Windows Vista set for 2006

[DJGM]

Rather than using snazzy marketing buzzwords as the name for the next version of Windows, how about . . .



Even the snazzy buzzwords method of version naming used by Apple is starting to get a bit boring now.
There's only so many big cats they can name Mac OS X after. What'll they do when they run out of cats?

[BBC LDN]

Rather than using snazzy marketing buzzwords as the name for the next version of Windows, how about . . .



Even the snazzy buzzwords method of version naming used by Apple is starting to get a bit boring now.
There's only so many big cats they can name Mac OS X after. What'll they do when they run out of cats?

I rather think "Windows 6.0" would get very confusing given that "Windows Mobile 5.0" is being released this year.

[Fireboy]

Even the snazzy buzzwords method of version naming used by Apple is starting to get a bit boring now.
There's only so many big cats they can name Mac OS X after. What'll they do when they run out of cats?

I suppose they'll jump to OS 11 (or OS XI perhaps) and start on another line. Or perhaps Mac OS X Moggy?

[cwathen]

I rather think "Windows 6.0" would get very confusing given that "Windows Mobile 5.0" is being released this year.

Well they've done it before. It took until Office 95 for all Office products to be standardised at version 7.0 (anyone remember when Word 2 and Excel 4 were both current?), and in the past there was 'Microsoft Word' and 'Microsoft Word for Windows' both on completely different version numbers. Then of course there was the whole saga of launching a product called 'Windows 2000' as the replacement for Windows NT, when the name suggested that it was a replacement for Windows 98.

In any case, I agree that 'Windows 6.0' perhaps isn't the best idea (although the about box is inevitably going to refer to it as that). And whilst 'Windows 2006' sounds like an obvious choice, considering that Windows has now matured into something which doesn't get replaced every 5 minutes (Windows XP came out way back in 2001, and will have been current for 5 years at the time Vista comes out - the longest service life a version of Window has ever had), then '2006' could sound very dated if it's going to go on to have a similarly long life.

But despite all of that, I'm still not sure on 'Vista'. For a start, it's title is inevitably going to get shortened to 'Win V' - which could imply version 5, when it's version 6. Ah well, it may change yet - Windows XP wasn't finalised as a name until months before it's release - most Beta versions still referred to it as Windows Whistler. With well over a year left before release (if not longer) I can easily see 'Windows Vista' coming and going in that time.

[Chris]

Rather than using snazzy marketing buzzwords as the name for the next version of Windows, how about . . .



Even the snazzy buzzwords method of version naming used by Apple is starting to get a bit boring now.
There's only so many big cats they can name Mac OS X after. What'll they do when they run out of cats?

God, I hope Microsoft will have moved on from 256 colour PNGs. 256 colours are so 1990s.

[tillyoshea]

you can't trademark a word that's in the dictionary

What about Orange (Ref E127837), Windows Ref E79681), or Egg (Ref E1506591) which are all registered as word-only trademarks, and are all (last time I checked) in the dictionary?

[cdd]

you can't trademark a word that's in the dictionary

What about Orange (Ref E127837), Windows Ref E79681), or Egg (Ref E1506591) which are all registered as word-only trademarks, and are all (last time I checked) in the dictionary?

That's an extremely interesting point. I was thinking of examples like "The" -- there's no way you'd get a trademark for that. Perhaps someone with a little more knowledge would care to clear it up?

[tillyoshea]

you can't trademark a word that's in the dictionary

What about Orange (Ref E127837), Windows Ref E79681), or Egg (Ref E1506591) which are all registered as word-only trademarks, and are all (last time I checked) in the dictionary?

That's an extremely interesting point. I was thinking of examples like "The" -- there's no way you'd get a trademark for that. Perhaps someone with a little more knowledge would care to clear it up?

'The' - ref 2280075

It is quite interesting, and I'm not entirely sure <i>what</i> the rules are governing which words can be trademarked. I'm sure it's all there somewhere, but I really don't have the inclination to wade through it all!

[martindtanderson]

Looking closely at the logo, it uses Microsoft's Segoe Font

Interesting read about 'Segoe UI' here

I've seen that article. There are some differences with the round bullets above the i and on the question marks, as well as a new italic form, they use Segoe as their corporate font now replacing Franklin Gothic.

Frutiger is a nice font, designed for Charles de Gaulle airport signs. Designed by Adrian Frutiger, who designed Univers in 1957.
(making digital type look good)

You see I do my research before making my own font lol

[cat]

I wasn't actually suggesting that Microsoft would attempt to sue those other companies using the word "Vista" in
their product names. I was thinking it'd be more the other way round, with Microsoft being on the recieving end.

It probably goes without saying that Microsoft would win, should any such legal actions take place . . .

I think that was Johnny's misinterpretation. Microsoft suing those companies would be totally ridiculous.

As far as other companies suing Micro$oft goes, you can't trademark a word that's in the dictionary. Microsoft's product title is "Windows Vista" - that "Windows" and "Vista" are next to each other is the important thing. If there were a risk of Microsoft receiving a lawsuit then how could there be several companies all incorporating the word "Vista" in their company name / product titles?

Just because it is a TM doesn't mean another company can't use it, given reasonable grounds, I think it only extends to similar products. You couldn't, for instance, have Apple Windows X, but you could have Coldseal Windows.

I think much of it is down to whether or not the company with the TM feels it is in their interests to sue or not.

[Chris]

Looking closely at the logo, it uses Microsoft's Segoe Font

Interesting read about 'Segoe UI' here

I've seen that article. There are some differences with the round bullets above the i and on the question marks, as well as a new italic form, they use Segoe as their corporate font now replacing Franklin Gothic.

Frutiger is a nice font, designed for Charles de Gaulle airport signs. Designed by Adrian Frutiger, who designed Univers in 1957.
(making digital type look good)

You see I do my research before making my own font lol

Your own font?