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The Next Microsoft

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Re: The Next Microsoft

#71

Post by jdjiaikej »

brittohalloran wrote: post #64
esbwhat wrote: post #15

I'm no designer, but aren't logos supposed to be recognizable? This is a geometric shape, why not just use a square for the logo, or a triangle? Would people really associate this shape (which isn't particularly unique and probably not even trademark-able) with microsoft when they see it? I have my doubts Also unrelatedly, the missing i-dot is really throwing me off (probably just because I am used to it)

Microsoft is big enough that a shape that simple could easily become their logo. What company is this: http://www.owenjonesdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1_... or this: http://www.wearesuntravel.com/SquareLogo_Jewel.303162624_std... or this: http://www.vintagevideogamer.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/...

What's the second one? Edit: never mind. Its Square Up. Found it on the second page of a Google Image Search.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#72

Post by brudgers »

It's a thought provoking study.

However, the 2012 Windows logo kerns with text (Metro is text centered) in a way that is simply not possible with the proposed slash...which reminds me of a Kubric's obelisk. With the downside of suggesting "2001."

And the translation of the slash to Office looks like cubicle partitions rather than the shared workspace of the current logo (e.g. office doors all facing each other). Though that's not to say that the current Office logo couldn't use a makeover.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#73

Post by blhack »

Dear everybody,

Are you paying attention? This is how you build a portfolio. Did microsoft ask this person to do this?

No. But he did it, and it's brilliant, and now he can put it in his portfolio under "speculative work".

And then he gets a job doing this.

I can't tell you how many people I talk to (I live in a college town, and frequently go to bars and strike up conversations with people) who just finished, or are working on, some degree in "design", but have an empty portfolio, and are waiting for their "big shot".

Good job, Andrew.

Totally rebranding the window to the "slate" is incredibly ambitious, but it certainly looks good.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#74

Post by rahoulb »

revelation wrote: post #12
programminggeek wrote: post #6

This is great. It will never work. A brand has to reflect the culture of how a product is made, sold, experienced, etc... Microsoft is not about simplicity, it's about feature creep. Microsoft sells software and licenses to big companies. Big companies don't want simple, they want value for their money - features! A better brand promise would be Microsoft - It Does Everything! Look at Windows 8. Is it going metro onl…

I think you're mistaking feature creep with their crazy good backwards compatibility. They simply can't remove anything.

I'd say their bigger problem is that they can't say "no" to anything (which is a consequence of their enterprise focus)

Re: The Next Microsoft

#76

Post by shmerl »

New or next. Same thing in new package. Microsoft is a proprietary dinosaur of the previous era, which doesn't realize its time is slowly running out.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#77

Post by brudgers »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #9
programminggeek wrote: post #6

This is great. It will never work. A brand has to reflect the culture of how a product is made, sold, experienced, etc... Microsoft is not about simplicity, it's about feature creep. Microsoft sells software and licenses to big companies. Big companies don't want simple, they want value for their money - features! A better brand promise would be Microsoft - It Does Everything! Look at Windows 8. Is it going metro onl…

That's an interesting perspective that I'd never considered before. If you're right, and you sound it, then Microsoft clearly has an internal struggle. Metro is all about simple. It's fast, it's fluid, it's simple, it's "alive with activity". But it's not complex, packed with features. This is the image Microsoft wants to present to consumers. On the other hand, Microsoft's Business division is all about things packe…

Microsoft largely resolves this conflict in a way that works for consumers but not for tech pundits: they bring the same B2B customer service principles to their consumer product support channels (e.g. three years of Xbox repairs for the red-ring of death - on a 90 day warranty no less).

Keep in mind that Metro is exactly what enterprise wants. Just listen to the good people at 37signals.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#78

Post by Apocryphon »

wickedchicken wrote: post #17

While I think it's cool that designers show off their creativity in thinking up new ideas for old products, I could never shake the feeling that this was design's answer to fanfiction. The original creators have to look back and go "okay...?" Related: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=is+this+the+iphone...

Laughably bad fan-made hypothetical Apple products are old hat, but sometimes design fanfiction gets the attention of the companies: http://9to5mac.com/2011/12/13/apple-hires-designer-jan-micha...

Re: The Next Microsoft

#80

Post by kpennell »

blhack wrote: post #73

Dear everybody, Are you paying attention? This is how you build a portfolio. Did microsoft ask this person to do this? No. But he did it, and it's brilliant, and now he can put it in his portfolio under "speculative work". And then he gets a job doing this. I can't tell you how many people I talk to (I live in a college town, and frequently go to bars and strike up conversations with people) who just finished, or are…

2nd this!
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