It looks like 2007 is no repeat of 1995. The last time Microsoft got crowds to line up at midnight for a badly faked Mac OS called “Windows 95,” there was no widespread use of the Internet, no YouTube, and no blogsphere with which to contend. Microsoft’s still trying to sell their derivative wares the old way with glitzy parties, goodie bags for “journalists,” network TV interviews, and massive mainstream media buys, but it doesn’t seem to be working very well in 2007. Too many independent sources of information that can’t be corralled, perhaps?
“At a CompUSA store in Raleigh, only about a dozen people waited around to be among the first to get Vista. The store reopened at 10 p.m., offering customers coffee and discounts on other items including printers and recordable DVDs, and planned to stay open until at least 2 a.m,” Elizabeth Dunbar reports for The Associated Press.
Dunbar reports, “Mike Johnson, 29, of nearby Rolesville, bought a laptop computer with the new software preinstalled. ‘The biggest reason for me is the new interface. It looks so much better than XP,’ he said. ‘Apple computers have had nice graphical interfaces for some time. But it’s the first time Windows has even approached that level.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Obviously, some delusional souls do remain.
Dunbar continues, “In Cleveland’s suburb of Brooklyn, Ohio, about 300 people braved 20 degree weather for a midnight celebration at Best Buy, which arranged free hot dogs and autographs from former Cleveland Browns player Bob Golic. About 35 Vista packages were sold just after midnight.”
MacDailyNews Take: 260 for Golic, 5 for the free meat darts, and 35 people who are just fine with settling for what they think is “good enough.”
Dunbar continues, “DSG International PLC’s flagship PC World store in central London opened before dawn Tuesday with costumed characters, including Sherlock Holmes to signify security and Marilyn Monroe to emphasize multimedia. Some three dozen enthusiasts were waiting outside the store when it opened.”
MacDailyNews Take: 36 enthusiasts in central London? Wow.
Full article here.
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Maybe they were returning Zunes.
this is the second article i’ve seen of it’s kind…no surprise there…
LOL, I thought that was the actual BusinessWeek headline.
That would’ve been, like, hilario.
“What’s Vista security like Holmes?”
“Elementary, my dear Watson. Elementary.”
LOL @ R. I couldn’t agree more.
the REAL power of the internet
Damn, the media will really be shocked when they see the crowds at local Apple Stores when Leopard is released. So they had 36 people in line for Vista in London huh? They’ll have at least 20 times more people than that at Apple’s Regent Street store when Leopard goes on sale.
I was at the local CompUSA store this morning when it opened to buy me self a joystick.
Heck, no line, nothing. The store had huge displayes of Vista and Office 2007 everywhere, but no one was buying them. What a dud.
Well, the joystick was sold out!
I’ve got a new band name!
Windows Vista. The yawn starts now.
They should give away free beer,,,,then more people would buy it. Turds look real good when you are half-pissed.
Yes, pick up security from the 1800’s, and sexy from the 1960’s, and there you have Vista.
The CompUSA guy, Didier, says that they’ll sell more on a Friday and weekend than on a Monday midnight and Tuesday.
If that’s the case, and given that this was the consumer launch not the business launch, why didn’t MS launch it at Friday midnight – it would’ve created a bit more buzz.
No consumer could care less about all those interviews in fancy ballrooms (which they could’ve done on a Friday morning). What this shows is that even this consumer launch is geared to businesses, or MS is just plain incompetent.
kirkgray,
that was funny and clever!
The whole thing is an absolute mess, isn’t it?
Even MS nerds aren’t impressed.
Things are really looking up for Apple!
Sherlock Holmes, Marilyn Monroe. What? noone in a hamburglar costume?
Back in 1995, Windows 95 worked with most existing systems and it was a significant upgrade from Windows 3.1 (or the MSDOS command line). And Macs really were more expensive back then. Since the Internet was not nearly as big as it is today, software compatibility was very important. So despite Windows 95 being a bad copy of the Mac OS, it was more than “good enough” for most computer users. It’s no wonder people lined up to buy it.
Microsoft has never duplicated such enthusiasm again, because each new release of Windows has just been a refinement of Windows 95. This Windows Vista launch may be the biggest Microsoft non-event ever.
Characters? Obviously Tiger is a tiger, but with Vista’s new logo….does that signify it is inside of a bubble? So Tiger vs. Bubble boy? Now that would be an interesting costume charecter fight…..
the release date for windows95 was on a thursday.. just thought that might interest some of you.
I was thinkin’ since technological change is supposed to happen exponentially, does that mean, say in 6 years the home market will be reversed for Mac and MS?
Also, is it just me, or doesn’t seem like technological advancements have slowed in the past 30 or so years? think of the amazingg changes that occurred from the late 1800’s up to the 1960’s. Outside of computer power increasing, the internet, and finally some better monitor technology, there hasn’t been much change. Cars get shit for gas mileage, no personal flying cars, still way dependent on fossil fuels, etc. In my view it’s a conspiracy sponsored by corporations who instigate ‘artificial scarcity’. Where are today’s Tesla’s and Buckminster Fuller’s? Probably shot or poisoned.
Pardon the rant…. where are my meds, dammit!
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No only does MDN slam Vista, they also slam Win 95 and the fools who lined up for it. I’ve waited 12 years for this headline!
Thx, MDN!
I’ll buy Leopard the very day it’s released (via the net), but to be fair, does anyone line up at midnight to buy OS X? Line up for a store opening-absolutely!!, but line up to buy a new 10.X release of OS X? I don’t think so.
Microsoft: your pig, our lipstick.
Vista: now the pig has lipstick and matching eye shadow
Vista: The apathy starts now.
Vista: The “Wow” starts once you’ve decided which edition of Vista is appropriate for you, then established whether you need to upgrade your existing machine or need to buy a new system from scratch. Assuming the former, you may have to undergo an installation routine that makes trial by ordeal seem like a positive option. Following a successful activation (which will only happen a few times, if you need to reinstall), your “Wow” might then begin assuming your programs and utilities all work including any anti-virus or security software.
36 people lined up just before the flagship PCW store opens for a special Vista launch event ?
I’ve walked along Regent Street on an ordinary morning and seen that many people lined up outside, waiting for Apple’s store to open.
here’s a refresher on Tiger’s release… http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,120672-page,1/article.html
Go to the BusinessWeek page – there is the “Surgery” episode of the “Get a Mac” ad series playing on the side.
Priceless!