Full FeedMicrosoft’s Mojave Experiment
Have you heard nothing but bad things about Windows Vista? You aren’t the only one.
Microsoft has recently launched a new website and ad campaign called “The Mojave Experiment” in response to all of the bad publicity that Vista has gotten since its release over a year and a half ago. Basically, Microsoft reps using hidden cameras ask unsuspecting people if they would like to try out Microsoft’s “Next Gen” operating system (not Vista, Windows 7), calling it “Windows Mojave.”
Before allowing the customers to try out “Mojave,” they first have them answer a few survey questions on their perception of Windows Vista. Most of the time, these perceptions were bad, even though none of these people had actually already tried Windows Vista. Then, when they try out “Mojave,” they are blown away. The Microsoft rep then drops the bomb on them, telling them that they have actually being using Windows Vista.
It’s an ingenious ad campaign if I say so myself. It’s easy to be impressed with Microsoft’s OS if you’ve never used it before and have never tried out the identical features that have been on the Mac for years. Also, the people that this ad campaign is targeting (Windows XP users who are not particularly tech savvy and have never tried Windows Vista) probably won’t think twice about the fact that the people in the videos only have used Vista for five minutes; not nearly enough time to see all of the many glitches and annoyances that Vista is so known for. I’d be interested to know if Microsoft turned off the security filter that is known for asking you to validate every third thing you try to do on your computer. A friend of mine who upgraded to Vista last year turned this feature off within a few weeks! I think it’s also safe to say that the people who didn’t like “Mojave,” and there had to be at least a few, did not have their videos end up on the Mojave Experiment website.
Regardless, I think that the folks over at Microsoft are getting themselves some good publicity, deserved or not.
This all begs the question for our readers: what do you think of Microsoft’s “Mojave Experiment” campaign? Could this be Micosoft’s way of rationalizing Vista’s slow sales by saying, “It’s great! This guy loves it!” rather than actually addressing some of the operating system’s problems?
Watch [Mojave Experiment]
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I think that this campaing will deliver a good message for those people who think like the ones featured in the so called “experiment”. They’d probably go “Oh, I heard that it was awful too, but hey, it seems that I might be wrong. I should try it.”. I know it sounds silly, but that’s what Microsft wants. Once they buy the license, they’re done.
on August 15, 2008 at 12:33 AM - LINKWell I think that this campaign is interesting and will deliver new customers to Microsoft. Its always fun to watch some kind of new ad :), and when you see the opposite opinions of the testers it will make you think for a little, but only if you have not used MacOS X :)
on August 15, 2008 at 01:12 AM - LINKVista *seems* nice on casual use, but once you start actually using it for anything serious, you start running into problems.
on August 15, 2008 at 04:06 PM - LINKIt’s amusing that Microsoft is now lying to people and recording it for entertainment value, not just lying to people and trying to keep it quiet. That’s certainly one approach to PR—call your potential customers ignorant, shove their nose in it, record that, and broadcast it to the world.
In a controlled test environment, you can even coax almost anything into not sucking too terribly. But no coat of paint can ever cover up the odor of MS’s business practices.
on August 18, 2008 at 09:53 AM - LINKIt is also funny to see Mac users always throwing flames towards Vista’s “problems” when they themselves have not used Vista. Stop living in the past, people. Vista was vastly improved by SP1 and every knowledgeable PC owner that has actually TRIED Vista loves it! I have been using it on my systems even before SP1 and never ran into any major issues. I have been using it at work, for gaming, for multimedia, for “serious” stuff, and yet Vista works like a charm without any of those supposed “flaws”. If you really do complain about that UAC and the security messages popping up, you can disable that with 3 clicks of the mouse and one keyboard shortcut.
I think if anything, Vista simplifies things for the average user by making things easier to find and more “common sense” placement of icons with easier to understand names. The fact is, Vista got such a bad rep from the beginning that still many people who have never tried it think it’s still awful. The truth is, it’s not bad, and this ad proves it to at least a portion of the Vista ignorants.
on August 19, 2008 at 12:23 PM - LINKOf course, you’re not taking into account the myriad PC users who still refuse to use Vista, nor those of us who use both systems, and who still find Vista mostly unusable, albeit improved.
And, of course, all of the fixes in the world aren’t going to change the fact that Microsoft released Vista way too soon with no concern for the user. You can accept that sort o policy, if you like. Those of us with experiences different from yours (which I guess makes us “ignorant,” by your logic), will keep working in other operating systems that are looking towards the future while yours is still trying to correct the past.
on August 19, 2008 at 04:27 PM - LINKYou misunderstood my logic completely. I was referring to those who had never used Vista and only HEARD it was bad from other sources, who most likely also never used it.
Also, I do not know which OS’s you are referring to, but no OS is without it’s problems. Mac users claim that their almighty OS X and Leopard is so much more reliable, while in fact it has it’s own plethora of errors. Being a tech, I have run into so many problems with Macs. At least with Windows these issues will most often have very simple solutions. I am not saying Vista wasn’t rushed, as it obviously was. The only point I was trying to drive is that Vista is not unusable. Whatever applications or uses you may be needing that will not work on Windows, I’d like to know of these.
Then it comes down to the good ole’ “Macs are PC’s” argument, which is quite valid seeing how Mac hardware is now nearly identical to PC hardware and the only difference is the OS, but they still cost hundreds more? You may say all you want about Microsoft, but Apple is the real thief when they can sell you PC hardware with OS X and charge you $1500 for a $700 PC. I applaud those who result to Hackintosh or Mac Clones. Apple needs to stop being such a tight wad, and let users customize and build their own machines!!! It’s a free country, everything is moving towards “free”, with Linux, web applications, etc. etc. Microsoft isn’t free, either, but at least it’s a whole lot cheaper than Apple.
on August 20, 2008 at 02:28 PM - LINKNot to mention that in reality the Mac is 100x more vulnerable to security breach. The only reason Macs have less viruses and malware is…... because there are 10 PCs to every 1 Mac!
Which computer was brought to it’s knees the fastest at the latest hacking competition? Mac.
How many viruses have I had on my Vista machine? Zero.
How many Macs have I sent in for repairs this month? Five.
How many PCs have I repaired or sent in for repair this month? One.
on August 20, 2008 at 02:32 PM - LINK100 times more vulnerable? Really? Can you back that up?
And what’s this latest hacking competition you mention? Show me some results.
The reason why Macs have fewer viruses isn’t relevant at all. If it’s because Mac has only 10% of the marketshare, then great. Whatever it takes. Doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of viruses out there do not affect Mac owners.
Your personal experiences, again, don’t come into play here. Even if you’ve never once had a single problem with your PC, that doesn’t change the fact that Vista was so bad, and received so poorly out the shoot, that Microsoft has to resort to the Mojave Experiment just to try to convince people to give the OS a shot. That’s not a Mac vs. PC thing, it’s a public perception thing. And public perception wouldn’t be so bad had the OS been any good when it was released. Remember, it was PC users and the PC media who were attacking it. Mac users hold no sway when it comes to criticizing Microsoft because people see us as homers (and justifiably so).
And as for this comment: “Microsoft isn’t free, either, but at least it’s a whole lot cheaper than Apple.”
Mac OS X costs $130 for one, all inclusive version. Vista runs from $270 for a stripped down “home” version to $340 for an “ultimate” version, plus your $130 service pack upgrade which you apparently need in order to get the thing to run properly. OS X upgrades are free, unless it’s a major release (as in moving from XP to Vista). So, who’s more expensive? Your PC may be, but that doesn’t have anything to do with Microsoft.
on August 20, 2008 at 03:03 PM - LINKOkay, that shows quite a lack of awareness. “plus your $130 service pack upgrade”
Sorry, but the Service Pack Upgrades are available for the price of an internet connection, or postage for a CD.
I honestly believe that what is happening now with Vista, is the experience I had with XP.
The features did not outweigh the performance loss, and lack of compatibility with existing applications. The stability was not sufficiently improved over the existing OS. Rinse & Repeat.
Many of the things people hate about Vista, is that it is too Mac OS X like. UAC is an implementation of the Permissions system in OSX, Unix, and Linux.
The hardware & software compatibility was almost down to the OS X level. Overpriced, & less compatible.
The new “Explorer Shell” is too much like the Mac Finder, with the Spotlight style search feature. (Its different, and unfamiliar).
So is it Windows Vista the public hates, or Mac OS X???
on September 2, 2008 at 02:21 AM - LINKJudging from the fact that Apple has never had to launch an ad campaign that tricks people into liking OS X, I’ll say it’s Windows Vista they hate.
on September 2, 2008 at 04:32 PM - LINK