Okay, here’s what happened. Microsoft took a group of 120 individuals who “were either Mac, Linux, or users of versions of Windows that came before Windows Vista” and who rated their perception of Vista at less than a five on a scale of one to ten. These people were shown a demo of what they thought was a new Windows OS called “Mojave” and this demo was individually tailored to each person based on “the experiences they seemed most interested in following a series of interviews.”
While the average rating of Vista before the demo was 4.4, the post-demo rating was 8.5, even though Mojave was actually Windows Vista. So what can we learn from all this? Vista looks nice. Problem is, none of these people had to use Vista. They were just “given a demo by a trained retail salesperson.”
So you’ve got a bunch of people who have only heard bad things about Vista but have never used it (or even seen it, from what I gather), and then you show them some tricks from what they think is a new operating system and they like it. What a surprise.
Most people wouldn’t argue with the idea that Vista looks nice and perhaps even looks good on paper. What Microsoft should have done, though, is sent these 120 home with a copy of Vista and had them use it for three months. I don’t think the average score would be 8.5 after that, but if it was, it’d be a big win for Microsoft’s image. This Mojave Experiment, though, just seems kind of dumb.
I mean, how hard is it to trick 120 people who haven’t even seen Vista before? These people probably aren’t all that computer savvy to begin with. They’ve just heard from their friends and IT departments that Vista is a bad operating system. Microsoft had the right idea by attempting to teach them not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, all they were shown was the cover of the book and a few good chapters.
Mojave Experiment Videos [MojaveExperiment.com]
“Most people wouldn’t argue with the idea that Vista looks nice…” Actually I think the biggest problem that most people have with Vista, by Microsoft’s sources, is the new user interface. That’s what Balmer was saying at D conference. And I think you missed the point of this whole thing . It was more to prove that people knew next to nothing about Vista than to prove it was a wonderful OS. Maybe that 8.5 rating should be disregarded but it so then you can also throw out that prior 4.5. Anyhow, this isn’t any more misleading than those Apple ads. My opinion, air it!
Most of the people they hear from (their friends and IT departments) that Vista is a bad OS haven’t themselves used Vista either, most likely. I’ve been using is for over a year now (and probably am the only one that checks CrunchGear that does) and have still yet to run into any project stopping, earth halting, soul crushing problems.
Sure, maybe the first month I used it, not everything I had previously worked for Vista…but that was like a few months after it came out…it’s been almost 2 years now people! Once you unlock the admin controls and don’t get those annoying “Are you sure?” messages, it’s just like any other OS.
I think Microsoft’s Mojave experiment is kind of cool. “how hard is it to trick 120 people who haven’t even seen Vista before?” – Not very….but it does show that all 120 of them follow the in-crowd and don’t have opinions of their own.
Thank god, someone else reporting this with as much cynicism as I have. Are people really buying this Microsoft marketing attempt? It is about as authentic as “Dishwashing liquid? You are soaking in it!” and all those other real-people commercials from the 70s.
Go check out Engadget’s story on this, and the avalanche of comments suddenly singing the praises of the study and Vista. It seems obvious that spamming the comment boxes, DIGG, and other online news stories with enthusiastic supporters is the second part of the Mojave PR push. Well played, Microsoft, well played.
Running Vista Business and Home Pre since it came out almost two years ago this Nov.
Guess what it works for business and it works for home, I use it with Adobe Premiere, Crysis, COD4, Dreamweaver, etc…no problems at all.
I also use Vista on all my pc, my Main PC and my Gaming pc uses Vista 64, while my Tablet PC uses Vista 32 and I wouldn’t go back to XP, I really like Vista.
So, these people, they don’t have to
1. Install Vista
2. Get peripherals—cameras, printers, scanners—working
3. Get on a network, wireless or otherwise
4. Reinstall or upgrade any applications
5. Use a “Vista Ready” computer
I’m sure they had a great experience. Now back to the real world
I’ve been using Vista 32 & 64 bit Ultimate since launch without any major issues. Any issues that have arisen have always been hardware driver related [esp w/ 64 bit]& not with the OS itself. In my experience, Vista has been rock solid from day 1.
Yep, once they actually use Mojave for a while their opinion may turn to a mirage. Our IT department thought it was the cat’s meow for a couple of days. They’ve since re-imaged all Vista laptops with XP. :)
Actually I have two Vista computers(ones a laptop) that connected to my home network with no problem, re-installed Vista once, which was no worse than any other OS by windows, and have the printer working between them both. All of my Applications work fine. I even managed to install a video card that works with Vista in a desktop, and it plays games. It’s amazing, Vista is the exact same as XP with a new UI. That study could be played off as a study towards how much people hate change, if they never saw Vista or Used it and hated it then on what grounds did they hate it aside from the fact its a change. I’ve managed to avoid any problems with my Vista machines, so I have no reason to hate it, which others may have managed to encounter.
I’ve had Vista for almost 2 years now and no problems at all. I actually had to use XP at school and I hate it. It’s just so old and inefficient in comparison. Beside the UI itself, the integrated search is the No.1 killer feature in vista. Yeah I know you can install google or MS desktop search, but vista is still better at it. Also the integrated tags are pretty cool too.
To all this people who are saying crap like oh, it’s not very scientific, they didn’t use it long enough. Oh, grow up. How much do you think people get to use the Mac at an apple store before buying it.
To the guy above with the engadget comment. The author got called out and basically ripped a new one on that post with some 250 responses by the way. Not because of what MS had done, but because he posted a douchebag article putting down the experiment when they clearly said nothing about Apple’s ads, which are even less scientific and more FUD than this. He even tried to make up for it, by posting an “update”, that was pretty much thrown in the garbage too.
To all this people who are saying crap like oh, it’s not very scientific, they didn’t use it long enough. Oh, grow up. How much do you think people get to use the Mac at an apple store before buying it.
I only see one problem with this comparison. Yes, the demonstration is probably comparable in length to the amount of time spend on a computer in the apple store, HOWEVER, Apple has tight control over the hardware AND software they sell. In other words, the computer you tried out in the apple store is IDENTICAL to the one they would buy.
In the case of this experiment, the testers did not install vista on the users’ computers, but instead demoed it on a single computer that happened to have all working drivers for vista. The chances that the person being given the demo would actually end up buying vista and an identical computer to the one they were given the demo on is almost zero. It is far more likely that they will buy vista, and try to run it on a completely different machine. Since most of the issues people have with vista (and all of the problems i had with it when i tried it) are compatibility issues, this demo is VERY different than trying out a computer at the apple store for a few minutes.
Not only that, but the experiment was run under the complete control of a tester, and limited to specific features.
It’s as if, when you went to look at a Mac in any store, there was a “Genius” sitting over your shoulder telling you what to do all the time. Given that kind of control, you could make anything look good.
Wow, do you even try to buy current hardware? You mention compatibility issues yet you talk as if no one’s updated a driver since vista released. The only compatibility issues you’ll see are for hardware components purchased before the release of an operating system, and the 2-3 months following you should see updated drivers for compatibility. I’ve built 4 complete systems for myself with very DIFFERENT components as well as over a dozen for friends, and the only thing I had an issue with as far as compatibility was a 4 year old motherboard for a shuttle computer that hasnt had a driver update since 2005. Even my software runs perfectly and quite a bit of it was for XP. Seriously learn to criticise something when you dont know a damn thing about compatibility. Go buy a current system and see if you have compatibility issues. Oh and think back to the initial release of XP as well. It had the EXACT same compatibility issues. I know because I experienced them.
“We just replaced your operating system with Folgers Crystals, how do you feel?” “Buzzed”.
That’s what it remind me of, those ads for that horrible instant coffee. If you have to use this kind of strategy to get people to say nice things about your product, you really need to wonder if maybe it’s not the people that are the problem… it’s the product…
Disclaimer: I used Vista for 30 minutes, then gratefully upgraded my new work laptop to XP.
I used vista for 6 months. They had some good ideas with their security “are you sure..” feature, but their execution of it was poor and it just gets annoying. Over all I did not find that it added much value to my operating system beyond XP’s functionality other than the cool look factor. I still have to go to start and programs to start something, or have a really cluttered shortcut bar. I didn’t find the search field very useful.
I have been using a Mac for the last 6 months and I love it. The difference I see is the OS navigation, with Expose, Spaces, Quicksilver and the Automator apps switching between tasks and customizing behavior is almost perfectly seamless. Don’t get me wrong I know Mac says “it just works” but OS X has its problems too, however working in OS X is much nicer than Windows has ever been.
I think it’s funny that Microsoft has to trick people in using Vista. What does that tell you about the OS? There must be a reason why the Mojave Experiment was initiated in the fist place. I have used Windows for over 15 years now and DOS before that. There is a reason why I use a Mac now. I don’t know why the world wants to suffer with windows anymore. Although I do make a good bit of money from windows… Viruses,spyware,greyware,etc… Thank you MS.
I have used Vista- for over a year. I am computer savvy. I tweaked Vista to no end trying to get it to act normal and not slow. I found the perfect solution- format, install XP, enjoy a real OS. Vista is the new ME- Mojave is a repulsive experiment that preys on the ignorant. Why is MS making Windows 7 already? Because Vista is broken. So sad, get over it. Use XP until MS gets the OS right. That’s all. Thanks. Sometimes, simplicity is best, folks.
KEEP XP ALIVE!! Vista SUCKS, and here’s why: 1) Incompatibility with GOBS of software – or it works but not quite the same, 2) Confirmation prompt after confirmation prompt, 3) Programs magically crash under Vista and not XP, 4) Requirement to seek permission from some mysterious administrator, when – OH WAIT – I AM the administrator!!!, 5) DreamScene makes computer (albeit a darn good one) freeze, 6) Inability to install fonts in bulk, 7) Folder settings resetting on their own CONSTANTLY, 8) Graphics editing programs suddenly can’t handle large images anymore, 9) Printers cannot be found, 10) Difficulty visualizing what folder or files are highlighted in Windows Explorer, 11) Switching between Windows Explorer windows takes forever sometimes, 12) Internet Explorer suddenly doesn’t remember passwords or prompt to save them, 13) Desktop search function takes forever and is too complicated, 14) PDF Printer suddenly doesn’t work, 15) Network connectivity is CONSTANTLY lost, 16) periodic freezes, 17) unexplained freezes on BOOT…need I say more!?!?!?!