“Microsoft has announced plans to peddle Windows 7 desktop space to advertisers, who’ll create Windows UI themes–customized backgrounds, audio clips, and other elements–that highlight their brand,” Bertolucci reports.
These things “won’t be foisted on unsuspecting users. Rather, you’ll have to download and install the ad pitch yourself. As a result, I doubt many Windows 7 users will gripe about ad themes,” Bertolucci reports. “Hey, if you’re a Preparation H fan, why not devote the desktop to your favorite ointment?”
“Microsoft may have refuted the claims of its blabbermouth employee who told a British publication that Windows 7 cribbed its sleek appearance from Mac OS X. (Bad career move there.) But any casual observer can tell that Windows has borrowed more than a few UI concepts from Apple over the years,” Bertolucci writes. “I don’t see why things would change now. [However] if Microsoft truly wants a Mac-like experience for Windows 7 users, it should lock down the desktop.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take:
Direct link via YouTube here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “HMCIV” for the heads up.]
Stevo tells it like it is!
I’m not sure what is new here. Desktops being used to promote a brand are not new. And if I want to use a Ducati image for my desktop, I am essentially advertising for that brand. I read the article, but didn’t grasp anything different from the status quo.
@ Spark:
That’s the point. All these years later, it’s still true of MS.
No culture, no originality, nothing that makes your PC feel/act like a Ducati.
No passion.
If you can’t get that, well, sorry.
Steve did and does.
Apple did and does.
I did and do.
You…
Funny how old clips like this are still so relevant.
I’ll give E for effort to Microsoft, but that’s still one grade above F.
There’s an Ad for that! LMFASROTF!
While PC users might no knowingly download something that would change their desktop into an advertising board, PC makers are probably licking their chops at this new way to make money.
Thus, if you like all the craplets that come pre-installed on your new PC, then you will love having your desktop turned into a constantly changing advertising sign.
As the Mac Geeks say:
“Succinctlyness is next to Stevelyness.”
Sleek appearance? Windows 7? This I gotta see!
Someone should make an Apple-centric advertisement desktop space for Windows.
I think this is being over hyped. From what I can see it’s just a background image and a sound effect or two. I just installed the gears of war 2 set and that’s all it was.
Nothing new, just that since microsoft is offering it as an official set that they get paid for it as ad space or some shit.
They’ve just found a way to make money of background images lol. Sad really.
I’ve had “ads” as wallpaper for years now. Mostly for Apple products, or certain cars, or … but none I paid for. None that anyone else paid someone if I downloaded it. Sure, someone paid to create it or have it created, but that was about it.
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If MSFT is making a marginal profit off this, that’s just “cheap”. Come ON, guys. You make Billion$, do you really need another Million or two in Gross? A few tens of thousands in Net? Seriously?
Apple’s market share must have them worried!
Hello! Apple, Inc. applied for a patent for a method of delivery of advertising content through an OS.
Everybody is looking for a way to make more MONEY.
When it comes to the bottom line, even Stevie is capable of gross tastelessness.
Video doesn’t work on iPhone! 🙁
Ah. The real innovation of MS: monetization of everything!
I can see NASCAR, the NFL, and every OTHER Joe Sixpack sports league going for this in a big way – and CHARGING you for the privilege.
Automakers too. Beyond that, what other brands might engender that level of loyalty.
The Preparation H quip was the author being facetious. (I sure hope it was!)
As far as tasteless, have you seen the desktop patterns that ship with Vista7? Those that aren’t pale imitations of Apple’s nature scenes look like 1960s era Peter Max on a bad acid trip crossed with awful anime/manga/whatever. But no snow leopards. (an my sincere apologies to Mr. Max.)
prep H?
if you use windows you might want to consider K-Y….
Whatever Microcrap does all they’re using this sentence from Apple: Redmond, start your photocopiers. It seems that they just have no taste of Apple’s innovations.
Keep on the good work Microcrap. Keep on copying Apple till your death or I should said Funeral. I wonder how long does Microcrap will last. Probably till death.
@shen
K-Y ads with Preparation-H tie-ins.
Does ANYone find this kind of thing surprising coming from the Promo Wizards of Redmond?
Classless.
Tell us how you really feel Steve.
“…for the most part.”
heh.
Actually, I don’t see what’s so wrong about this. The user gets to decide what or if s/he will put some company’s ad for their desktop. How different is this from changing your desktop (wallpaper, in Windows world) to a favorite picture, or image of a painting, or even naked females? That’s all over teh internetz. Now, if the user had no control over it, that would be a BIG issue; but that’s not the case. The user still has the choice. So what if there’s some corporate tie-in? For myself, I would simply make sure I wouldn’t get something that makes more money for Mafiasoft.
Does anyone remember when you could get an application for Mac OS 8/9 that would allow you to design/change your entire desktop theme? There were thousands of themes in all sorts of categories. Not many I would use, but the option was great. I don’t remember the name of the app; but I had it those many years ago on my PBG3 (may it rest in peace). It appears that capability has been diminished or eliminated in Mac OS X.
This will be a yet another Windows feature for the hackers to exploit. Imagine a virus that changes the appearance of Windows 7 WITHOUT user action or permission. Now, that would be so classic Windows and Microsoft.
a lot of folks get patents on things they don’t intend to use. they just want to be the ‘owner’ of the thing so if someone else wants to use it, they get some money.
@Kevin: It was Kaleidoscope, and it was a great little app. Customized your windows, your icons, everything, and designing a theme was easy because it was virtually open-source. It didn’t work with OS X, even if you ran 9, but then Unsanity came out with Shapeshifter. It wasn’t as complete or varied as Kaleidoscope, but it had dozens of themes you could choose from to alter your windows. Apple broke that as of Tiger, I think, and Unsanity never fixed it. As far as I know, none of their “haxies” work anymore. I miss Windowshade.
“…for the most part.”
I have to agree with jjjj, that was classic
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