it's job. Why would I buy another no matter how much marketing they throw at me?

    Plus this is MS marketing. Every geek who ever saw a TV advert from MS thought "LIES!" within seconds of a word being spoken.

    • Re:my shoes still fit (Score:5, Funny)

      by jrockway ( 229604 ) * <jon-nospam@jrock.us> on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:26PM (#13582117) Homepage Journal
      > I won't buy another pair of shoes untill they get a hole

      MS is one step ahead of you. They ship brand new OSes with lots of holes in them.

      • This is what really annoys me about MS. They finally get around to patching most of the bugs in their previous release, and then put out a new version with even more holes. And, just when almost everything is working perfectly, the discontinue support, and you have to use the buggy OS, or worry about having an OS that will never be patched. This is why Linux makes so much more sense to me. I can upgrade any part of the system, in tiny little pieces, I don't have to upgrade the entire operating system t
        • What I find especially interesting is that Microsoft, one of the largest companies in the world with lots and lots of resources, keeps "accidentally" inserting security holes into their projects. In the Win98 days, they told us to upgrade to ME "for security reasons". Then we had to upgrade to 2000 for the same reason. Then XP. Then SP2. Now Vista.

          I've been using the same mail server without even a point upgrade since 1998. Does Microsoft not have the resources to hire people that can write secure sof
    • Plus this is MS marketing. Every geek who ever saw a TV advert from MS thought "LIES!" within seconds of a word being spoken.

      No one wastes prime time advertising dollars marketing to Geeks.

  • Marketing diversion... (Score:3, Funny)

    by lexsco ( 594799 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:22PM (#13582092)
    In the next version of Office -- code-named Office 12

    You'd think that with $100 Million they could have come up with a better code name!

  • If he went on the road for the six months leading up to the launch doing his showpiece "monkey dance" at each event, followed by the "developers developers developers" song as the encore, and maybe a demonstration of his chair hurling technique, I might throw him a few bucks few bucks... Along with rotten tomatos, cabbages and anything else I could lay my hands on...

  • they don't need... (Score:5, Funny)

    by ltwally ( 313043 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:26PM (#13582119) Homepage Journal
    They don't to spend $100,000,000 to get me on board.... I've already disabled all my antivirus and antispyware, and my computer is still too fast for my software.

    Leave it to MS to give me an excuse to upgrade... they've succeeded where countless other viruses and worms have not!

  • As soon as games require it. (Score:5, Informative)

    by Frogbert ( 589961 ) <frogbert@gmail . c om> on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:27PM (#13582120)
    As soon as games require it I'll be switching, I held off on Windows 95 until I got Diablo. I'm personally quite happy with XP and until I'm required to change so I can play my games I'll be sticking with it.
    • But why would you spend so much on an operating system, when, for the same amount, you can buy an entire console. I hear the N Revo is going to be awesome, and cheap.

  • The Sad Part (Score:3, Insightful)

    by VonSkippy ( 892467 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:27PM (#13582121) Homepage
    The Sad Part is how much of that 100 million they'll spend on licensing some lame ass theme song from somebody Bill and/or Steve thinks are still "cool" (I predict something c'mon c'mon-ish).

  • Easy... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Pharmboy ( 216950 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:27PM (#13582123) Journal
    If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"

    No DRM, no trying to control my computer, faster reboots and fewer reasons to need to. More control with less complications. Interoperability. Open standards. The ability to use software my way.

    Shit, I just described Linux. Never mind.
  • Did you see the specs? Most people won't be "upgrading"... they will be buying new computers with it preloaded.

    IMHO it would do more for them to "donate" $100Mil to Dell, IBM, and HP.

    Not to many people meet the specs for that bloated piece of junk.
    • > Most people won't be "upgrading"... they will be buying new computers with it preloaded.

      That's true of every OS ever sold.

      > MHO it would do more for them to "donate" $100Mil to Dell, IBM, and HP.

      If you read the article, the $100M is going to software developers, to encourage the addition of Vista-specific features. Particuarlly, the move from GDI to Avalon is a big recode that most vendors would probably rather avoid.

  • Upgrading isn't that important (Score:5, Insightful)

    by 3770 ( 560838 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:32PM (#13582140) Homepage

    How long do you normally keep a computer before you get a new one?

    What OS do you think will be on a computer that you buy two years from now?
  • I can confidently assure Bill Gates and his colleagues that the M$ corporation will have difficult time getting any penny from me this time round. With the impending release of KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.0 coming up fine, I really see no need for M$.

    And ohh the KDE guys have done it again. We now have "klik" http://dot.kde.org/1126867980/ [kde.org] that promises to simplify package installation on Linux systems. I have my dissatisfactions though. The biggest are:

    the ugly default Linux desktop in most distros,

    the ugly fon

    • Your tastes and colors of choice are none of my buisness, but when it comes to fonts, I find Linux really up to the job ; not that the base package shines, but you have very decent fonts among it (URW ones are very good), and more important, linux is very flexible if not user friendly because you can deal with TT fonts, T1 fonts, bitmap fonts, and latex fonts at the same time. To produce high quality printed documents, I really can't do without linux today ; the default choice of times in word in comparison
  • If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"

    How about:

    *New Communications services
    *Better File Search Abilities
    *A Better Disk File System
    *No New DRM
    *Improved security for the system and internet applications, to protect me from Spyware and Virues.
    *and System Requir

  • What Will It Take? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ewhac ( 5844 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @10:38PM (#13582164) Homepage Journal
    If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?

    Let's see:

    • No copy protection ("DRM") facilities or support anywhere,
    • ext2 filesystem compatibility, so I can read all my Linux files,
    • Publish NTFS specifications, so I can read/write NTFS under Linux during the transition,
    • Dump CRLF newlines, convert entirely to LF,
    • The file's type becomes true metadata, and is not embedded in the filename,
    • Make OpenGL the low-level rendering model for the entire system,
    • Deprecate DirectX,
    • Fix Kerberos implementation,
    • Make IE severable from the system,
    • Make Windows Media severable from the system,
    • Do not put Windows Messenger in the system tray by default,
    • Add a "force uninstall" tool to purge botched device driver installations from my machine,
    • Drop about $50 million on the EFF.

    And that's just off the top of my head.

    Schwab

    • Okay, a couple of replies:
      Dump CRLF newlines, convert entirely to LF,
      Unless you are a diehard fan of notepad.exe this really isn't related to Microsoft. I've never had any problems with transfer text files between Windows and Linux and editing them in emacs.

      The file's type becomes true metadata, and is not embedded in the filename,
      Okay, this is a nice thought and everything, but it's a really bad idea. Having a file extension on a file is the only cross platform compatible way of designating that file type
    • ---- No copy protection ("DRM") facilities or support anywhere,

      Support for base encryption and user-servicable encrption plugin system available for any service/program. Includes filters to install/remove DRM on any protected file in which you own the keys. Banning any technology is where we get into this mess, so we allow it for everyone and every program.

      ---- ext2 filesystem compatibility, so I can read all my Linux files,

      Publish free specs on how to make file system drivers. Current specs to make Windo
    • I always wondered why programs like Notepad, Hyperterminal and Solitaire weren't just regularly installed apps. Essentially they have never been updated, as have a few dozen other utilities in Windows(which isn't a problem, if it works don't break it). Why not just pull the intregrated/special case from Notepad(to get rid of it you have to go into the Windows Components are in Add/Remove Programs) and just make it a standalone app. Give it a version number. Let it evolve over time, even if you include it by
  • A large man wielding a halbard?
  • If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"
    Why, prey tell, would the amount of money that MSFT spends on its ad campaign make me want to use their products? I *did* switched from Windows 3.1 during the infamous and obscene Windows 95 ad bombardment, but that switch was to Linux where I've stayed ever since.
  • MSFT will sell NO copies of Vista.

    Since MSFT will sell LOTS of Vista, what does this mean?

    Maybe Slashdot posters are NOT the target audience?

    • Maybe Slashdot posters are NOT the target audience?

      Of course Slashdot posters are not the target audience. We know enough about computers to know Window's Vista is of the garbage dump. It does make you wonder though; Who is the target? Concidering most people will have to buy a new computer just to support the minimum specs, why advertise? It's been a long time since I've seen an Apple computer ad. I've never seen a Linux ad. I'd say they are competing with themselves (Windows XP), but as I said, you need
  • >> If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?

    How about an OS that isn't bloated, doesn't have a minimum requirement of 1GB or RAM, is fast, separates user-space from system space, has better security than XP, and is free? then I'd switch...
    oh wait...
    That's Linux, and I already have.
  • If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?

    How about a OS that isn't a big steaming pile of dog crap packaged in an optical disc format?
  • All the joking is nice, but _how_ will they be spending this money? Will it be all magazine/tv/whatever advertising? Sotfware donations to universities (doesn't really count, but whatever)? How does a regular programmer get some of it thrown his way? (not that I'm too interested.. I imagine the strings attached would be too much for the general open source crowd).

  • $100 Million is peanuts (Score:3, Interesting)

    by craXORjack ( 726120 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:09PM (#13582327)
    That's about enough to print up twenty million marketing CD's with a powerpoint presentation on it and send it to the millions of possible developers. They should save the money and just give us each 5 bucks. Of course that would only buy me a cup of coffee but in the countries where most software development is going on you might buy the coffee plus still have enough left over to buy a pirated copy of XP.

  • Here's one developer leaving (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Psionicist ( 561330 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:13PM (#13582344)

    First of all I am neither a Microsoft Troll or a Linux Zealot. I like both OS:es. That said, I am a windows developer, that is I create end user applications for Windows. I used to be very proud of this because lots of people enjoy my programs including non-technical users. Combined with windows being a pretty thoroughly documented OS (in the "how do I do"-sense, not in the "how does it work"-sense) and Visual Studio being a very good IDE and compiler, creating user mode apps for Windows was pretty fun and motivating.

    That said, I have abandoned M$ forever and installed Ubuntu. I hate Vista as much as the other guy, but the DRM and all that was not the reason I changed platform (I used Windows 2000, and when Vista was released I would probably have changed to XP). The reason... is because Microsoft obviously don't care a thing about individual developers not working for huge corporations. This only becomes obvious when you have developed Windows applications for a while, unfortunately.

    Windows is a very defined OS. Microsoft have thought about pretty much every possible way a developer can screw up the OS or use it in ways "not intended", and tucked away anything remotely advanced in kernel mode. This is partially good because all the sucky shareware you can download on FREE (as in punch-the-monkey) websites can not destroy your system completely. This is a typical large corporation, no hackers, everyone is equally bad-mentality (both Paul Graham and Joel on Software have essays about this).

    A "safe" userland is a good idea you may think. The trick is... If you want to develop windows drivers / applications in kernel mode... You have to _pay_ Microsoft for the documentation. The Driver Development Kit costs about $100. It's true.

    Microsoft want me to pay them to write applications to their OS.

    Yet another unacceptable thing from M$. If anything, they should pay me (yeah, this is stupid, but not as stupid). I will now concentrate on userland applications for Linux instead. No one can screw me over now! :-)

  • Feh. (Score:3, Funny)

    by ErikZ ( 55491 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:19PM (#13582365)
    "If $100 Million dollars won't make you want to switch to Vista, what will?"

    A job.

  • Appliance Computing Might.... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Proudrooster ( 580120 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:23PM (#13582385) Homepage
    If Vista can turn my PC into an appliance and get it to power-up and come to life as fast as the television then I might be tempted. If Vista could increase the speed of my Internet connection or possibly reduce the price of ink for my photoprinter. If Vista could help me communicate with the computer faster, possibly not require a keyboard or mouse. If Vista could keep my dad from getting every known virus and worm on his computer and reduce my tech support calls. If Vista could make my PC run quieter, use less electricity and produce less heat.

    Unfortunately, all Vista is going to do is slooooow everything down to a crawl (yet again) to try and push new HW sales. Once everything is slooowed down, I am sure Vista will then try to lock the PC down by secretly encrypting all MP3's and disabling iTunes. Right now, Win2K and Linux are fine with me. Both run great on old HW with lots of RAM. I wonder how many developers will flock to Vista? Maybe MS should just write checks payable directly to application developers instead of spending it on advertising.

    I wonder if Vista will help with the dupe posts on Slashdot? That might be worth it! :)

  • Microsoft's 419? (Score:5, Funny)

    by HackingYodel ( 847061 ) on Friday September 16, 2005 @11:27PM (#13582398) Homepage
    Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2005 05:22:11 +0200
    From: STEVEB [steveb@microsoft.com]
    Subject: DEAR FREIND I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE


    Dear Freind,

    I am a personal assitant to Bill Gates the Richest man in World and owner of the following companies: Chairman CEO:MICROSOFT (The Largest Software Company)

    SOURCE OF FUNDS:
    I have a profiling amount in an excess of US$100.5M, which I seek your Partnership in accommodating for me. You will be rewarded with 4% of The total sum for your partnership. Can you be my partner on this?
    INTRODUCTION OF MY SELF As a personal consultant to him, authority Was handed over to me in transfer of money of an American politician For his last deal with my boss Bill Gates.

    Already the funds have left the shore of Redmon to an European private Bank where the final crediting is expected to be carried out.While I was on the process, My Boss....


    Just switch operating systems on computer and monies will be yours.

    PLEASE REACH ME THROUGH MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL BOX:(balmerbaby@gmail.com) Thank you very much Regards Steve B.
  • Developers! Developers! Developers....!
  • I don't think that $100 million is quite enough to advertise a product that has almost no new features...
  • With $100m, you'd think they could have a website that shows me why its different from windows XP in clear concise bullet/check list.

    The current site says a lot without really saying anything... 'Its faster, better, more concise!', but how, why, what's -really- different? Optimized code? Complete rewrite?

    The last beta of Windows Vista I peeked at (Still Longhorn then), it looked indistinguishable from Windows XP.

    Is it worth my money? Why would I really want to upgrade?
  • And I'll think about it...if the reviews are good and it isn't the "train wreck" Thurrott said it will be. Even if I used Windows more than I do, I see no truly compelling reason yet why anyone would want to upgrade from XP.

    But for now, I'm happy with XP SP2 for Windows and DOS games (well, at least the ones that will run on XP -- I have to use 98 for some, still) and Tiger for everything serious.
  • A powerful commandline and scripting language ala Bash. Gotta love those scripts that automate everything.

    But I heard MSFT took that out. :-\

  • Wait - in proper english isn't it:

    A new vista out your window?

    Yes, I'd like that. Could mine over look the ocean? Some pine trees near by would be nice as well.

  • WinFS (Score:3, Interesting)

    by petrus4 ( 213815 ) on Saturday September 17, 2005 @01:30AM (#13582887) Homepage Journal
    WinFS is about the only thing I would have liked to see in Vista. I've been waiting for that probably almost as long as Bill himself has.

    Very little else that I've heard has excited me, though. The 3d additions to the user interface haven't sounded like much more than an excuse to force hardware upgrades.

    As someone else said, a decent CLI and scripting language would have been really good, but it's probably true that those of us who want such things are a minority; from Microsoft's perspective, they wouldn't have to care about us.

    It's a shame they feel like that, though...because although it might seem to them as though they'll make more money from the home users, the corporate trench coders are probably the people who'll spend the most time using it...so you'd think that they should get some sort of input as to its features.

  • Why not (Score:3, Funny)

    by Facekhan ( 445017 ) on Saturday September 17, 2005 @01:49AM (#13582950)
    Why not just give out the first million copies for free instead. That will at least build a user base.

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