The Next Microsoft • Hacker News Board

Re: The Next Microsoft

#351

Post by tomrod » Sun, Jul 08, 2012, 1:45 AM UTC

jasomill wrote: post #151

tomrod wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I stick to my *nix boxes.

So you stick to vendor-supplied "vi" binaries as well? The Windows NT problem is this: it's very fussy about whence and how it's booted, and there's therefore never been an easy, obvious way to set up a decent, customizable recovery environment on external media (including, naturally, one's favorite editor(s)). Contrast with, say, OS X, where, in a pinch, you can even run suitably linked GUI versions of Vim and Emacs…

It's beautiful that way.

Re: The Next Microsoft

#352

Post by greenmanmax » Sun, Jul 08, 2012, 8:47 PM UTC

From a marketing point of view: Great work! I really like the "slate" logo. The only thing i didnt' like that much was the font: Espacially the "c" looks strange. But the rest: Just nice! I would hire you, if my name was ballmer ;)

Re: The Next Microsoft

#353

Post by GFischer » Mon, Jul 09, 2012, 2:40 AM UTC

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…

Ouch. But as a former geeky kid with oversized glasses that still plays Magic: The Gathering sometimes, I can tell you that the new wardrobe does help :)

Re: The Next Microsoft

#354

Post by chris_wot » Wed, Jul 11, 2012, 1:36 PM UTC

pbreit wrote: post #339

chris_wot wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nearly everyone who matters reads this site at least sometimes and might possibly come across a discussion about a 3 year old article.

This is totally false. I would say hat few who "matter" ever visit or participate here. Of the 1000 or so acquaintances of mine in the Bay Area tech industry, man who "matter" I'd say 50, tops, have ever spent much time here and fewer have posted.

That's precisely my point :-)

Re: The Next Microsoft

#355

Post by tammer » Fri, Jul 13, 2012, 9:07 PM UTC

krrrh wrote: post #266

tammer wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as I love the mockup, in the end I probably agree. Microsoft's core branding strength in the consumer market is its "genericness". Look at the new homepage - very standard US families using MS products. While Apple's aesthetic appeals to millions and millions, to some it comes off as elitist and/or flashy. As unusual as it seems to say this, MS may be doing well by pushing their bland mostly-business-but-you-…

I think you're right on the money. Your comment reminds me of Neal Stephenson's characterization of Windows as the station wagon of operating systems. http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html

Thanks a lot for this, it was a great read.

I think the following phrases things far better than I did:

>The answer, for people who don't like Damoclean questions, is that since Microsoft has won the hearts and minds of the silent majority--the bourgeoisie--they don't give a damn about having a slick image, any more then Dick Nixon did.