New Windows vs. Old Windows

Posted on January 28, 2008
Filed Under Companies |

Two weeks ago, InfoWorld launched a petition campaign to save Windows XP. So far we???ve gotten more than 70,000 signatures, thanks to a passionate response from a wide range of XP users. We hope we can persuade Microsoft to keep selling XP licenses indefinitely, past the June 30 deadline, after which Microsoft has said no more shrink-wrapped or OEM licenses will be available for retailers, computer makers, and others to order. (Vendors can continue to sell by June 30 any XP licenses they ordered from Microsoft, but when they run out of those, they can’t get more to sell.)

[From How to get Windows XP after June 30 - Yahoo! News]

It is starting to sound like a new Coke vs. old Coke situation, although I doubt it will rise to the same emotional level. But this same lack of emotion about Windows may well be a bigger issue for Microsoft.

If you have studied Apple’s rise from the ashes you will find something consistent through every new product introduction, a well cultivated emotional connection to the Apple brand. You can see this play out in the way that companies who make accessories for Apple’s products design and package them; they are conscious of the fact that in order to appeal to Apple users you have to affiliate yourself with the brand as well as deliver a good product.

A lot of commentators refer to Apple products as fashion, which may well be the case but I think it’s deeper than that, it’s to the level of being aspirational like all of the great and durable brands over the years have been. What does Microsoft stand for? The stated mission is to “help people and businesses realize their full potential” and that’s not a bad mission but I still don’t get connected to it as a consumer. Apple’s mission statement isn’t that different but they open with a powerful statement, “Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience…”.

Mission statements are drivel for the most part but it does offer a portal into the soul of a company. Apple has always been about me as a user, Microsoft lost that back around the time when Lotus and Wordperfect dominated their respective markets.

The lack of passion for Microsoft’s products is rising to a level of ambivalence that I would expect they would find concerning. Ask someone about XP vs. Vista and most people shrug their shoulders and say “whatever”, or if they do have an opinion it is likely to be in favor of XP or at best not negative about Vista. The amazing thing is that Vista is a good operating system as well, visually appealing and loads of features.

I just wish Microsoft would quit trying to be all things to all people and put users first.

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