Windows Vista doesn't inspire
Microsoft has announced that the next version of Windows will be called Windows Vista. The product was code named Longhorn previously and this is what I had worked on for 3 years at Microsoft. I have to admit I am rather disappointed with the name chosen by Microsoft for Longhorn.
Firstly, Vista is an English word. And that too a word not used in common vocabulary (at least I have never used that word in a sentence before today). When somebody says "Vista", no picture comes to my mind. Morover, Microsoft earns more than 2/3rds of its revenue outside of North America. That means, a vast majority of Windows users don't speak English. So 'Vista' doesn't mean anything to them. If they wanted to really reach out to their biggest user base, they should have chosen a Chinese (Mandarin ?) word. Secondly, the word "Vista" is a fairly common trademark. A Google search returns names of several businesses and organization who use this word. So why pick a word whose branding is already diluted? Finally, for reasons that I myself don't comprehend, "Vista" doesn't sound sexy. XP, Xbox, ipod, flickr, vimeo sound cool and sexy but Vista kind of just represents the old fuddy-duddy image Microsoft has been starting to acquire of late.
I am curious what kind of reaction this name evoked within Microsoft. Of course in the Windows division, everybody will continue to call it "Longhorn" even years after it has shipped. Even today, everybody there refers to XP as Whistler (which was what XP was codenamed)!
Comments
I think the name will slowly sink in , although this must be the first time that the codename is more widely known than the release name.
btw do you knw the code names of Windows 95 and 98.
Posted by: Kirti Dhingra | July 25, 2005 06:40 PM
Yeah I was very disappointed when i heard about MS's decision to change the name from LongHorn to Vista. Vista seems to be a very beat up old junky name which doesnt sound cool at all. LongHorn instead, was a better choice. I dont know who advices Bill to take such steps!!
Posted by: Kinjal | July 26, 2005 11:27 PM
I hope the next version of Windows (after Vista) does not get called "Windows Pista".
Posted by: Dinesh Mongia | July 28, 2005 07:39 AM
hey gaurav,
your blog has a very pleasant layout. good work.
why don't you incorporate google adsense?
it will definitely cover your hosting fees :)
Cheers,
Amit
Posted by: amit agarwal | July 28, 2005 03:26 PM
Hi Amit, thanks for your kind comments :) I have thought about adding google adsense but just have been too lazy to incorporate it! Maybe soon...
Posted by: Gaurav | July 28, 2005 08:41 PM
Actually, Vista is spanish for "View" (viz: view from a "Window" .. maybe). Anyways, here's an interesting blog post (author's opinion only) on Windows Vista branding and marketing.
Posted by: Ashutosh Nilkanth | August 2, 2005 08:06 AM
It is true that vista does not signify anything
sensible but that is how microsoft works and
house wives still love it.
Posted by: Rashid Malik | August 16, 2005 03:44 PM
VISTA IS SPANISH FOR SCENERY. So Windows Vista makes allot of sense, if you know a little Spanish.
Posted by: Hector | February 10, 2007 03:44 AM