Even though Windows XP has been on the market for more than three years, Microsoft is hoping a new advertising campaign will "start something" when it comes to enthusiasm for the operating system.

The campaign, which will last for 15 months, is designed to showcase all the things Windows can do. The company is also gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Windows' debut.

"As we enter the third decade of Windows, the 'Start Something' campaign celebrates how people can follow their dreams and pursue what they are passionate about--from creating an in-home music studio to starting a new business or becoming the family photographer," Senior Vice President Will Poole said in a statement released late Sunday.

The campaign which will launch In 11 countries with online, print and television ads, will try to play up Windows as the start to many things. The ads will have messages like "Start something curious," "Start discovering lost cities" and "Start feeding your brain." In all, Microsoft said there are 51 TV spots, 39 print ads and 250 online advertisements.

Given its time frame, the "Start Something" campaign will serve as a run up to the debut of Longhorn, the next version of Windows, which is set to go on sale by next year's holiday buying season. Jim Allchin, the head of the Windows unit, said in an interview last week to expect a massive ad push for Longhorn as well.

A beta, or test version, of Longhorn is slated for this summer; developers will get an updated preview version of Longhorn at next week's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Seattle.

The new ad campaign also comes as rival Apple Computer prepares to launch its next operating system--Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger--which goes on sale April 29.


Source : CNET News

WHO CARES!

Windows is the "Microsoft tax on your PC", unless you choose to swim against the flow and go for Linux or BeOS.

Can the Microsoft domination continue?

What if we lost Microsoft...

• No more updates (sooner rather than later, as you know the evil empire will always drag you screaming to the next version by denying support to the old one)
  
• No re-activation (the best reason to oppose activation, is the "what if", since you are at their mercy if they will not reactivatite an "obsolete" product. or if they were to go away)
  

(in reply to WinThusiast)

Somehow sad...but...totally true, Matthew!

Lets face it...thats just the Microsoft's World that we all live in...take it or leave it... And that "Microsoft World" is also in all other aspects of our lives...their model is widely adopted everywhere...all that with only 1 goal...to take the last dime out of buyers (users) pocket...

ENJOY! (at least until you would need to upgrade or buy some new OS or computer or anything...and pay big $$$ again...and again....and again....and...the neverending story continues....)

(in reply to Matthew)