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Zeichick's Take: Microsoft's Mojave Experiment only proves that Windows Vista demos well

By Alan Zeichick

August 14, 2008 — I'm unimpressed with Microsoft's so-called "Mojave Experiment." This marketing campaign from Redmond wants to change perceptions of Windows Vista by getting people to admit that it's not as bad as they previously thought after viewing hand-crafted demos of its coolest features.

As the "Mojave Experiment" Web site says:

Welcome to the "Mojave Experiment." What do people think of Windows Vista when they don't know it's Windows Vista? We disguised Windows Vista as codename "Mojave," the "next Microsoft OS," so regular people who've never used Windows Vista could see what it can do—and decide for themselves. Now decide for yourself.

The site plays video clips of people watching demos of Windows Vista. After seeing them, they enthuse, "Gosh, I always thought that Windows Vista was buggy, but wow, look at all the cool stuff it can do. I gotta get me some of that."

The "Mojave Experiment" proves absolutely nothing. The problems with Windows Vista have never been with its cool capabilities. Windows Vista is beautiful, and has many exciting features and functions.

The issues with Windows Vista —and they're real—have to do with application and hardware compatibility, with the upgrade process, with hardware specs, with reliability and with security. None of those concerns were addressed by the "Mojave Experiment" stunt's demos.

Many people who buy Windows Vista installed on a new PC are, for the most part, happy with it. Many people who try to migrate from Windows XP to Windows Vista on a relatively modern computer are also happy. However, others making the move have bad experiences, sometimes with the migration itself, and at other times with hardware or software compatibility.

Is Windows Vista as bad as its most virulent critics say? No. Windows Vista is, all things being equal, an improvement over Windows XP... on a machine designed to run Windows Vista. If someone is planning to buy a new PC, he or she can buy a machine that's preloaded with Windows Vista and will almost certainly be delighted.

None of this changes that Windows Vista has earned a bad reputation. Microsoft's "Mojave Experiment" is unlikely to change that, based on cherry-picked comments by people watching carefully crafted demonstration videos. Microsoft, is this the best you can do?

Alan Zeichick is editorial director of SD Times. Read his blog at ztrek.blogspot.com.

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