Steve Ballmer Directing "House Party 7"

theodp writes "What are you doing on Oct. 22? Microsoft is putting a Tupperware-style twist on the upcoming Windows 7 rollout, launching a new initiative to encourage thousands of employees, partners and technology enthusiasts to throw parties in their homes and communities to demonstrate and help spread the word about its new OS. People accepted as official launch party hosts will get their own copy of Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, and a chance to win a computer. Host spaces are very limited, so apply now, kids. Hey, what could possibly go wrong?"

Comments

don't look down

[Tablizer]

He'll be the chairman, correct?

Re:don't look down

[TheWanderingHermit]

He'll be the chairman, correct?

Nah, they're throwing parties, not chairs.

I wonder, though. When I first read this, and the "grass roots" (okay, astroturf) focus, my first thought was, "They must be REALLY desperate to make this one work." It just smacks of fear of it not selling unless they can convince people to buy it and get a buzz going.

First

[Anonymous Coward]

Theme is everyone wear Blue and pass out at a predetermined time

Re:First

[Hurricane78]

Nah, that would be too much reliability. :P

You have to be pretty nerdy

[SBrach]

You have to be pretty nerdy to consider installing windows on 15-20 of your closest friends laptops a "party."

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[RManning]

You have to be pretty nerdy to consider installing windows on 15-20 of your closest friends laptops a "party."

You have to be pretty social to have 15-20 friends. ;)

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[TheBilgeRat]

Really? It would have to be an all weekend bender if it were Gentoo.

\I'll bring the keg

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[justkarl]

Oh I agree. I think that going to parties to install operating systems is totally lame. Surely no one on Slashdot would ever do something that nerdy.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[SBrach]

I would have a hard time getting drunk enough to install Gentoo if all you brought was a keg of beer. A keg of whiskey might do the trick. Of course we would run out before it was done compiling so maybe you should bring the keg of beer too, you know as a back-up.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[timeOday]

Gentoo jokes are hardly funny anymore, since it seems most users have taken its issues to heart and moved on to Ubuntu. I tried to migrate my home "everything" server and gave up somewhere - gdm, lirc, imapd, exim, I don't remember, none of them worked the same. Due to different versions of things and distro-specific configuration, copying /etc/ files rarely works like one would hope. But don't get me wrong, a plain-vanilla fresh install of Ubuntu is incredibly simple, if you are reasonably lucky.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[RiotingPacifist]

oblig

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[COMON$]

Facebook tells me I have 350 friends, that means I am popular...right? RIGHT?

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[callinyouin]

Change "windows" to "Linux" and throw in some beer and "party" becomes applicable.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[jedidiah]

You make it sound like you went from Windows to MacOS.

Despite the annoying differences, you're still installing all the same stuff.
Unless you're installing radically different release levels of the individual
tools, the configuration files should all be the same thing even if they are
in different locations.

These files look the same on different Unixen, nevermind different Linuxen.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[Enderandrew]

I'm a member of my local Linux User's Group. I think this is a smart move. Microsoft suffered from negative word-of-mouth advertising with Vista. Some say it was undeserved. I still loathe Vista.

7 is a better version of Vista. I preordered it. Am I happy that most of the UI regressions in Vista still haven't been addressed? No. But as a gamer, I'm keeping Windows around a little longer. People come to me for computer advice all the time anyway. If I can knock out a couple upgrades at the same time, I save myself some time, and nab a copy of Ultimate for my trouble.

I still think Linux (openSUSE + KDE 4) is the way to go for most home user who just want to play media, surf the web, and manage photos. But for those who want to stick with Windows, I'm comfortable recommending 7, even though I couldn't and wouldn't recommend Vista.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[Enderandrew]

Most people I know who run Ubuntu do so because it was their first distro. I assume most people who cut their teeth on Gentoo would move onto Sabayon, Arch, etc.

I'll save my "Ubuntu is entirely too overrated" spiel for another day.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[supernova_hq]

Except that an ubuntu install takes 10 minutes, then you can frag each other in ioquake3 for the rest of the night. A windows install fest would be everyone bashing their heads against the desks searching for video card drivers :P

HAHA linux finally has driver support high enough above windows to make jokes at windows! BWAHAHAHAHAAH!

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[timeOday]

Unless you're installing radically different release levels of the individual tools, the configuration files should all be the same thing even if they are in different locations.

They should, which is why I said, "copying /etc/ files rarely works like one would hope." IIRC, imapd was compiled with different security options; for exim I had installed optional modules having to do with spam filtering; and lirc had changed so much, the version in Ubuntu didn't even use the same number of config files I had been running. GDM crapped its pants when I selected the face browser option and I never got it to work again.

The rise of GUI config tools has definitely harmed the stability and interchangeability of /etc files in linux. Many GUI tools read and write only a subset of the full syntax of the file, and are thus riddled with "do not touch!" sections. Touching an /etc file can easily break the config GUI, which can have unforeseen future consequences when everything is so tightly intertwined, as in a modern gnome install.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[timeOday]

Something weird happened - after 15 years of OS twiddling, I got sick of it and decided life is too short. My limited time is better spent playing with my kids or studying science or backpacking, not peculiarities of the latest minor revision of some software package. But unfortunately I am still addicted to the power and control of highly configurable software :/

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[Anarchduke]

No, but that does bring an idea to mind. How about a bunch of people install Windows 7 on computers, which should take about an hour, then spend the rest of the night getting drunk and finding new exploits?

You could even have a door prize for the person accumulates the most.
The rules would be simple, install Windows 7 and follow the default prompts, then see how well you can penetrate. The browser used will be internet explorer, and you are allowed to direct the computer to a website to exploit it.

To give it some measure of security, also install a trial copy of norton internet security on it.



Now, All anyone has to do is market the idea of grassroots hacker parties. I am sure Microsoft would love it.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[roc97007]

Indeed. Sounds like the premise for "the big bang theory". Many yucks as Leonard tries to explain to Penny why this is fun.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[Enderandrew]

But unfortunately I am still addicted to the power and control of highly configurable software.

You should give a good KDE distro a look then. Gnome is designed to remove choice and options, where as KDE is designed to give you more configuration options.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[Bobfrankly1]

Something weird happened - after 15 years of OS twiddling, I got sick of it and decided life is too short. My limited time is better spent playing with my kids or studying science or backpacking, not peculiarities of the latest minor revision of some software package. But unfortunately I am still addicted to the power and control of highly configurable software :/

Huh, I read this and realized, "Me too".

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[causality]

Gentoo jokes are hardly funny anymore, since it seems most users have taken its issues to heart and moved on to Ubuntu. I tried to migrate my home "everything" server and gave up somewhere - gdm, lirc, imapd, exim, I don't remember, none of them worked the same. Due to different versions of things and distro-specific configuration, copying /etc/ files rarely works like one would hope. But don't get me wrong, a plain-vanilla fresh install of Ubuntu is incredibly simple, if you are reasonably lucky.

I use Gentoo and I am very satisfied with it. However, I like to tinker and I like to fine-tune and I want to learn and better understand the system I am using. I recognize that this does not suit everyone's tastes and I personally wouldn't recommend Gentoo to someone who just wants to get up and running with as little effort as possible. For that, Ubuntu and its variants are ideal as they were designed for this purpose. I believe in using the right tool for the job. In other words, I use Gentoo and I really like it but I am not a fanboy, nor can I easily understand people who use something and assume that it must be perfect for everyone because just because they personally use it.

As a teaching tool, getting a Gentoo system up and running by manual installation is one of the best ways I have found to introduce my friends to Linux in a way that gives them a real understanding of how it works and how to administer it (most were migrating from Windows). That's because from the ground up, the manual install of Gentoo requires active involvement in all of the decision-making. The learning curve is something they tackle head-on and it's mostly downhill from there. This has worked well because I was willing to take the time to help them and to explain all of the options to them. Also, my friends generally have enough initiative to value real understanding so I try to honor their willingness to learn by showing my willingness to be there and help out. Just giving them a Gentoo installation CD and saying "there, now you go figure it out" would not have been very helpful to them at all and very well may have turned them off not only to Gentoo but to Linux in general.

In terms of my own tastes, I will add that I have seen plenty of odd "quirks" on Kubuntu that just don't seem to ever happen on a system for which I have built a custom kernel and have manually configured the system software. Most of these quirks are sound-related but have also involved network settings and application behavior. I also like the fact that on Gentoo, I have almost never wanted to install something that wasn't immediately available in the package manager with no need to concern myself about multiple repositories or additional hassles related to non-GPL software such as the nVidia binary driver. Additionally, the Gentoo Hardened project is a good example of something you can do with a source-based distribution that is generally only partially implemented by binary distros.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[shutdown -p now]

Something weird happened - after 15 years of OS twiddling, I got sick of it and decided life is too short. My limited time is better spent playing with my kids or studying science or backpacking, not peculiarities of the latest minor revision of some software package. But unfortunately I am still addicted to the power and control of highly configurable software :/

All people whom I knew who used Gentoo in the past (including myself) have since moved to either Debian or Ubuntu for their Linux needs (personally, I went to Debian first, then Ubuntu in one more year), for precisely the reasons that you describe.

Oh, also, I've got sick of semi-permanent portage breakage.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[shutdown -p now]

A windows install fest would be everyone bashing their heads against the desks searching for video card drivers

That used to be the case in XP days, but both Vista and Win7 will likely have drivers for your video card in the box, and even if not, they will get the latest ones as soon as you configure Internet connection, and the OS gets the chance to run Windows Update (which is the first thing it does post-install). Note that for Ubuntu, it is essentially the same, as e.g. NVidia proprietary drivers will have to be downloaded via its driver installation system.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[jpmorgan]

Unfortunately, when I tried out Windows 7 RC earlier this year it downloaded and installed the correct video drivers automatically. In fact, I don't think I had to manually install any drivers at all...

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[bigman2003]

These are not install parties.

Admittedly, an install party is totally lame.

These are just regular parties...with a Windows 7 computer sitting around.

Really, what kind of lame-o would want to go to an install party? I mean, what group of people are nerdy enough to actually do that?

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[mqduck]

Gentoo jokes are hardly funny anymore, since it seems most users have taken its issues to heart and moved on to Ubuntu.

I seem to have missed the party. What are all these Gentoo jokes/criticisms? I've been using it very happily since early this year so I'm curious.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[botik32]

That's exactly the reason I would not touch anything but Gentoo and maybe LSB-based distros. I has such a hard time installing asterisk on a ubuntu machine it's not funny. No matter what I did, I could not get it to start at boot properly. It would start, but wouldn't work. Go figure. Had to add a cron job to start it, which did the trick.

And don't get me started on server-side distros. Compare installation of Horde+IMP on Gentoo and on CentOS.

on Gentoo: emerge horde; emerge horde-imp; edit a few config files in /var/www//htdocs/horde/config
on CentOS: about 20 manual steps (check it here http://wiki.horde.org/CentOS5InstallationNotes)

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[shutdown -p now]

I've never seen it work in XP, not once (if you mean the "Let me look for drivers on the Internet" thingy).

On the other hand, I've never seen a PC on which at least Ethernet wouldn't work out of the box on Vista/Win7.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[houghi]

Nah. It is just another idea they stole from Linux.

We call it an install party.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[WuphonsReach]

The big problem with Gentoo is lack of QA in portage. Which means that you will (a few times per year) run into situations where the latest version of a package in portage is junk.

I ran Gentoo for a number of years. Even ran our first Linux server on Gentoo prior to shifting to RHEL5/CentOS5. Ubuntu is a better run distro for the desktop. Less muss, less fuss, and a better focus on desktop issues.

Now, I like the source-only compile-everything-yourself concept behind Gentoo. It's good for really tiny footprint installs. But the focus is on hacking rather then usability.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[toddestan]

Vista is starting to get old enough that if you have cutting edge hardware like an AMD Phenom II system, Vista won't recognize the built in ethernet. Understandable, as Phenom II (and it's associated chipsets) came after Vista was released.

I was fairly impressed though when I installed Vista on an older Dell P4 and did not have to install a single driver to make it work.

Re:You have to be pretty nerdy

[mqduck]

What you say sounds very reasonable. You're right that it's not uncommon to have to play around with package versions to get things right or that you you can easily screw things up by messing with your portage configuration. My feeling is that Gentoo is great if you *enjoy* messing around with things, getting them exactly as you like and optimized for your exact hardware and preferences.

That it's a bad choice for a server sounds rather obvious to me. For that you want a distro targeted towards usability and especially towards stabiliy (and perhaps security). If there was a sudden rush of people adopting Gentoo for critical applications, I can easily see why there would be a just as rapid exodus.

Party here!

[NoYob]

There's a BIG PARTY at this address: 835 73rd Ave NE, Medina, WA 98039

Party like it's October 2001!

[davidwr]

Only in homes not big-box store parking lots!

Re:Party like it's October 2001!

[Scarletdown]

But nowhere in Nebraska. Correct?

Re:Party like it's October 2001!

[Enderandrew]

I actually applied to host in Nebraska. Do I lose Slashdot posting rights for a week?

Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[Anonymous Cowar]

Once upon a time when the zune was first coming out, there was a box put out in the courtyard of the microsoft grounds, or some other common area (i can't recall which) where employees could ditch their ipods in a show of solidarity. If I recall correctly, there were only like 2-3 ipods dropped off from the whole of microsoft. I wonder how many "House Party 7"'s there will be? Although the ipod thing wasn't backed up by a show of chair-based kinetic force.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[TheRaven64]

The article is wrong. 7 does not refer to the version number of the Windows release, it refers to the total number pf people who are excited about a new MS OS release.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[sanosuke001]

I'll admit; I applied. If they want to give me free stuff and a free copy of Win7 Ultimate, I'll invite some friends over and have a party.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[bigman2003]

I applied too.

I have people over for BBQs, dinners, Rock Band, etc. anyway. If they want to give me Windows 7, and want me to have a computer sitting out at a party- then no problem. Yes, I will even use the decorations they send me- why not?

This actually isn't a bad way to get people to see Windows 7. Heck, I even signed up for the Betty Crocker cookie party while I was at it. (Waitlist only) Sounds like fun to me.

That's the point. The whole thing sounds like fun. So I tell my friends; "Hey, this is the geekiest thing ever...but come over for a Windows 7 party. I'll be cooking and we'll have margaritas." Microsoft gets a little more exposure, I get Windows 7, my friends get some food and drink. We all win.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[bigman2003]

You mean the one I have been using for a year now?

Works great!

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[edcheevy]

Same here, I've already been running it for months so what do I have to lose? Odds are, we'll have people over some day during that week anyway, so if MS wants to give me a free copy of Win 7 I won't complain.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[Nocturnal Deviant]

I applied as well, im going to have 2 cakes there for comedy relief(since of course hosting a party like this is ENTIRELY about just getting free crap.), since i use linux, ill just get a blue screen cake, and a pirate bay cake, install win7 on a shitty computer just to satisfy the terms and conditions.....then have a bbq and drink and watch a few movies or something.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[David Gerard]

An actual photo of the Zune HQ iPod amnesty bin. Note that all the iPods are the same model, current at the time of the Zune release. No doubt pure coincidence.

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[pyrbrand]

Yeah, because I'm going to go to some building off-campus that no one's advertised for me to dump an iPod I could craigslist or eBay (I'm a MS employee and worked there at the time the Zune first came out and I never heard of that box until I saw the same picture you're referring to online). I think you're overblowing what was a joke in a lobby for the building the Zune team was working in at the time.

That said, I have to agree - this Win7 house party thing was pretty hilarious. Sweet - let's party by checking out those hot new OS features! That said, there's nothing to say you have to sit amazed, crowded in front of a laptop the whole time. Any excuse for a party right?

Re:Hmm, an echo of the zune release?

[houghi]

I hope none of my friends thinks the same. What I want from my friends is friendship, not marketing.

House Party???

[orsty3001]

Will Kid 'N Play be available for this event?

Re:House Party???

[David Gerard]

Milli Vanilli.

Re:House Party???

[Mark_in_Brazil]

Possibly. Kid has done a commercial selling suits. Check it out.

Re:House Party???

[Trashman]

Thank you, I was looking this. I was afraid that there weren't any old-school hip-hop lovers on Slashdot.

Re:House Party???

[noidentity]

Will Kid 'N Play be available for this event?

No, but I hear that Playz 4 Sure will be there, though it's not clear whether he's actually going to play anything.

I have another word for that

[v1]

You have to be pretty nerdy to consider installing windows on 15-20 of your closest friends laptops a "party."

More like pretty sadistic

aka "good way to lose 15-20 friends"?

Re:I have another word for that

[DoofusOfDeath]

You have to be pretty nerdy to consider installing windows on 15-20 of your closest friends laptops a "party."

More like pretty sadistic

You see those as mutually exclusive? Sounds like someone doesn't read the Boston Phoenix classified ads.

Maybe the question should be...

[eviloverlordx]

...what could possibly go right? That would at least set the correct expectations.

Steve Ballmer Directing "House Party 7"

[Anonymous Coward]

"I just throw the chairs. Gravity does the directing."

Re:Steve Ballmer Directing "House Party 7"

[Yvan256]

And kinetic energy does the action scenes.

Re:Steve Ballmer Directing "House Party 7"

[Errol backfiring]

Through the Windows, you mean?

Do we bring our own virii?

[AnalPerfume]

Or are MS ensuring we get infected at the party?

Re:Do we bring our own virii?

[geekoid]

That's my kind of party!

virii isn't a word.

Re:Do we bring our own virii?

[pohl]

virii isn't a word.

True, but it makes excellent bait for trapping pedantii...pedanten...pedmata?

Re:Do we bring our own virii?

[Sponge Bath]

...pedmata?

I think that's the plural of Catholic Priest.

Sure, why not?

[R2.0]

Just last night I saw a long commercial with 3 women sitting around a couch watching a birth control commercial and having an in depth discussion about birth control options. Of course, my wife says that's total bullshit and no one she knows does that, but hey - it's on TV so it must be true. So inviting my friends and neighbors to come over to my house, have some snacks, and watch how Win7 handles disk caching so much better will increase sales eleventy gajillion percent.

Re:Sure, why not?

[CorporateSuit]

So inviting my friends and neighbors to come over to my house, have some snacks, and watch how Win7 handles disk caching so much better will increase sales eleventy gajillion percent.

Unlikely. Your neighbors will probably ignore the Windows 7 and spend their time on the couch, having an in-depth discussion about birth control options.

Re:Sure, why not?

[mrsurb]

Installing Windows 7 IS a birth control option.

Re:Sure, why not?

[TheRaven64]

Wait, having parties about operating system launches isn't a birth control option?

Re:Sure, why not?

[timeOday]

Just last night I saw a long commercial with 3 women sitting around a couch watching a birth control commercial and having an in depth discussion about birth control options. Of course, my wife says that's total bullshit and no one she knows does that, but hey - it's on TV so it must be true.

In what way is it not realistic? I know my wife does discuss birth control with her friends, and from hearing about it secondhand I pretty well know what guys I know have had vasectomies etc. Granted, you wouldn't have a tupperware-style get-together just to discuss it, but it does come up when women are gabbing.

As for this Microsoft marketing tactic, it seems kind of lame, but it won't hurt anything. Sadly I think society has moved on from appreciating how cool and amazing personal computers really are, but then excitement never did have very long shelf life.

Re:Sure, why not?

[Shagg]

No, but it's a good indication that birth control isn't something that you really need to worry about.

Re:Sure, why not?

[AliasMarlowe]

Your neighbors will probably ignore the Windows 7 and spend their time on the couch, having an in-depth demonstration of birth control options.

Fixed that for you... assuming you've got sensible neighbours, of course.

Re:Sure, why not?

[shutdown -p now]

Wait, having parties about operating system launches isn't a birth control option?

For operating systems with no Unix heritage, no. ~

Re:Sure, why not?

[EsJay]

Laugh if you want, but the "Windows 7 Party Pack" is a box of condoms and booze!

Re:Sure, why not?

[grcumb]

So inviting my friends and neighbors to come over to my house, have some snacks, and watch how Win7 handles disk caching so much better will increase sales eleventy gajillion percent.

Unlikely. Your neighbors will probably ignore the Windows 7 and spend their time on the couch, having an in-depth discussion about birth control options.

... And wondering why your mother didn't use at least one of them.

You're welcome.

Re:Sure, why not?

[The Archon V2.0]

Unlikely. Your neighbors will probably ignore the Windows 7 and spend their time on the couch, having an in-depth discussion about birth control options.

Two questions:

1) Are they willing to provide live demonstrations of birth control options while the host demonstrates Windows 7?

2) Are they hot?

If so, then he may well have the most successful Windows 7 launch party on his hands! (And possibly on other parts of him.)

Another Sequel?

[cthulu_mt]

Are they taking Kid and Play out of cold storage?

Re:Another Sequel?

[lumenistan]

awesome... at the same time I saw this comment, the music shuffle Gods decided it was time for Rob Base and "it takes too". Ah, memories...

Ubuntu Live CDs

[Anonymous Coward]

I am going to attend every party in my neighbourhood with Ubuntu Live CD to give away!!!

Crash the party! in more ways than one

[davidwr]

Crash (as in invade) your nearest party and pass out LiveCDs, plush Penguins, and for the health-conscious, Apples (the kind you eat).

Take bets on how many times you can get the host's computer to crash (as in computing).

Re:Crash the party! in more ways than one

[geekoid]

Win 7? good luck getting that to crash.

On the plus side, I can beat the shit out of anyone who comes to my house to disturb the party and not do any jail time.

Seriously people, Linux is awesome, but pushing your way into places that are about windows is just annoying and makes the whiole linux crowd to idiots.

Like the Linux guy who kept making comments and a Windows presentation. We aren't there to here your pitch, STFU.

Re:Crash the party! in more ways than one

[gbarules2999]

You need a sense of humor. Besides, I have gotten Windows 7 to crash just by force installing XP drivers on it. Instant BSOD. It'd be a good party trick, no?

Re:Crash the party! in more ways than one

[geekoid]

I have a sense of humor, but I am getting tired of having events for windows interrupted by Linux advocates.
It happens a lot here in the Portland area.

I can get Any OS to crash by forcing it to use incorrect drivers.
Not much of a trick.

Comptetition

[joaommp]

With Linus it would be "Glaciar Party 2.6.31-rc8-git2"

Getting in

[DoofusOfDeath]

I think the hosts should charge their guests $100 to come in.

Then just before serving drinks, the host springs a EULA that the guest needs to sign, or else he gets booted out the front door.

If the party is on a Tuesday, then in the middle of their festivities they need to sit still for half and hour while ADP comes in and upgrades the security system.

I just pity the poor guest who only paid the basic $100 to get in. The bathroom is only available to those who paid $299 to get in. Poor schmucks.

Re:Getting in

[DoofusOfDeath]

In contrast to the Linux roll-out party, which is free but takes place under an overpass and is hosted by homeless people.

[Relax, it's just a joke. Linux is my main OS.]

Re:Getting in

[Krneki]

At least they will have some booze. :)

Re:Getting in

[DoofusOfDeath]

[Relax, it's just a joke. Linux is my main OS.]

This is like making a racist joke and then saying "Relax, I am of the same race..." and expecting that being of the same genre that you mocked makes it okay. Its amazing how that works.

And yet it does work, if you go by people's reactions. I didn't design humans, I just work with what's given to me.

Re:Getting in

[Krneki]

No, this is like making a joke and let everyone know he didn't want to Troll, but he really wanted to make us lough.

As for racist, wtf dude?

Re:Getting in

[geekoid]

you are comparing a Linux joke to a racist joke? you are out of whack.
\

Re:Getting in

[ashtophoenix]

I am not comparing the joke, I am comparing a common rhetoric technique. That of including oneself in the genre on which the joke is made, so as to make the joke less offensive to that genre (and others).

Re:Getting in

[MadFarmAnimalz]

Yes, but the toe cheese is free.

Re:Getting in

[selven]

The correct joke is: the Linux party is free, has optimized table service queues, and has three times as many entertainers but only 5% of the cars can get there.

Re:Getting in

[Jazzbunny]

Linux party has free beer, who cares where is held at.

Re:Getting in

[callinyouin]

Spot on, crackah!

Re:Getting in

[supernova_hq]

Better to only have 5% show up and leave healthy than have 99% show up and ALL leave with a dissease!

Re:Getting in

[i_liek_turtles]

Better than the BSD roll-out party. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to use the second party hat.

Re:Getting in

[westlake]

In contrast to the Linux roll-out party, which is free but takes place under an overpass and is hosted by homeless people.

I disagree.

The true Linux roll-out draws a half-dozen or so sophomores out on the campus green for an interminable afternoon of second-rate street theater starring a paunchy, balding, middle-aged geek.

It looks something like this: Windows 7 Sins

Re:Getting in

[janwedekind]

Imagine the criticism if you'd have said "relax, I'm a homeless person myself" ;)

Re:Getting in

[eulernet]

No, you can enter freely, but getting out costs $300.

Re:Getting in

[Migraineman]

If the party is on a Tuesday, then in the middle of their festivities they need to sit still for half and hour while ADP comes in and upgrades the security system.

You're having your payroll processor upgrade your security system? I s'pose that only makes sense in a Microsoft world.

Re:Getting in

[fermion]

MS often attacked free *nix because it did not have any formal corporate support behind it. Sure one could get Red Hat, but mostly it was a fly by night operation where there were plenty of random people who would give you the software and maybe help you install it, but no long term help

The interesting thing about these parties is they are using the random person model. Instead of controlling the message, they are allowing unvetted random representatives to push the product. What next, MLM marketing? Of course this is running full circle, as MS software once most often entered the market through pirated copies installed by amateurs on cheap computers.

If MS is trying to become part of the High Street, as indicated by thier opening of fancy stores, I am not sure if house parties are the way to do it. Perhaps they should have spent the recent glut of ad money on well orchestrated street parties in the major cities.

Re:Getting in

[syousef]

n contrast to the Linux roll-out party, which is free but takes place under an overpass and is hosted by homeless people.

[Relax, it's just a joke. Linux is my main OS.] ...but I bet you're not homeless.

Re:Getting in

[Hurricane78]

Ok you little crybaby! Should I call the waaambulance?

Think about it: If you leave out certain groups when making jokes, you are *discriminating* them (or everyone else, depending on your p.o.v.).

I make fun of every group alike. Even at the same time: "Hey that gay arabic jewniggercunt is a total Nazi!" :P

Re:Getting in

[eeyoredragon]

Or "Relax, some of my best friends are homeless!" :D

Not yet

[davidwr]

But as soon as insert-MLM-company-name-here* starts selling Windows 7 it will be.

*My lawyer recommended I not use any actual company name here.

Re:Not yet

[sexconker]

We're Amway Global.
In America we proudly operate as Quixtar.

Re:Not yet

[Arthur Grumbine]

We're Amway Global. In America we proudly operate as Quixtar.

We are Avon.
We are Mary-Kay.
We are Tupperware.
We are Pre-Paid Legal Services.

We are Legion - and we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just for you...

It's an Operating System, Not Amway

[greatica]

Finally I can join the ranks of my wife's Tupperware, Mary Kay, and Stamping Up crowd!

Re:It's an Operating System, Not Amway

[Jason Earl]

I like Pampered Chef parties. They serve food!

Its not a House Party...

[Zantac69]

...unless Kid 'n Play show up!

Maybe we could get Steve Balmer and Bill Gates to reprise the roles - not sure who would look better with the fade though.

Re:Its not a House Party...

[The Archon V2.0]

...unless Kid 'n Play show up! Maybe we could get Steve Balmer and Bill Gates to reprise the roles - not sure who would look better with the fade though.

Not sure? Ballmer with a high top fade? You ask for a forest in the Sahara! An Eden on an Antarctic plateau!

But there's a thought: If Windows 7 can grow Ballmer a Kid-style fade, then it could be a box of rocks, AOL disks, and dead puppies and you still wouldn't be able to keep it on the shelves.

They still don't get it

[roc97007]

Geeze, it's an OPERATING SYSTEM. A minor update on Vista. What does he think he's selling?

I'm using the beta, (which is working rather well -- imagine my surprise) and it occurs to me that I'm being asked to pay $200 to $300 (depending on version) for what is essentially an improved TCP stack and a new bunch of drivers. Throw a party? I don't see why they even designed a new box.

Re:They still don't get it

[Krneki]

You bought Vista?

At least you learned from your mistake. :)

Re:They still don't get it

[Achromatic1978]

a) $200-$300? The most expensive upgrade is $219. The Home Premium upgrade, which 95%+ (conservatively) of people will use would be a $119 upgrade. b) "what is essentially an improved TCP stack and a bunch of new drivers"? Yeah, I guess that's the main thing. It's not like extensive UI revision (I for one love the new taskbar), Aero Peek, new networking APIs, improved color depth support for HD video and digital cameras, virtual XP for compatibility, video support for remote desktop, multi-PC integrated libraries for media would have absolutely any interest to anyone, right?

But no, you go ahead claiming that people will be paying $300 for an improved TCP stack, and get modded Insightful by the drones...

Re:They still don't get it

[geekoid]

You are correct, it should be SP3; however I signed up for the party, because I want a free copy(legit).
I am also wondering how many of my friends would actually turn up.

Re:They still don't get it

[PenisLands]

Get cockin' lads. BIG DENNIS. MENIS FENIS BENIS GENIS DENIS DENNACE.

Listen to me. They're a buisiness, it's natural for them to make a fuss about a new product that they're releasing, even if it's only just an incremental update. If you were trying to make a profit, you'd do the same. And don't forget, they've got to escape from Vista's bad reputation.

Re:They still don't get it

[roc97007]

You're so cute.

My article reflected the price of what I have, (Windows 7 Ultimate -- about $200 for upgrade, about $300 for the full version) not what I speculate others will be buying. Your mileage, as always, will vary.

Re:They still don't get it

[mcgrew]

What does he think he's selling?

There's an old advertising maxim that says "sell the sizzle, not the steak". Take Pontiac's old commercials. A Pontiac is used for transportation. It takes you to work and the store, etc. But "at Pontiac, we build excitement".

Microsoft knows this maxim and uses it well.

Re:They still don't get it

[Ant P.]

Wow, $119 for a ripoff of Ubuntu 8.10?

Re:They still don't get it

[geekoid]

the most expensive is 319.00. Which is the one they are giving away, so he was accurate.

Yes, the most expensive UPGRADE price is 219.00 but so what?

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7-Ultimate/product/5A4B95F4

And it's not an extensive UI revision" that would mean the rewrote most of the underlying code for graphics; which to the best of my knowledge, they did not. Some tweaks and pretty graphics.

If I am wrong there, please link to relevant information, I would love to read about extensive changes to their graphics engine.

Re:They still don't get it

[Achromatic1978]

He addressed that too - like the man said, what percentage of the population would be in a position where they had to purchase a FULL version of Windows 7? Who had a computer that didn't have XP or Vista on it, but yet was capable of running Windows 7? Survey says probably a fraction of a per cent.

Do you also say that most people will be paying $129 for OS X Snow Leopard, when, because it's Intel only, everyone who has a Mac capable of running it has at least Leopard, and therefore would be able to purchase the $29 upgrade option?

Because if one is valid, then so is the other. Difference is, one is realistic, one is not. And if you purchase a full copy when you're eligible for upgrade pricing, that's your fault and yours alone.

"UI revision" != (and was never claimed to ==) "extensive rewrite of graphics engine", per your claim. But if you've actually seen Windows 7, you'll see "extensive UI revision". You may wish to review this, amongst other articles, but to say "some tweaks and pretty graphics" is the extent of the changes in Win7 is disingenuous at best.

Re:They still don't get it

[koiransuklaa]

a) $200-$300? The most expensive upgrade is $219.

Heh, maybe somewhere it is. I just walked by the Windows isle in the local computer store yesterday and laughed at the upgrade price: 272 euros. At the current exchange rate that's almost $400.

Re:They still don't get it

[st3v]

Oh really? So Windows 7 came out in your local computer store before the rest of the world gets it on October 22nd?

Re:They still don't get it

[geekoid]

"He addressed that too - like the man said, what percentage of the population would be in a position where they had to purchase a FULL version of Windows 7?

irrelevant to the fact that the most expensive version is over 300 dollars.
I would say the MOST EXPENSIVE VERSION OF LEOPARD IS 129 dollars.

Extensive UI revision was his wording, not mine I was just pointing out that he was incorrect on that score.
I ahve rad that, and many other things. I was simply rebutting is statement. I don't see anything regarding graphics thats amazing or new outside of eye candy...which looks awesome.IMO

Re:They still don't get it

[drfreak]

True, but most people skipped Vista. Compared to XP, it is a major release.

Re:They still don't get it

[roc97007]

I skipped Vista also. And if you ignore the gooey, it's still just increased hardware compatibility.

Re:They still don't get it

[Hurricane78]

My friend, today it's all about selling dreams. Not actual stuff that you need.

What do you really *need*? Water, air, food, a toilet, shelter and other humans. Maybe some inspirational nature.

Dreams are why Apple is so successful. Of course their products are by far not the best out there. Especially when considering the price. But does it matter?

The problem with Microsoft is: They aren't cool. And without that base, your "look at our cool products" campaigns are doomed to fail.

Re:They still don't get it

[koiransuklaa]

I really wouldn't know, I'm not a potential customer: I just happened to see the prices on the service desk while waiting for a clerk. The Ultimate edition upgrade is on their web shop as well if my word's not good enough for you: http://www.verkkokauppa.com/popups/prodinfo.php?id=13976 (only in Finnish but I'm sure you'll be able to find the price in there).

So, what's with the suspicion?

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[Xaositecte]

You actually read the article, and you still can't figure out why it was illegal?

Idiot.

By Tupperware-style...

[Java Pimp]

does he mean the chairs should be plastic?

Re:By Tupperware-style...

[natehoy]

Better be. One lucky party will be crashed by Steve Ballmer, and you know what happens when HE sees a chair. The host or hostess would be well-advised to choose lightweight chairs. This will reduce the chance of back strain on His Steveness, and also reduce the risk of injury to your guests.

Think "inflatable".

Re:By Tupperware-style...

[supernova_hq]

I'm half tempted to sign up, then give everyone ubuntu disks and use the 7 disk as a coaster. Then pray that Steve does pick my house. I would LOVE to see his face.

Note to self: bolt all chairs to the floor.

Re:By Tupperware-style...

[natehoy]

If you used inflatable chairs, he'd starting throwing them around and you'd have a "Beach Ball-mer Party". (snare drum)

Where have we heard this before?

[MaggieL]

Somebody's trying to take a page from the Obama playbook.

Ain't nothing but a...

[TheRealRainFall]

Gangsta party...

Pirate Party

[natehoy]

You know, it just occurred to me. Since so many LAN parties turn into Pirate Fests (dude!! you've got the latest (insert_game_or_movie_name_here), I suspect Microsoft is.. well... late to the party on this one.

I'm sure there is, at this very moment, a solid handful of LAN parties where cracked Windows 7 installs are happening.

And I'm sure the host of THOSE parties is receiving a full copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. OK, "full" except the install disc, and artwork, and a shiny hologram logo, and DRM...

Still, kudos to Microsoft for being inventive in their marketing.

Re:Pirate Party

[RiotingPacifist]

)

that was a close one!

Re:Pirate Party

[shadowofwind]

I almost stopped reading when I got to 'Pirate Fests' and glimpsed words like 'dude' and 'insert' coming up on the next line. I was relieved to see you were talking about software theft.

Re:Pirate Party

[himitsu]

I need to meta-mod more. You sir deserve +1 Funny

Re:Pirate Party

[religious freak]

Meh, I tried to mod you funny 3 different times; but that stupid This resource is no longer valid. Please return to the beginning and try again. kept appearing. Anyway - well done - I literally LOL'd

Party?

[RManning]

As a geek, I'm probably more excited about an OS release then most (although I couldn't care less about Windows), but since when is an OS release a party-worthy occasion? I can see if I was on the development team, but for everyone else?

Re:Party?

[geekoid]

Well, now there is a good definition between geek and a Nerd.
As a Nerd, I signed up to host a party.

Re:Party?

[shutdown -p now]

As a geek, I'm probably more excited about an OS release then most (although I couldn't care less about Windows), but since when is an OS release a party-worthy occasion?

Since you get a box of Win7 Ultimate for free (assuming that you care). Duh.

Re:Hey, isn't this ...

[R2.0]

"... just a Pyramid scheme ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme"

Oh - I thought you meant this:

http://www.webscription.net/p-328-pyramid-scheme.aspx

It's an insane fantasy with very little chance of ever actually occurring, so I think it more appropriate.

(Good read, though. and DRM FREE!)

Re:gMail is down again...

[timster]

Working fine for me -- have you checked your Internet connection?

New ad

[Monkeedude1212]

Mac: I'm a Mac

PC: And I'm a PC. Looks like I've got you beat this time. People all over America will be having a party for my new Operating System!

Mac: Wow, Congrats. That's really exciting. So are people going to be exposed to your new product while having fun at the same time.

PC: Well... Not really...

Mac: No? What are you....

PC: You see only the people who really care about Windows 7 will be hosting it... and they only get 1 CD to show all of their friends why they should buy Windows 7...

Mac: Oh, well, whats wrong with that? Wouldn't that mean more people will be buying Windows 7?

PC: The only friends Windows 7 enthusiasts have are other Windows 7 enthusiasts...

I can imagine it now

[the_macman]

Steve Ballmer: "Who ate all the GOD DAMN SALSA!!!! I BOUGHT IT TO EAT SPECIFICALLY WITH MY LIME TOSITOS!!!!!" *throws chair across the room*

filter error too many caps filter error too many caps filter error too many caps filter error too many caps

Re:I can imagine it now

[geekoid]

I can't wait, I've got an excellent attorney... I'll sue for 5 free copies of every OS the will put out from not until the end of time.

MUAhahahahha!

what?

Pass

[emandres]

I'll go ahead and pass on that golden opportunity. Because I'm a student, I have access to MSDN downloads, and was able to download the RTM of Windows 7 already. On first glance, it was a pretty slick change (especially the new dock-style task bar), but after running it for a week or so I realized that it's little more than Vista with a UI upgrade and a few more driver issues. Specifically, I kept having a problem where the background on my desktop would look funny (almost like a bad jpg of the background picture). So for the meantime I'm back with Vista, and don't plan on upgrading until SP1 comes out.

Re:Pass

[qubezz]

I'll upgrade/downgrade when they have a version without the ridiculous dumbing down of the 'launch' menu and the windows explorer with no opt-out. I tried it and it is impossible, it takes a whole bunch more clicks on non-obvious buttons to get anywhere, and when you just want to see drives and directories, they have idiot icons. Every version of Windows since 95 has had more 'idiot' features to turn off. Even making XP useable is to turn off themes, classic start menu, classic folder view, unhide system folders and put it on detalied view, turn off simple file sharing, security center, firewall, redonkulous services for idiots (uPNP, system restore, firewall service, zero config wireless, web publishing, etc). Install tweakUI and disable animated doggy idiot search, change the IE cache to something less than 100gb, etc.Then the real hacking starts, turn off the 'zip for dummies', image shell extensions, etc. Then after several update reboot cycles, remove the crapware they install in Firefox without your consent. Vista took this to extremes with it's idiot's control panel and useless UI control - and with it's nanny need for signed drivers thanks to DRM, it is Windows ME for the 2000's. Just like Vista, you'll be buying it whether you like it or not though. So many paid-for Vista's have been immediately wiped, it's near criminal to have a monopoly forced it onto computers in the first place.

Now they truly have made an OS for idiots, that only idiots can use.

Re:Pass

[jimicus]

Even making XP useable is to turn off themes, classic start menu, classic folder view, unhide system folders and put it on detalied view, turn off simple file sharing, security center, firewall, redonkulous services for idiots (uPNP, system restore, firewall service, zero config wireless, web publishing, etc). Install tweakUI and disable animated doggy idiot search, change the IE cache to something less than 100gb, etc.Then the real hacking starts, turn off the 'zip for dummies', image shell extensions, etc. Then after several update reboot cycles, remove the crapware they install in Firefox without your consent.

Purely out of curiosity, when your OS abuses you like this (and it is abuse, there's no other word for it. It gets in the way for no good reason when the whole freakin' point of an OS is to get the hell out of the way so you can get on with doing something useful), why do you put up with it?

Re:Pass

[emandres]

Don't get me started on the crap I had to remove when I reinstalled from my HP restore discs. I must have removed 20 programs that no one in their right mind would ever use. I'm just curious how much Yahoo is paying HP to include the kind of blatant advertising that was in there (i.e. Yahoo toolbar on the task bar and in IE).

Re:Pass

[Darinbob]

I think what is happening is that most of the "features" are behind the scenes, and the average technically illiterate user (the main market share for windows) won't notice them. So they have to keep tweaking the UI so that the users see that something is new and different. It also lets these users notice when their friends are not running the latest OS and laugh at them.

Re:Pass

[botik32]

Helsinki syndrome?

House Party 7?

[pak9rabid]

Hm...I guess I must have missed House Party 2-6.

Re:House Party 7?

[swanzilla]

Actually, House Party 2-4 exist. I'm embarrased to say that I watched House Party 4...not really though, because Meagan Good is amazingly hot.

Re:House Party 7?

[pak9rabid]

Heh...word.

Re:House Party 7?

[mcgrew]

That's what I was thinking when I saw the headline. "Ballmer's directing a movie???"

Party permits

[davidwr]

In some cities and neighborhood associations, you have to get a permit if your guests will need more than a few spaces' worth of parking or if the noise can be heard from a neighbor's house.

It's intended to limit loud partying and limit parking issues in congested areas.

In general, such rules wouldn't affect a purely-indoor party without mega-loud music where the guests carpooled in.

Oh, since the party is "commercial" in nature, potential hosts should consult with their neighborhood association bylaws and city ordinances regulating conducting businesses in homes. Most U.S. cities have such laws, but most also routinely don't enforce them if there aren't complaints.

Re:Party permits

[mitgib]

Most U.S. cities have such laws, but most also routinely don't enforce them since they are unconstitutional. Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1

There, fixed that for ya

Re:Party permits

[Anonymous Coward]

Anyone who would live anywhere with a "neighborhood association" deserves what he gets.

Re:Party permits

[conlaw]

What does Loving v. Virginia have to do with having parties? I think you've been ingesting far too many unknown substances at the parties you attend.

Re:Party permits

[mitgib]

While the Loving case itself is about interracial marriage, the opinion of the court has held the State can make no laws that abridge your Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The United States Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

Re:Party permits

[FatdogHaiku]

Your link to information about the SCOTUS ruling against "a state law banning marriages between any white person and any non-white person" does not seem to relate to "bylaws and city ordinances regulating conducting businesses in homes"... did you post the wrong link?

Re:Party permits

[david_thornley]

If the State can make no laws that can abridge my life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, then why are there all those laws about how, if I'm convicted of doing something, I spend such-and-such time in prison?

I LOVE THIS COMPANY!!!!!!!!111

[RelliK]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc

YEAAHHH!!!!!

Musical chairs!

[mr_lizard13]

Duck when the music stops...

My Party Will Be The BEST Party...

[hyades1]

I'm going to throw a huge Windows 7 bash where we all get together, have a few beers and giggles and do all the neat stuff intelligent, fun-loving people like to do at parties. This one will be just a little different, though. We'll blog and take pictures and videos and upload the whole thing, just the way Microsoft and House Party want.

The climax? Well, the climax will be something really, really special. In honour of Windows 7, we'll all gather 'round and cheer wildly while the Lady Elaine, our resident Make Up Artist/Fashion Goddess/Queen of Sarcasm carefully applies lipstick to a pig.

Think House Party will send us a prize pack?

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[MaskedSlacker]

You have the right of assembly, not the right of being a noise disturbance or consuming all available parking for several blocks.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[natehoy]

This "party" was an advertisement on MySpace to show up at a vacant house that someone owns, break in, and completely and utterly trash the place. 200 kids showed up and from the look of the pictures got pretty creative in their destruction, and managed to trash the house to the tune of 30 thousand British pounds.

Look for "what could possibly go wrong" in the summary above.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-448842/MySpace-invaders-trash-second-home-tune-30-000.html

What's scary is that the article mentions that this is the SECOND home to be trashed in this manner.

This calls for...

[puroresu]

A massive Linux/BSD/other free OS install party!

Linux install parties circa 1995

[ArhcAngel]

We were doing parties like this for Linux back in 1995. Some were Slackware while others were Red Hat. Of course back then you needed a team of techs to do a proper install ;) Aw memories....

In fact I need to go check on the progress of my Gentoo compile on that IBM XT we started around then. BRB

There is a lot new in Windows 7

[PhrostyMcByte]

Is Windows 7 revolutionary? No, not at all. But it has a lot more than TCP improvements. Off the top of my head:

• Direct2D gives acceleration (via DX10 video cards) for 2D drawing and text rendering. Text rendering now supports more advanced OpenType stuff and implements vertical antialiasing for ClearType rendering, to further improve the quality of text.
• GDI (what most desktop apps use) now uses Direct2D under the hood where possible, and has improved concurrency between processes.
• User Mode Scheduling improves performance by vastly reducing the cost of context switching in highly-threaded apps.
• The DWM's memory usage has been reduced by 40-50%, and has got some optimizations that should affect all apps including games.
• Power management has been greatly improved, you should notice an increase in battery life on portables.
• Native Wireless has been implemented with dual-band and some awesome fault-tolerant roaming support. Bluetooth 2.1 support is there too.
• AVC/AAC support along with MP4/M4A/etc. has been included.
• Some basic mouse gestures have been added which I've found incredibly useful, like dragging a window to the side of the screen to have it resize and take up that half of the screen. There has also been a big focus on making the OS work fantastic with touchscreens and multi-touch gestures.
• The general feeling of responsiveness has been improved by performing work as late as possible (like starting some services on demand instead of on boot), giving visual feedback earlier, reducing stalls in the UI, etc. -- this doesn't actually make it run faster, but it makes it feel like it is, and that actually helps a lot when you're sitting in front of a PC all day.
• Media Center is a lot better, and supports some new DRM crap (via BDA+) that should be enough for CableCard to finally let PC hardware be sold retail.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[geekoid]

All of which I would call SP3.

This crap should ahve been in Vista, instead they sell us incomlpete stuff, then push the completed stuff into a 'new OS'; which isn't a new OS.

This is what was supposed to be in Vista.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[raylu]

• Some basic mouse gestures have been added which I've found incredibly useful, like dragging a window to the side of the screen to have it resize and take up that half of the screen...

This is so annoying. Please tell me how to turn it off. As with OS X, I don't want my computer telling me how big my windows should be.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[0100010001010011]

So what Apple is charging $29.99 for in Snow Leopard (and people still complain it's a "Service Pack"), Windows users get to pay full price?

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[roc97007]

I think the issue here is that I'm not getting Windows 7 so I can have a new operating system; I'm getting it to do a particular task. In this case, a home media center. What I've noticed:

It has native support for SATA3. Disk operations, specifically file transfers, are MUCH faster. Big improvement over previous version.

It recognized my HDTV card and supported it without me having to dink with it. Big improvement. Same with memory card multi-reader. Very nice.

Network seems faster. I hope to do some more testing this weekend.

Windows 7 supports my multi-core proc natively (no driver necessary) and seems to do a better job of task management. Big win here.

However:

Graphics on games fail in the same way -- Spore, for instance, tears and flickers as it did before. I didn't expect Windows 7's new graphics features to fix this, but was hoping.

S/PDIF ceased working after installing Windows 7. It sees the device but no sound comes out. This is a bummer. I hope there is a fix for this.

Media Center does not recognize video in mkv containers, even though media player will play them. Previous version would play them fine. Don't have a solution for this yet.

Desktop improvements? Not interesting. Winders is an OS, not an application. When I get time, I will be turning off all the fancy-dancy eye candy. I want the CPU to work on my applications, now how they are presented.

So, for me, Windows 7 gave me some very welcome compatibility with my existing hardware, (but not the video card, unfortunately) at the cost of a couple of hiccups. Generally positive, especially if I can fix the last remaining issues. But... $300? You're kidding, right? Throw a party? Gimme a break.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[BumbaCLot]

Did you pick SPDIF? My Windows 7 showed analog stereo, HDMI stereo, and SPDIF and I had to select the device I wanted to use. Why on earth HDMI couldn't do full surround and only 2.0 stereo, and the HDCP crapped out every time I changed inputs on either my TV or Onkyo 607 is another story.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Shagg]

So basically, it's Vista SP3.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[nedlohs]

Surely not being able to play video and not being able to output the sound are show stoppers for a "media center"?

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[jedidiah]

Really. This is the evil monopoly with all of the warm bodies and
the big warchest of money. They really should be able to do better
than this. They really should be BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. They
shouldn't be "last to the party".

I expect these kinds of shenanigans with a community developed
application, with drivers that represent varying levels of
cooperation from the relevant hardware vendors. It's not really
excusable in that environment either. This coming from MCE is
just pathetic.

A new OS so you can get mundane codecs bundled finally? You gotta be kidding.

SATA3? HDTV? Those are driver support issues that should be
entirely independent of OS release.

Not having proper multi-core support is just sad.

PC have had multiple CPUs since the mid 90s.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[sponga]

Just wait, eventually deals come around.
Check daily

They had just a month ago upgrades for purchase at $49 for Home Premium upgrade and $119 for Ultimate version.

Now I don't know about you, I took advantage of the free Vista Business copy when they did the deal to launch Vista. I got 3 copies out of it, basically I told them the cd-key was smeared and I needed a new one(haha sold to other people). Free is free.
Now I have 2 copies of Vista Business that can be upgraded.
Although to be honest the hardware capability has caught up to Vista and they have all but fixed the issues with the SP patches
I like everyone else pirated XP all the way up to Vista, I kind of regret not actually purchasing a legit XP key because it was really a good OS and the upgrading would have been cheaper if I had not come across the free Vista copies.
Windows 7 looks like a solid product I could invest in as a power user, since I will most likely transfer the key to my next upgraded rig. Though the laptop scene is looking better and better every year, they have more than enough power these days to handle the latest games and are better at upgrading.

The party part gets real corny for a lot of people, me personally I am a little worried on how to throw a party like that and attract the people to it without drugs or alcohol.
A Windows 7 kegger party?

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[supernova_hq]

To be fair, the windows users didn't pay the hardware premium at the beginning.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[roc97007]

If it didn't work entirely, yes, definitely. Analog sound works, so one patch cord later, I can get something my receiver thinks is Dolby Surround. That's good enough for wife and daughter, who are the primary users of the box. What I don't have at the moment is full AC/3 support, which is *my* requirement, dammit.

The media center not supporting mkv is an annoyance but not necessarily a show stopper. It supports other containers, and I can play mkv videos in media player, although it sucks having to use the mouse instead of the wireless remote.

It's broken, but there are work-arounds, else I'd have backed it out by now. (I installed on a new disk so I could swap in the old system disk if necessary.) I'm hoping these issues are short-lived.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[roc97007]

I replied to this but the Gods of the Internet apparently didn't think it worthy.

What you describe may very well be the problem. Where do I pick SPDIF? I mean, in what window?

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[gobbo]

To be fair, the windows users didn't pay the hardware premium at the beginning.

Unless they bought from another tier 1 manufacturer... they may have even paid more for lesser quality and poorer design, if they were buying a laptop.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[John3]

Some basic mouse gestures have been added which I've found incredibly useful, like dragging a window to the side of the screen to have it resize and take up that half of the screen. There has also been a big focus on making the OS work fantastic with touchscreens and multi-touch gestures.

Wow, pretty cool. Been testing Win 7 for the entire beta and never noticed this cool little feature.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Hythlodaeus]

Mac users already subsidised their upgrades with the $1000 hardware premium.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[st3v]

Go the the "Sounds" Control Panel option, and under the "Playback" tab select the audio device you want to output on, and choose "Set Default".

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Ma8thew]

Wait, so if I'd got the PC equivalent of my Mac mini, they'd also have given me £100?

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[HiThere]

That was, indeed, once true. The last time I saw a comparison it wasn't true anymore.

Another thing that wasn't true anymore: Apple's EULAs are now just as bad as those from MS. Forget both of them.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[CharlyFoxtrot]

PC users already subsidize Microsoft through the MS-tax on every PC sold. Apple have just cut out the middle man.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Tweenk]

It has native support for SATA3. Disk operations, specifically file transfers, are MUCH faster. Big improvement over previous version.

There are no non-SSD hard drives that can saturate even SATA2. The improvement is not due to SATA3 support but due to them fixing brain damage in file handling. File operations on early versions of Vista are a legendary fail.

It recognized my HDTV card and supported it without me having to dink with it. Big improvement. Same with memory card multi-reader. Very nice.

Memory card readers are ordinary USB mass storage devices. There is no OS that appeared in the last ~8 years that doesn't support them out of the box. HDTV card support is nice though.

Windows 7 supports my multi-core proc natively (no driver necessary)

There is just no such thing as a driver for multicore processors. There were once some drivers for the power management functions of AMD processors, but it has nothing to do with whether the OS can run code on several cores / CPUs simultaneously.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Darinbob]

Wow, after reading that list I want to party more than ever!

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[roc97007]

You're probably right about the memory card reader. It's internal to the box and plugs directly into the motherboard, but could be USB. When I first brought up Windows 7, it was listed as an "unknown device", but after the customary Windows Update after any new install, and another reboot, it came up correctly.

The issue I was referring to with multi-core support had to do with upgrading a Sempron to an Athlon64 dual core, and not seeing any measurable improvement with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Upon advice from The Green Button, I hunted down and installed two things: The AMD Dual Core Driver and AMD Dual Core Optimizer. Two separate patches. Until I installed the driver, XP wouldn't recognize the second core, and I didn't get a noticeable improvement in response until I installed the optimizer.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Blakey Rat]

When I get time, I will be turning off all the fancy-dancy eye candy. I want the CPU to work on my applications, now how they are presented.

You do realize that Windows runs faster and uses less memory (well, less RAM), with those "fancy-dancy eye candy" features turned on, right?

I mean, turn them of if you want, but don't deluded yourself into thinking you're freeing-up CPU time and memory for your other apps, because you're not. (Except possibly video games that would saturate your video card's memory normally; but they usually run full-screen anyway, so Windows swaps-out the window images.)

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Warshadow]

You should be using Media Browser with MCE. You'll be able to play .mkv's just fine.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Real1tyCzech]

"Media Center does not recognize video in mkv containers"

Odd. I am ripping my 3rd DVD to H.264 in an mkv container as I type. The two I did previously play flawlessly.

I don't know if you are expecting Windows to do it OOB, and I don't know if it can or not. I install k-Lite (playback only) as one my first post-OOB installs.

If you haven't, try that.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[Hurricane78]

S/PDIF ceased working after installing Windows 7.

That is a total deal breaker if you're using it, like me. I have my amplifier connected trough it and for AC-3 decoding. Also it allows you to have good sound by using the amplifier's usually much better D/A converters, instead of those of that crappy on-board sound chip.

I want the CPU to work on my applications, now how they are presented.

You realize, that the point of the new UI (under the hood) is to have this entirely handled by the GPU, do you?

Well, since I made Gentoo my default OS, I can't live without a scriptable command line and things like cron anymore. Many basic tasks would simply become impossible.
I know that they exist in Windows 7. But all the apps are GUI apps, and few of them support proper integration into scripts. Also many small helpers are not there on Win7. Especially because many things are not simply available trough the file system.
I can't stand an OS anymore, when I don't know how everything in it works and what does what.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[ion.simon.c]

I can't stand an OS anymore, when I don't know how everything in it works and what does what.

Oh, excellent! I have a statement and a question:

I'm running Gentoo Unstable x86. I recently inserted the consolekit and policykit USE flags into my make.conf. The HAL automounter no longer functions for USB block devices *or* SD/MMC cards that I insert into my system. Additionally, K3B no longer detects the presence of my USB CD/DVD burner.
Do you have any idea how to fix my issue?

Note that I can insert a USB block device, or stick a disc into that burner and manually mount it with no issues.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[roc97007]

Installed k-Lite last night, no difference. I associated mkv to media player, also no difference. If I double click on a mkv file, it comes up in media player, but media center says it can not play the file. Suggestions welcome.

Re:There is a lot new in Windows 7

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

Direct2D gives acceleration (via DX10 video cards) for 2D drawing and text rendering.

Direct2D? Hmmmm... sounds interesting. ...google.....google....

ID2D1FactoryPtr m_spD2DFactory;

HRESULT hr = D2D1CreateFactory(
        D2D1_FACTORY_TYPE_SINGLE_THREADED,
        &m_spD2DFactory
        );

ID2D1RectangleGeometryPtr m_spRectangleGeometry;

IFR(m_spD2DFactory->CreateRectangleGeometry(
                        D2D1::Rect(20.f, 20.f, 30.f, 50.f),
                        &m_spRectangleGeometry));

Ahh Geez, not this shit again.

Shades of Windows 95?

[steveha]

When Windows 95 was released, there really was a whole bunch of crazy hoopla. Stores were having midnight sales, where they would open at midnight just to sell Windows 95 as soon as they were legally permitted. People were standing in lines outside the stores. (Heck, I read in the newspaper that one guy stood in the line and bought Windows 95, without even owning a computer. He just wanted to join in the hoopla!)

When I read this, my first thought was: they are trying to gin up the Windows 95 excitement again. And my second thought was: good luck with that. The world is a different place now; Windows 7 looks like a nice upgrade to Windows, but it's really hard to imagine people getting really excited about it. And many of the people who could potentially get excited by the improvements in Windows 7 have been running Mac OS X for years now. I predict the hoped-for tidal wave of excitement won't materialize.

You know, though, I have friends who work at Microsoft. If they can get some free goodies by having a "Windows 7" party, and if they invite me, I'll go. Any excuse for a party with my friends is good enough for me. I'll still run Linux on most of my computers, just like I do now, but why wouldn't I go to a party? (In addition to the whole computer thing, we could watch movies! An obvious choice: Se7en.)

steveha

Re:Shades of Windows 95?

[mdwh2]

And many of the people who could potentially get excited by the improvements in Windows 7 have been running Mac OS X for years now.

Well, when Windows 95 came out, many of the people who could potentially get excited had been running AmigaOS etc for years.

Windows still has massive market share, and it's probably significantly increased market share in the home since the 90s (when fewer people had computers, and other platforms were still around). Perhaps computers are more seen as commodities these days, but I don't see that there'd be less people obsessed about Windows 7, compared with Windows 95.

Re:Shades of Windows 95?

[mdwh2]

You're just being silly. The Amiga was never viewed as a serious desktop productivity machine, to compete with Windows

Now you're just being silly. By "serious" I presume you mean "used in business" (viewed by whom? And what's a "non-serious" machine? Many people don't view Macs as serious machines, but that's not a valid argument). Yes, Windows was used by the vast majority of businesses rather than Amigas or anything else, but the same is still true now. So talking about OS X now is no more an argument than talking about alternative OSs to Windows 95.

Moreover, are business users going to be the kind that "house parties" are aimed at? I don't think so.

and 1995 was not a major year for Amigas.

Exactly the point - the issue was "for years" before.

Likely even Amiga fans were using Windows in their work, and would have welcomed the improvements in Windows 95.

And you think that no OS X users today aren't using Windows in their work?

And the Mac has had a Dock, and cool graphical effects, for years now; the slickest parts of Windows 7 aren't really that new.

So? And the Amiga had for years before all the slickest parts of Windows 95 that you just listed. First you only compare Windows to previous OSs from MS. Then you say it's okay to discount new features, if they're available in an alternative OS. Which is it? You can't have it both ways.

And if you dislike the Amiga so much, well if you prefer, use classic MacOS for your example, which also meant that Windows 95 was nothing new.

I don't disagree that the jump from DOS to Windows 95 was far bigger than XP/Vista to Windows 7 - I never suggested otherwise - but that wasn't the point the OP was making.

If it's going to be that kind of a party...

[ragefan]

Shit, if it's going to be that kind of a party...I'm gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[Xaositecte]

by having the party, they're committing a couple of crimes. Tresspassing, breaking and entering, etc.

Because it's impossible to hold the party without committing an illegal act, it's an illegal party.

Unrealistic commercials..

[sconeu]

"Mom, do you ever have that... 'not so fresh' feeling?"

Re:Unrealistic commercials..

[Shagg]

"Yes dear, every time I use a Mac."

BYOC

[Sodaware]

Will they be bring your own chair?

An offer you can't refuse

[chord.wav]

I'm sure that they saw Open source launch parties (Firefox comes to mind) and said: - Hey, we can do that! I like the idea!-. As Tony Soprano would do.
I bet MS employees are "encouraged" to host or attend to these parties. And they better have a good time and have a smile on their faces the whole night! Inspectors might show up to check everything's in order.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[improfane]

In the UK there are laws that forbid raving on public property and public parties.

From what seems to be called a 'Free party' on Wikipedia:

Under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 where the definition of music played at a rave was given as: "music" includes sounds wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats.
  - Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Sections 63, 64 & 65 of the Act targeted electronic dance music played at raves.

and

The Act was ostensibly introduced because of the noise and disruption caused by all night parties to nearby residents, and to protect the countryside. It has also been claimed[by whom?] that it was introduced to kill a popular youth movement that was taking many drinkers out of town centres drinking taxable alcohol and into fields to take untaxed drugs.

Frankly given the state of my licensed local university night clubs and raves after a night, it's very much a good thing that this law is around.

The litter is shocking, the vomit and the blood. It's not nice.

Second home

[improfane]

Second home probably refers to the owners possessing more than one home. Not sure if the expression is common in America.

Rich people buy another house and let it out, as in the article. Which is probably a good thing otherwise they would have lost possessions which they made no mention of.

Re:Second home

[natehoy]

Yes, the expression is common in America.

However, in this case, "second home" means this is the second home to be vandalized. The article describes the first home, owned by a different family in a different location.

From the article: "Last week, a teenager was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after her family's £230,000 home near Sunderland was wrecked during a 'Skins' party.

Rachael Bell, 17, had also advertised the event on MySpace. Skins is a Channel 4 series in which teenagers behave appallingly"

Re:Second home

[socsoc]

While you're correct it's the second home to be vandalized, it also happens to be this couple's second home. They already moved elsewhere, try some reading comprehension.

The owners had redecorated the property in Croydon, South London, then moved out ahead of letting it.

Re:Second home

[natehoy]

..which is totally irrelevant to my original point, where I said this is the second physical domicile to be vandalized.

I made the point that this was the second house to be damaged, improfane pointed out that "second home" might mean it this couple's second home, which, while true, is not relevant.

The number of homes this couple owns has nothing to do with the fact that this is the second damaged home, which is what I was trying to say.

The application is retard

[keithpreston]

Did anyone actually fill out the application? I did because I thought would be a good candidate for it. I'm not a super fan boy(I develop on linux all day), but I do use Vista Media Center with 4 tuners and 3 extender boxes for OTA TV. This is a great feature of Vista and Window 7 and would be a great thing to show at a party. However in Microsoft's infinite wisdom they don't let you tell them why you want to host a party. You just answer some cookie cutter questions.... Can you upgrade to Windows 7? Will you invites lots of people and talk to the media about it? Looking through these apps is going to be more like a random lottery then actually finding good people to host parties!

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[think_nix]

well a BSOD could be a real party pooper ;)

YOU would have to be pretty lame to...

[bchernicoff]

YOU would have to be pretty lame to not overcompensate and turn it into the stuff of legend. I'm talking crazy grilling of steak and italian sausage all afternoon while pre-gaming with some Yuengling. The actual party would have mostly trance music playing while the tv had on either porn or C-grade horror movies, both muted, just for some irrelevant background imagery. The usual choices of liquors and beers would be on hand. The Galvatron would be temporarily renamed a Windows 7 on ice. Shots would be mandatory for such infractions as screwing up an installer option and having to boot from the DVD again, or failing to look a girl in the eyes. The strippers would of course be top notch and covered in oil or honey. Immigrant workers would be procured from in front of a Home Depot and made to do silly things during the night...like give the strippers horsey rides and made to race for italian sausage. I could go on, but I am now hungry. Time for a nice Five Guys onion burger.

Re:YOU would have to be pretty lame to...

[egamma]

I wish I had mod points for that. Well played, bchernicoff!

Re:YOU would have to be pretty lame to...

[jedidiah]

No one ever called an Installfest a "party".

Also, the idea is usually to provide support rather than it being network marketing.

This like a Windows tupperware party.

I don't drag my neighbors to UG meetings regardless of what the relevant prefix is.

Re:YOU would have to be pretty lame to...

[supernova_hq]

You could even turn off the lights and feel the familiar warmth of the soft blue glow coming from all the monitors.

Re:YOU would have to be pretty lame to...

[idontgno]

Jeebus... I don't know whether to call that appealing, or appalling. I guess both. The best of good times are supposed to leave you feeling conflicted.

BTW, I vote for oil, not honey. And let's leave the illegals back at the Home Depot; I don't need anyone else horking my single-malt.

Enjoy your burger, mate.

Drawing from history...

[renimar]

I think a 'Windows party' more along the lines of the Boston Tea Party would be the slashdot thing.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[anglico]

They didn't have permission from the actual owners of the houses is my guess on why it was illegal.

Isn't this the way....

[Ancient_Hacker]

Isn't this the way the Roman Empire fell? Lots of partying while the barbarians were pounding on the gates. Gates?

Re:Isn't this the way....

[hansamurai]

Ubuntu 9.10 RC is due that day, and the release a week later.

Re:Isn't this the way....

[catbertscousin]

They should have invited the barbarians in and given them free samples of tupperware and avon. Said barbarians would quickly have decided the Roman Empire had nothing they wanted and gone to sack somewhere with beer and gold.

Re:Isn't this the way....

[Poorcku]

very true. but it took almost 700 years for it to be " the year of the barbarians on desktops".

this is an atrocious idea...

[nimbius]

the reason this works for things like tupperware is because it comes in a pricepoint even your poorest neighbor can afford, without worrying about social stigma of buying "the cheap one." you also dont need a new kitchen for tupperware...that just works alongside the one you have. Windows 7 has features at each point that cannot be shared or related to between users, and reminds each party member theyre going to need to buy a new computer in a recession that is directly proportional to their income or lack thereof.

most geeks are guys. I dont speak for us all, but im certain most dont attend tupperware parties or get togethers for products...hence why apple hasnt tried this yet. palm never did it, xbox never did it, and ps3 never did it...mercedes has never done it...and taco bell never did it to celebrate the volcano taco...these are all brands with remarkably better press than microsoft lately.

in fact the only industries i know that insist on "parties" to further their business agenda are the sex toy industry, avon, amway, and tupperware to a lesser extent.

so what is the common ground to be lauded at these parties with neighbors you may not even know aside from "gosh i hope it isnt as big a failure as vista!" or "oh, youre getting an E-Machines? ahhhh.....hmmm...okay"

OT - your sig

[mcgrew]

'Loose' is when your pants are three sizes too big. 'Lose' is when you misuse 'loose'.

Correct and a commendable sig, but your use of "loose" is an adjective, and there is also a verb "loose"; e.g. "Cry havoc and loose the dogs of war". I had a sig once that read "if you loose your money you are unwise. If you lose your money you are unlucky."

Using "Loose" when one means "lose" can inhibit communication because both words are verbs that mean completely different things.

Re:OT - your sig

[darien]

You're right, but the Shakespeare line is "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war". Your version doesn't fit the metre!

Re:OT - your sig

[eviloverlordx]

Correct and a commendable sig, but your use of "loose" is an adjective, and there is also a verb "loose"; e.g. "Cry havoc and loose the dogs of war". I had a sig once that read "if you loose your money you are unwise. If you lose your money you are unlucky."

Using "Loose" when one means "lose" can inhibit communication because both words are verbs that mean completely different things.

Agreed, 100%.

Party for dorks

[gilesjuk]

Who in their right mind has a party for an operating system?

Go outside, do something interesting, take photos, go mountain climbing, skiing, surfing or mountain biking.

Have a party with music, drink and friends, but don't talk about computers unless you want the chicks to leave.

Re:Party for dorks

[mcgrew]

Dude... are you sure you're at the right URL?

Hooray... Microsoft Party...

[Greyfox]

Microsoft "spontaneous" events are usually pretty underwhelming. Sure Bill Gates could party like it was 1987 and had the mug shot to prove it, but... eeh... there never seemed to be any actual sign of human life in the giant corporate machine.

The old OS/2 crowd was a different story -- they actually believed in what they were doing and had some minimal support from IBM. You very rarely ran into the tinfoil hat crowd that drove IBM's hands-off attitude and everyone was very lively. A few IBM employees actually got very involved, too. Those days are gone and the OS/2 guys have moved on, but I bet IBM could still outparty Microsoft any day of the week.

And don't even get me started on Linux! Those guys used to have freaking BEER WALKS for God's sake! Sure the LUG meeting is usually a sausage farm but traveling to another country and walking from bar to bar drinking beer and talking about kernel internals? Plus I bet Linus could drink Bill Gates AND Lou Gerstner under the table!

Re:Hooray... Microsoft Party...

[JonJ]

Plus I bet Linus could drink Bill Gates AND Lou Gerstner under the table!

Of course he can, he's FINNISH, they can drink pretty much anybody under the table. ;)

Cleared to launch

[westlake]

Win 7 has had broad exposure and is pretty well understood. There is a substantial base of experienced users:

The Net Applications stats for August show Win 7 with a 1.18% share. Linux at 0.94%. Windows 7 Breaks 1% Share

There is no reason why a carefully targeted presention shouldn't succeed - and that is all a Tupperware Party really is, when you get down to it.

For the true meaning of pathetic - consider this video of the Boston Commons' launch of the Win 7 Sins campaign:

Free Software Foundation - Windows 7 Sins

189 views.

Great party games

[wiredlogic]

This just demands the creation of some fun games to play:

• Full contact musical chairs
• Pin the tail on the monkey
• Tux pinata

• • Hours of enjoyment for the whole family!!

on drugs again

[Tom]

Whatever he's smoking, it can't be legal.

Look, people don't throw parties when a new version of a car, household appliance or other "nothing-special" tool comes to market. Windos hasn't been anything special for 10 years. And it was your company that made it so, by making sure that it is in EVERY PC ever sold. People just don't see the stuff in any different light from the power switch, the harddrive or the network adapter.

Please, after 20 years, can you stop trying to copy Apple in everything but the important parts?

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[SCVirus]

That's the excuse, but the 90s crackdown on raves was due to a growing worry among the spooks of a spreading social and cultural revolution (a la the 60s). Raves were rather brutally suppressed until the risk of wider cultural revolution died down, quite a 'first they came for the ravers' type sign.

This is the lamest thing ever...

[frank_adrian314159]

The only way they can get people to look at their OS is to lottery off a computer. It reminds me of MS's latest commercials. You know, the one where Microsoft sends people into a store to find a cut-rate computer instead of a Macintosh? In the commercials, they're admitting that their OS is so bad they have to give people a free computer to take it. Now they're admitting that they have to pay people to even look at it. This has got to be the ugliest baby ever (well, not counting Balmer, of course).

I am totally throwing one of these parties.

[jafo]

There'll be punch and pie. It'll be free. And the OS I'll show off will be the latest Ubuntu and Fedora releases.

Sean

Re:Party like its 1999

[Errol backfiring]

Great slogan! We'll use it for Windows 2000!
Oh wait...

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[brainboyz]

And you have the right to your house, but not the right to use the parking on the public street. It's nice, yes, but it's not a right. Strangers have the same claim to park there that you do.

time for a sound card analogy

[roc97007]

I was thinking about this after lunch. Remember when sound cards were really expensive and compatibility was really problematic? I remember paying $300 list for a sound card long ago only to have it obsoleted by Windows 95. (The vendor never developed native drivers for it.) Eventually sound cards became commodity items and now you get 5.1 digital on the motherboard.

Similarly, video cards used to be really spendy, over $300 for a good 2D board with a 3D addon. Then they became commodity items, and now nobody really talks about 2D/3D performance anymore, you get pretty good performance right on the motherboard, or really good performance if you want to spring for $100 or so and install a better card.

This is normal and expected. The cost of hardware comes down, due to economies of scale and better manufacturing techniques. Taking this argument to ridiculous extremes, the original AT was something like $10K, and now for $1K you can build a machine that's killer even by today's standards.

I'm wondering if there really is still a market for $300 operating systems. (Windows 7 Ultimate full version, for the sake of this argument.) Back in the old days, when PCs were on the steep end of the curve, there really were huge changes being made, and you'd expect that huge engineering costs would need to be recouped. But now? A few tweaks on the ui, a little more native driver support, and better support for DirectX 10, which (dunno about you) I will probably never need.

It seems like we're being asked to pay ever increasing prices for smaller and smaller improvements, which is counter to the usual paradigm. They have frakkin' economy of scale -- most of the known universe is running their OS. Engineering costs? Seems unlikely, unless software engineers are independently wealthy these days.

I guess I'm puzzled why we're still paying steep-curve prices when we're clearly on the flat end of the curve.

Given current trends, I can see a time when the computer will be a free prize inside the Windows box, like a crackerjack toy. And Windows will cost as much as a car.

That is a good way to lose friends

[Orion Blastar]

throw a house party for Windows 7 and invite all of your friends.

Then when they do use Windows 7 and it doesn't live up to the hype and won't run their old games and old software and is annoying with security features and crashes and blue screens of death.

Why don't people throw Linux parties instead? Pass out free CDRs and DVDRs of popular Linux distros. At least that way you get a free operating system and don't have to pay anything for it.

Re:That is a good way to lose friends

[Blakey Rat]

Why don't people throw Linux parties instead?

Because you want people to come to the party?

Given, you might have trouble with that for the Windows 7 one, too. Unless you do a Windows 7 TOGA party!

Re:That is a good way to lose friends

[Orion Blastar]

Actually I do have Linux parties.

Like Michael David Crawford I like to hand out free OSS CDs.

Ubuntu and Fedora are the favorites.

Linux Install fest anyone??

[RobertLTux]

If Oct 22 is a good day to be installing Operating systems why don't we install %latest_stable% of %distro% on the same day??

Re:Linux Install fest anyone??

[InsertWittyNameHere]

If you're in Toronto there are install parties at the Linux Cafe.

The Catch

[mattOzan]

Here's what you must sign away in order to apply to be a party host:

In consideration of House Party, Inc. ("HPI") allowing me to host and/or attend a House Party Event on or about October 22 - 29th related to Microsoft ("Company"), including, without limitation, participating in "House Party Event" activities, such as product demonstrations and sampling, and educational and informational activities (collectively, the "Activities"), I hereby agree as follows:

I am eighteen (18) years of age or older. I agree that as consideration for being permitted to host and/or participate in any of the Activities, I, on behalf of myself and my children and minors for whom I am a legal guardian, hereby grant HPI and its designees (including, without limitation, Company and its designees) and their respective affiliates, licensees, permitees, successors and assigns, and each of them, an unrestricted, absolute, universal, perpetual, irrevocable, non-royalty bearing, and transferable right and license (but not any obligation) to use, copy, transmit, distribute, display, modify, perform, present, publish, transform, create works and derivative works, and otherwise promote or utilize my name, image, likeness, voice, words and/or other personal attribute(s) or other personal information, and those of my children and minors for whom I am a legal guardian (collectively, âoePersonal Attributesâ), captured, photographed or otherwise recorded or memorialized in any manner by myself or any other person in connection with any of the Activities, in any medium or format whether now or hereafter existing (including, without limitation, print, direct mail, online, mobile or wireless communications, radio or television broadcast, telecast or photograph), for any purpose whatsoever (including, without limitation, in connection with the creation, advertising, sale and/or promotion of any products and/or services), and without any consideration or notice to or consent by me or any third party. I, on behalf of myself and my children and minors for whom I am a legal guardian, hereby forever and irrevocably waive any rights any of us may have in or to any of the foregoing, and I understand and agree that HPI and its designees (including, without limitation, Company and its designees) are the exclusive owners (to the extent the materials are created by or at the direction of each such party) of any and all right, title and interest, including copyright, in and to any materials of any kind or nature containing or developed from use of our respective Personal Attributes. Without limiting the foregoing, I understand and agree that such materials may be used in whole or in part, individually or in conjunction with other photographs or images, and neither I, my children nor minors for whom I am a legal guardian shall have any right of approval or notice, any claim to any compensation, or any claim arising out of the use, alteration, distortion or illusionary effect or use in any composite form of any of our respective Personal Attributes. I understand that the information I have given to HPI online (including, without limitation, in connection with the host and/or guest registration and RSVP process) may be used to provide me with additional information about Company. I also agree that House Party may use and share my personal information as described in the House Party Privacy policy located at http://houseparty.com/help/privacy.

I, on behalf of myself, my children and minors for whom I am a legal guardian, and anyone who obtains any rights from or through any of us, hereby forever and irrevocably release and discharge HPI and Company; their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, members, managers, agents, licensees, designees, insurers, personal and legal representatives, successors and assigns; House Party Event hosts; other participants in the Activities; and any director, officer, employee or agent of any of the foregoing (each considered one of the

Re:The Catch

[mdwh2]

I wonder if attendees have to sign an EULA?

"By entering this house, you agree to anything and everything we like".

Re:The Catch

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow. They've obviously put a lot of thought into making this a spontaneous and fun celebration.

Re:The Catch

[pimpimpim]

I have no mod points, and you're an AC anyway, but that's a pretty good comment.

Makes me wonder... Wasn't MS supposed to have the best marketing department ever? What happened to it?

BTW as far as the blue screen jokes go, they're pretty old and unnecessary. Windows' main problem these days is not stability, it's about getting a f-ing clue on what people actually want from an operating system. Seems like they're steadily sailing in the wrong direction.

Re:The Catch

[srees]

These requirements are absolutely insane! I saw them and immediately reversed my decision to apply to party. Effectively they will own you and your family. There is nothing to stop them from using your personal information to get credit in your name. Interestingly, you are also granting them, their associates, and anyone they want to transfer the right to, irrevocable permission to use anything recorded about you or your family by anyone else at anytime for any reason. I wonder how that passes copyright muster. How does one grant permission for them to use someone else's work?

"Do my marketing for me!"

[HalAtWork]

Are they going to pay for any of my party, or do they expect me to do this out of my own pocket? I'm not that stupid, and there are much better geeky things to celebrate. Besides that, I'd rather throw parties for people, not inanimate consumer products.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[bigman2003]

Okay, you probably don't want to host one of these parties. But I do.

You make it seem like hosting a party is a big, bad thing. Like dropping $250 on food is a big deal. That Microsoft is EVIL for thinking you might be a normal person who has friends, and who regularly invites those friends over to your house so you can get together and have some fun. With friends.

The ONLY thing Microsoft is asking you to do, is to have a machine running Windows 7 at your house. They will give you a copy of Windows 7. They will also give you some other things (napkins, balloons, etc.) that you can use if you want.

You can also win a new computer for yourself.

I don't consider that to be such a bad thing. I regularly have parties anyway. The only difference here is that Microsoft is giving me a copy of an operating system (which I can choose whether or not I want to use) and a few other things.

And if you have friends...real friends...it is easy to say, "Hey, come on over to my party...yes, it will have some strange decorations, but that is no big deal."

For my friends, it won't be much different than my burger building parties. Or my 'Throwdown' (cooking contest, not WWF) parties. Or my Rock Band parties. Or anything else.

It's just a fairly flimsy excuse to get together with friends.

If that seems evil to you, then I think we have vastly different opinions on life.

Windows 7 ? That's old !

[CharlyFoxtrot]

I'm using Windows 2000.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[tuxgeek]

I'm sorry, but I can't see throwing any party themed around some shit product.
Throwing a party to get together with friends is fine
but to host a party to market M$ windoz? Get a life!

Re:HA! But don't pass out before

[uassholes]

the chair throwing contest?

Re:sigs are like dobermans

[uassholes]

They will eventually bite you.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[mdwh2]

A party for more than 100 people that plays "repetitive beats" needs Government permission - even on your own land, and where there's no issue of noise disturbance. Also the police can break up any gathering, if they merely think you're making preparations for such a party. Just ask this guy: http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/07/18/0337223

I don't know if that applies in this case though. The Daily Fail will claim anything's "illegal" if it's about the Internet, and they want to demonise it.

Re:What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[mdwh2]

I can't tell if you're joking - we need to crack down and criminalise private parties on private property, because public legal events at nightclubs result in litter? Maybe it's the nightclubs that you need to deal with instead.

Who cares about litter and vomit on someone's own private land, when they gave permission for it? Are we going to have the police telling you to tidy your bedroom, next?

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[mdwh2]

Indeed. Consider how fans of certain other OSs show off and brag about their computer platform all for free, anyway.

If Apple were doing this, there'd be nothing but praise.

Would he be as hyped up as he was in...

[pitchaxistheory]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1274983729713522403# I could not resist. DANCE MONKEYBOY!!!!!

Appropriate hosts?

[dontmakemethink]

Since when are nerds good party hosts?! Most of my comp-jockey friends get so nervous making public speeches the end up sounding like Beavis on meth!

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[socsoc]

I'm with you, I'm already using it and recommending it. Since most my friends call me for tech support anyway, they'd show up at a BYOB party to hear me point out some things that they'll want to know on the OS that they're gonna end up getting with new machines anyway. I'll bring the pizza and show you some reasons why 7 doesn't blow like Vista did and we'll all get drunk.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[mgblst]

Don't let this guy fool you, I am one of his so called friends. We only come round because his little sister is so easy. And the free booze. As soon as that runs out, we leave him there to clean up the mess.

Looks like I need to get some more johnnies.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[dangitman]

And if you have friends...real friends...it is easy to say, "Hey, come on over to my party...yes, it will have some strange decorations, but that is no big deal."

If you have any real friends, you won't have any after inviting them to a marketing party. Who the hell is going to respect someone who is whorish enough to do such a thing?

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[bigman2003]

People who understand the SuperBowl?

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[BeanThere]

Evil? No. Lame? Yes. Sorry.

The lord giveth, the lord taketh...

[Hurricane78]

First they give you a computer (+1) and then they put Windows 7 on it (-1).

Sorry but when I want to waste energy and have a horrible experience, I'll stick the open ends of a cable in my ears and let it spark! *wheeeee* *brzzzzz*

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[Clairvoyant]

Maybe that's just weird because "burger building", "Rock Band" and stuff like "Games" are connected to FUN. While Windows is...well.... you catch my drift

Ultimate Frisbee

[falckon]

Who wants to come to my Windows 7 Ultimate Frisbee party? MS is supplying the frisbee.

I thought you guys were power users

[Minimalist360]

At least you act really smart about everything... The actual vista/7 interface: 1. Hit the windows key 2. Type something like the name of a program or a control panel or a keyword related to what you want 3. Usually - hit return, or sometimes cursor down or maybe refine search
that's all you need. Seriously. Try it. And it works even better under 7 than vista cos they tagged everything.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[TheWanderingHermit]

Who the hell is going to respect someone who is whorish enough to do such a thing?

Anyone in Amway.

Re:House parties for a hated company?

[TheWanderingHermit]

So how long have you been in Amway?

RE S/PDIFnot working

[phatvw]

S/PDIF ceased working after installing Windows 7. It sees the device but no sound comes out. This is a bummer. I hope there is a fix for this.

Can you please post the hardware PNPID of your audio devices? With this information Microsoft can investigate and post an appropriate fix via Windows Update. You better beleive MS employees are scouring all the interweb forums including slashdot to address real customer issues!

Best bet is to post a dxdiag log file as that will contain all the driver information and perhaps help to address your other issues as well:

• start - dxdiag.exe - save all info

In the mean time, try force-installing the Vista driver via your vendor's website.

Re:RE S/PDIFnot working

[roc97007]

It's worth a try, thanks. But post a dxdiag in this forum? I would expect pitchforks.

Re:sigs are like dobermans

[mcgrew]

Not always, with sigs or dobies.

So...

[TemporalBeing]

Hold a joint party - officially it's a Win7 party; install Win7 on the 15-20 laptops (to satisfy the commitment), then install your favorite Linux Distro over it; and hand out Linux to everyone coming. Then, sell your copy of Win7 on ebay, or Slotheby's Auction.