Has everybody seen this add campaign that M$ is running? They call it "Start Something". While they don't tell you what to start, you can see from the picture (if it was bigger) that they do give a few suggestions. Those are:
A) Start Discovering Lost Cities
B) Start Learning a New Language
C) Start Mastering Equations
D) Start Making Scale Models
E) Start Amazing Your Teachers
F) Start Feeding Your Brain
Quite a big list there Bill. Thing is, I don't see how Windoze XP has anything to do with helping people start these things. I mean really, the internet takes care of A, B, C and F. I'm not even sure what you mean by D. And as for E, that just takes a little bit of good ol elbow grease and discipline. So unless you invented the internet (which we all know Al Gore is responsible for, thanks Al!), I'm just not sure what it is you're trying to sell here...
I'll try to take a stab at it. You're trying to sell things that you only wished you did. For example, you don't create software that helps people, you create software that frustrates people. You don't create software that is easy and intuitive to use, you create software that is cryptic and crash happy. You don't create software that enables folks to push the limits of their given field, you create software that actually limits them. Shall I go on, Bill?
I will give you one thing, the graphics in your new ads aren't too bad. Of course, those were made on a Mac.
hink says,
One has to o-needer why the hell they feel the need to push out a new, flowery ad campaign for software that is fast approaching the late-middle of its "corporate life cycle" anyway. Perhaps all the money they've dumped on WinFS and other such problems that come with entrenched, isolated development attitudes have ol' Bill feeling vulnerable.
And you know what really sucks? At work today, in the back of my head, I will be trying to figure out wtf the scale models thing meant.
Thanks Gates.
Posted @ June 14, 2005YSBL says,
I love Al Gore for making the interwebs. You rock AG.
Posted @ June 14, 2005Caleb HAGEN says,
well, at least microsoft is doing some sort of ad campaign. i think that's a positive step. i mean, it clearly indicates that they feel the need to get their name out there. although, i suppose that makes as much sense as an advertisement for Starbucks ... like anyone in the universe doesn't know what Starbucks is. maybe a better idea would be a giant billboard of a map of the general area, with stars indicating where all the Starbucks stores are ... to me, that seems smart. that way you say two things, 1.) Here's where we're located and 2.) Look! We're everywhere! Stop trying to avoid us, we'll never go away and you need to start drinking our poison drinks!
Posted @ June 14, 2005Noah says,
MMMmmm, tall two pump white mocha's....
Posted @ June 14, 2005First person to develop a widget that orders my drink via Dashboard gets an entire post dedicated to praising thier mad Dashboard, Javascript, HTML, numchuck/bo staff, or whatever skills. Bonus points if you pick up my drink for me.
pretty bird says,
doesn't this image creep any of you out? all that stuff is plummeting into that little kids chest. scary. but not as scary as his sweater vest.
Posted @ June 14, 2005Julio Sanchez says,
I don't know why you want to bash MS so much. They are the masters that gave us the ultimate learning tool that allows for so much creativity and out of the box thinking...POWER POINT. I mean, how great is it to be able to sit in a meeting room for eight hours and watch someone read the words they created word for word for word for word for word. Oh did I say word, HMMMM that reminds me of another great tool for creativity. Ya I can't spell now Bill thanks to your little red underline that is put under every word I type. GOSH! EAT YOUR HAM TINA
Posted @ June 14, 2005Lonely At The Bagel Shop says,
Someone owes me another two pump white mocha.
Posted @ June 14, 2005Noah says,
Crap bagel boy. My bad.
Posted @ June 14, 2005Red Canary says,
Pretty Bird your right, that sweater vest is creepy.
Posted @ June 14, 2005Steve Hubbard says,
That green bird almost looks like it flew off of John Oxton's Weblog....
Posted @ June 14, 2005Noah says,
Steve - Welcome, and great observation. It is similar to the Joshuaink site... Perhaps John Oxton is responsible for the pretty ads?!?
Posted @ June 15, 2005Waylon says,
Noah, that flower scheme/bird from John Oxton's site was designed by Denis Radenkovic at http://38one.com/ (see http://www.joshuaink.com/about/)
Posted @ June 15, 2005Noah says,
Waylon - Welcome! And thanks for the info!
Posted @ June 15, 2005