Microsoft Unveils A New Look

Seems to tie-in with Metro (or whatever the fuck they are calling it this week) interface.

Dumb.
 
I think that, while the more angular, Spartan look Microsoft is going for is a lot less visually appealing than previous graphical representations of the company, the simplicity underscores the reimagined corporate vision. Cleaner lines, more focus on the essentials of functionality and performance, and less crufty previous generation flotsam along with the newness of forward-thinking evolution are unstated, but clear objectives. The video we just watched relays those company sediments in a succulent little 33 seconds. From an artist's perspective, I approve of the new Microsoft corporate image as it demonstrates, without speaking, what the company hopes to achieve as it moves into the middle of the new millennium’s second decade. From a writer's perspective, I think that Microsoft uses written brevity expertly which hints at the underlying lean build of modern software. From a systems administrator perspective, I'm too busy looking in dumpsters for my next meal to notice that Microsoft isn't still selling licenses for Windows Advanced Server 2000 and I have no idea what this why everyone keeps asking me about new operating systems when they know our software doesn't work on anything newer than Windows NT 4.
 
I think the new symbol is trying to evoke a sense of simplicity in their products.

If you think about it, their biggest competitor is Apple. Apple has always touted OSX for being simple for a lot of people, as well as intuitive and easy to use. You can also see it in Apple's mobile products from laptops to the iPhone, iPod and iPad series. The same applies to Apple's very connected ecosystem between those products.

Microsoft, in my opinion, is trying to capture that sense of simplicity that Apple has found so much success in over many years. Simplicity, or lack there of, in the OS design from how Windows 8 completely changed how users interact and use the OS. Connectivity between different Microsoft brands-- Windows 8, Office 2013/Office 365, SkyDrive, Xbox Live, and Windows Phone 8.

It's a longshot for Microsoft to attempt this, to capture the customers away from Apple and to a lesser extent Android-based products. If it works, kudos to Microsoft.

I just think Microsoft is overstretching themselves and trying too hard to get more people to their side. We already see it in the criticism over their Modern (aka Metro) UI in Windows 8, the lack of market share and penetration with Windows Phone 8, and the criticism over Xbox Live. And, last but not least, Microsoft's seemingly intentional move towards closing and locking down Windows 8 like how OSX in some ways. We see it in Xbox Live and how developers how treated-- everything must be on and go through Xbox Live servers and high fees for patching and licensing. Articles such as this and the overuse of ads and their somewhat confusing new UI on their dashboard. And, the Windows Marketplace and how programs must go through their servers and installed from there.

Developers are even starting to be afraid of where Microsoft is headed. If this is new direction that Microsoft wants to move towards to, it's going to be a very closed off future. Locking down Windows 8 RT-based products from installing Linux-based distributions seems like a start.

So, a new symbol of Microsoft's new direction towards simplicity?

Or, a hint of Microsoft's direction towards a closed off future?
 
SkribbelKat said:
From an artist's perspective, I approve of the new Microsoft corporate image as it demonstrates, without speaking, what the company hopes to achieve as it moves into the middle of the new millennium’s second decade.
Click to expand...

From an artist's perspective I think:

BOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNG!!!!!!!!! :(
(and looks all sterile and personality free, like Facebook)
 
Apparently Microsoft's marketting and Windows 8 design team went full retard when they came up with Metro and decided to apply that crap to everything.

Never go full retard.
 
it has no soul. I don't like it, but I see how it ties in with whatever the hell metro is called now.
 
I suppose this will mean people will be clinging to Win7 like they did with XP when Vista was released.

As for a New Logo Design, meh. Not much talent involved in that design. My 3 year old could have made that.
 
DeathPrincess said:
From an artist's perspective I think:

BOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNG!!!!!!!!! :(
(and looks all sterile and personality free, like Facebook)
Click to expand...

You actually got that far in my post?! :eek: And since when did anyone mistake Facebook as being sterile? That's like saying a McDonald's bathroom is immaculate.

faugusztin said:
Well, that could be because it is minimalistic and not artistic ? :D
Click to expand...

Minimalism is a form of artistic expression.
 
faugusztin said:
Well, that could be because it is minimalistic and not artistic ? :D
Click to expand...

They should base it on a decent artist... liiike...

the_plague_parade__opus_2_-kris-kuksi.jpg

SkribbElkat

tumblr_l73r1klRvw1qbmt20.jpg

New version of outlook...

:D
 
SkribbelKat said:
You actually got that far in my post?! :eek: And since when did anyone mistake Facebook as being sterile? That's like saying a McDonald's bathroom is immaculate.
Click to expand...

Facebook is sterile. Thats why Zuckerberg hasn't made any children websites...:p
 
SkribbelKat said:
You actually got that far in my post?! :eek: And since when did anyone mistake Facebook as being sterile? That's like saying a McDonald's bathroom is immaculate.



Minimalism is a form of artistic expression.
Click to expand...

Minimialism is sometimes necessary in specific circumstances. When we are talking about graphics its normally an indication of lazyness and a lack of imagination. Windows 8 looks like an OS from Crayola or Lego. A Fisher Price: "My First OS." It looks like it's designer rode the short bus to school.
 
I understand where most of the comments are coming from.. but I think its a winner in terms of the masses... I am half 'the masses' by now.. I just don't care, if you are not coming across in 5 seconds, I am moving on... so this ultra-simple crap will actually work in my view.
 
Uvaman said:
I understand where most of the comments are coming from.. but I think its a winner in terms of the masses... I am half 'the masses' by now.. I just don't care, if you are not coming across in 5 seconds, I am moving on... so this ultra-simple crap will actually work in my view.
Click to expand...

It can be simple without being bland. The average computer is powerful enough to do it. There is no need for this preschool looking crap.
 
So what service is the yellow for? If blue is Windows, red is Office and green is Xbox.
 
Dan_D said:
Minimialism is sometimes necessary in specific circumstances. When we are talking about graphics its normally an indication of lazyness and a lack of imagination. Windows 8 looks like an OS from Crayola or Lego. A Fisher Price: "My First OS." It looks like it's designer rode the short bus to school.
Click to expand...

People on this forum said the same thing about XP. And then, a few years later, they were horrified by Windows Vista. It's hard to take that kind of argument very seriously.
 
Guess I never really paid attention to the old logos, because they don't really seem that different to me.
 
SkribbelKat said:
It's not curly up enough! :( And there should be someone making waffles in it.
Click to expand...

Artistic license. Plus the knight at the top is making waffles. My spell checker doesn't like your name.

Bt this has proved how this logo isn't arty. We couldn't exactly have a conversation about the Windows logo outside of "hey thats shit" "yes". It's just more laziness from Microsoft, which they've been doing lots of recently. :D
 
SkribbelKat said:
I think that, while the more angular, Spartan look Microsoft is going for is a lot less visually appealing than previous graphical representations of the company, the simplicity underscores the reimagined corporate vision. Cleaner lines, more focus on the essentials of functionality and performance, and less crufty previous generation flotsam along with the newness of forward-thinking evolution are unstated, but clear objectives. The video we just watched relays those company sediments in a succulent little 33 seconds. From an artist's perspective, I approve of the new Microsoft corporate image as it demonstrates, without speaking, what the company hopes to achieve as it moves into the middle of the new millennium’s second decade. From a writer's perspective, I think that Microsoft uses written brevity expertly which hints at the underlying lean build of modern software. From a systems administrator perspective, I'm too busy looking in dumpsters for my next meal to notice that Microsoft isn't still selling licenses for Windows Advanced Server 2000 and I have no idea what this why everyone keeps asking me about new operating systems when they know our software doesn't work on anything newer than Windows NT 4.
Click to expand...

I'm starting to like you Skribble.
 
I like it ok but it doesn't mean anything to me. It's just a logo. Kinda reminds me of the Office 2000 logo and the way the Microsoft website looked during the Windows 2000 era.
 
SirMaster said:
So what service is the yellow for? If blue is Windows, red is Office and green is Xbox.
Click to expand...

This is how I would see it:

Blue is Windows & Azure
Red is Windows Phone
Green is Xbox
Yellow\Orange is Office

Bonus: Purple is Visual Studio
 
Dan_D said:
Windows 8 looks like an OS from Crayola or Lego. A Fisher Price: "My First OS." It looks like it's designer rode the short bus to school.
Click to expand...
Funny. That's what people used to say about OS X: it was the "Fisher Price OS". I haven't heard that term being used to describe OS X since we first started seeing details about Windows 8.

Windows and OS X have now apparently swapped roles.

On the subject of the Microsoft logo: it's okay. There are issues, though. Firstly, the multi-colored boxes should really be the Windows logo. The Microsoft brand inheriting what is most assuredly the Windows logo is going to lead to confusion.

Secondly, the collapsed kerning between the 'f' and the 't' is a mistake. It's the first thing my eye's drawn to when I look at the logotype, and I don't see how that's a positive thing.

Thirdly, there'll be no black or mono collapse for the logo. They're going to have to rely on the logotype for those cases, and there's absolutely nothing special or unique about the logotype. The old Microsoft logotype was bad, but it was at least had some identity to it.

Microsoft could have done something really interesting, but they didn't. Shame.
 
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