Microsoft pimps bogus Windows 7 'launch parties' Microsoft is offering to bribe you into throwing a launch party for Windows 7. Just as Redmond regains credibility after the debacle that was Windows Vista by garnering positive reviews for its upcoming Windows 7, its marketing geniuses have decided to embarrass the company by promoting bogus bashes in honor of that operating …
I've been trying to imagine the kind of person who'd get excited about the launch of a Mickeyshaft service pack. Success rate 0.
The only people at these "parties" will be paid to be there, headed up by the shills who post the pro-MS drivel here. Then we'll see the photos of them all having a great time. I can't wait.
The TOS of the houseparty website are a intresting legal nonsense. They say this thing here.
"Your Agreement to Be Bound By These Terms of Service
Please read these Terms of Service carefully before browsing or using this Website. By browsing or using this Website, you are agreeing to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not AGREE to be bound by these Terms of Service, you MAY NOT use This Website.
[...]
License to Use Your User Generated Content. By posting User Generated Content on or through this Website, you are granting House Party a perpetual license to use, exploit, copy, perform and display publicly (including, in the case of sound recordings, to perform publicly in digital audio transmission), distribute, and prepare derivative works based on your User Generated Content, in whole or in part, in connection with (a) the promotion and operation of this Website; House Party events; the House Party business and brand; the products, services and brands of the company that sponsored the event to which your User Generated Content relates (the “Sponsor”); and the products, services and brands of the Sponsor’s affiliates, and (b) in any other way expressly permitted under these Terms of Service or our Privacy Policy. We will not, of course, use your User Generated Content or other personal information in a manner that violates our Privacy Policy.
The license you grant to us is non-exclusive (meaning you are free to license your User Generated Content to anyone else in addition to us), fully-paid and royalty-free (meaning that neither we nor any downstream users are required to pay you for the use of your User Generated Content), fully sublicensable (so that, for example, we are able to sublicense your User Generated Content to our Sponsors and to visitors to this Website, who may to access, use, transmit, stream, download, print and further sublicense your User Generated Content); worldwide (because the Internet and this Website are global in reach), and fully assignable (so that, for example, if we sell our business, reorganize, or merge with another business, the new owner may continue to operate this Website under the House Party brand or another name). This license may be exercised by House Party and its sublicensees in any format, media or technology, now known or hereafter developed. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms of Service, to the fullest extent permitted by law, you waive any and all claims you may now or later have in any jurisdiction to so-called “moral rights” with respect to the User Generated Content, and all rights of rights of privacy or publicity in, or approval rights with respect to, your User Generated Content.
[...]
"
They may claim that. But I don't agree. I recommend that people avoid this legal crap, it is not good for your health.
>90% market share, bitches! You not liking it won't change it.
Err, any you are catching the shine off that how? Were you involved in the design somehow? This is just a guess, but you support Manchester United too don't you? Anyway, you're not at an American frat party here 'bitch', curb your vitriol, grow up and get over your inferiority complex, it's unbecoming.
@ Oh Dear...
On the US keyboards, shift-3 is #. But over here, we call it the pound key since it derived from a shorthand for 'lb' in terms of unit of weight. Shift 4 is $ and option-4 is ¢. I don't recall if the US Keyboards offer a lb-as-in-currency easily, but shift-option-2 will give you €.
@Frothing Rabid AC at 21:47
You, er, do realize that hosts file is probably only read on boot and file change, and the IP strings are probably stored as 32-bit ints either way. That means any lost efficiency your computer suffers from this great injustice is less than the time it takes for you to press a single key on your keyboard. You might have said other stuff past that, but really, you lost your credibility so I didn't bother reading onwards.
(At first I thought his post was AManFromMars, but AManFromMars makes much better sense and conversation.)
@Adrian Esdaile
Yes, speaking as an Appletard, such things did happen, during the dark ages of System 7.5 and MacOS 8, when CompUSA didn't know how to sell Macs. (To be fair, Apple didn't know how to advertise Macs back then. See http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DFB11914224D1D9C ). All 10 of us Mac users would hang out at computer stores to act as sales people for Macs, sometimes not even getting a tee-shirt for it.
But we did it to keep Apple alive (And this was when Apple going bankrupt was a very real danger), for the very simple reason to piss Will22 off.
But the truly scary thing? Not that MSFT is astroturfing. Not that Mac users would do this for Apple for free. It's that MSFT is trying to copy plays from the old Apple's 'panicked last-ditch thrashing effort' playbook.
Based on this, MSFT's next advertising scheme will be to have infomercials with fictional families.
Before I start, please note that I don't (yet) use Linux.
Now, all those people seem to be enjoying what they're doing. Do you have a problem with that?
Of course you do. You're one of those miserable bores who think that anybody who uses Linux is a geek who lives in his mom's basement, whereas the smug Mactards and Windoze fanbois aren't, are they? Oh wait...
You're envious because they have friends. You feeled ripped off because you paid for your operating system. I mean, users of a free operating system couldn't possibly be interesting and entertaining people could they?
I don't use Linux, but as all those people seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves, I may join them sooner rather than later.
I do not know where you are or who you think you are but i use the hosts file all the time and i would not be caught with out this hosts file in place. before i used the hosts files i was getting attacked with viruses and spyware. at lest 200 a week.
after i got the hosts file i get maybe one or two if i am lucky.
so before you call any of this drivel you might want to come out of your beer driven comma and really take a look at the real pitcher, the fact that hosts file works.
if you wish to keep getting infected with viruses and maleware and other things go right ahead i will not stop you but i will laugh at you for beaning stupid.
you should really try a product before you complement on something you may not know about.
Who said they were "giving" you the Windows 7 playing cards? Better read the EULA again.
SCOPE OF LICENSE. The Windows 7 playing cards are licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some rights to use the Windows 7 playing cards. The manufacturer and Microsoft reserve all other rights. Unless applicable law gives you more rights despite this limitation, you may use the Windows 7 playing cards only as expressly permitted in this agreement. In doing so, you must comply with any physical limitations in the Windows 7 playing cards that only allow you to use it in certain ways. For more information, see the Windows 7 playing cards documentation. You may not
· work around any physical limitations in the playing cards;
· reverse engineer, decompost or disassemble the playing cards, except and only to the extent that applicable law expressly permits, despite this limitation;
· use components of the playing cards to play any card games not specifically listed on the playing card's instructions;
· make more copies of the playing cards than specified in this agreement or allowed by applicable law, despite this limitation;
· publish the playing cards for others to copy;
· rent, lease or lend the playing cards; or
· use the playing cards for commercial or gambling services.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reaching for the lube in my coat pocket, before bending over for Microsoft again in Novmeber. At least Bill Gates promised to be gentler this time. He wouldn't lie - would he? ...would he???
"Your granny only uses Linux because you, the geek, set it up for her."
(In my case, both me grans are gone, alas .... but I do have a 95 year old Great Aunt, am I allowed to substitute her? Ta in advance.)
Correct. She used to use Windows, after I set it up for her. Think about that for a minute.
I got calls from her for support two or three times a month. I got calls a couple times per WEEK before I went in and updated all the device drivers that Dell provided with the box, and generally cleaned out all the cruft that Windows seems to accumulate over time.
I tried to interest her in a Mac several years ago, but she hated it, for reasons which she still can't fully articulate (she KNOWS, but doesn't have the TechieEnglish to describe it). When Linux became a viable desktop environment, I dropped off a box with a cut-down Slackware+KDE system, geared exactly to her individual needs. She didn't like it, and I continued to get calls from her to "Fix my Windows, please". Time passed. I continued to help her with windows.
Then something changed. After about 6 weeks of no calls for help, I dropped by to see what was up. It turned out that her sister in Finland had emailed her some pictures & the Windows machine chose that moment to die. Out of desperation, she fired up the Slack box. That was a couple years ago, and she's still using it (she doesn't know it, but it's now Slack 12.2, and will probably stay that way).
Now, instead of seeing her a couple-three times per month to fix her computer, the wife and I make the three hour round-trip drive to visit her a couple-three times per month for tea.
Which would you prefer?
She has also convinced several of her octogenarian+ friends to allow me to "put a better version of Windows" (as they put it) on their machines ...
Now, I'm no fanboi. I have Apple, Microsoft, Sun, HP, IBM, DEC, Tandom and etc. operating systems running within arms reach as I type. Each have their job to do, and they do it as well as can be expected. But I know for a fact that a properly setup Linux system is the best option when it comes to my old Gran^H^Heat Aunt.
Kinda like the "grassroots" teaparties that happened here in the US early this year. Anything but grassroots. Sad, I too wonder the type of people who'll be doing this Windows 7 parties. It will either be very sad weirdos who actually are MS fanbois (always remember that saying: people use Macs because they want, and Windows because they have to), or people like some commentards above, who might be even worse, since they aren't even "honest" in their sadness. Which is ever sadder in a way.
Mind, the ridiculous lines in front of Apple stores or Ubuntu parties (hadn't heard of them) are quite sad too, but at least they are driven by the people themselves, not by some (bad) marketing drone.
"It indicates that Appletards & Ubuntards are prepared to whore themselves for... NO payment what so ever.
Idiots."
Well, don't know about the Appletards, but the Ubuntards are getting nearly all (or all, like me) their software for free, so throwing a (sad) "party" (I wouldn't consider a n "installfest" a party though, but I've never been to one so can's tell for sure) and distributing the software might be a small way of paying for it. And some might think that the real idiots are the ones who pay for their bad software AND are fanbois too, when you could get bad software for free, legally and all.
So there really are people sadder than those who canvas for political parties, particularly Labour - or at least MS think there are. Perhaps Labour's central office could lose a bit of data in MS's direction, just to get them started.
The only thing more embarrassing than using Windows is having a party to celebrate it.
Paris, she just wouldn't.
Someone somewhere needs a reality check, and a little maturity, and a big dose of humility. If customers aren't sponaneously having parties for your product launch (and, let's face it, they aren't), bribing them to host one is not going to increase their goodwill.
This looks like a kid's themed birthday party - substitute "Snow White" or 'Batman" or "Peter Pan" for "Windows 7 Desktop" and you have yourself a great party. For 7 year olds. The software should be substituted for the appropriate DVD. And, frankly, even with the extra noise, I'll take a 7 year old Peter Pan party over a product launch party any day. And I'll remember it longer...
For a 'worldwide' experience, they are missing too many continents and far too many countries. Doesn't M$ have pocket change for postage???
I wouldn't be seen dead eBaying any of the party stuff, sorry, I don't need the $$ that badly. But I would be interested in a psychological study of the people who would BUY this kind of stuff on eBay.
I'm NO Windoze fanboy, Iet's get that straight. And I've never paid for Windoze, as when I have had a Windoze machine it came with it, as I'd rather not pay for the privilege of the blue screen of death (and I own two macs). BUT: I've been using the Windows 7 Beta/Release Candidate for quite a while now, and it's the first Windoze that doesn't blow in a major way... and the only Windoze OS where I haven't yet had the urge to throw it (and the laptop it's on) out the window!
So hosting one of these shill parties is great because 1) you'd get a free copy of Windows Ultimate (as I can't afford that Ultimate version), and 2) you can invite pro-windoze and pro-mac people and have fun getting them to debate on the pros and cons, camera in hand.
(But the "House Party" company's legal terms are shit/scary (they basically say "you give us all rights to use your images forever in any medium, current as well as future"!) The House Party people are scary fuckers...)
so el reg want to reduce the number of applicants so they can host one themselves, although they only have 8 friends :(
Personally I think its a great idea, the fact that a free copy of windows 7 is up for grabs, is great for a start I would happily spend 20 quid on the latest special offer beer at the local supermarket, or even post the party as BYOB
and yes I am a geek and proud, I also have more than 9 friends,
I am duly signed up and waiting for Mr Ballmer to show up and throw my chairs around , wow what a party trick :)
@APK - I suspect Russ said your post was drivel because.... well, because it's drivel. Not drivel as in incorrect, since no-one can be bothered to read far enough to check your statements. Your post is drivel as in STOP WAFFLING you angry buffoon. It's off-topic anyway. It's Monday morning, the article is about crazy MS marketing, and you're obsessing over a 2-byte performance overhead. That's 16 zeroes or ones, on a typical CPU running at 3 billion instructions per second!
"One limited Signature Edition Windows 7 Ultimate ["Signed by whom?" you ask - but the oracle is silent.]"
Looking at the box shot on the houseparty website, the signature looks identical to the "Steven A Ballmer" signature on my MCP certificate. I'd be somewhat surprised if he signs them by hand, however.
Installed Windows 7 RC and was truly impressed at how easy and quick that was, and that nearly everything worked ( except NIC ), dual-booting XP and W7.
Like all parties though, sourness crept in as it seemed to be notably slow compared to XP which had installed just as quickly and zinged along in operation ( but had to be tweaked to get the right drivers ) .
Then sourness turned to bitchiness as an uninstall and reverting to XP-only went horribly wrong and some cat-fight broke out amongst disk sectors. The balloons were looking fairly saggy by then and the fizz had gone out of the pop.
If it hadn't been a solo party, I guess all my friends would have been sitting on a sofa, pointing and laughing, while I was in the shed getting a large hammer.
Pack it in, you sound like a stupid kid, with all of the hot air... Troll.
I want to make a comment about the following you said;
"After all - I read your background: You're simply a TECH SUPPORT GUY. You're right up there with network engineers, a user with a better password @ best, in comparison to the guys who hold the title I do in this field: Software Engineers.
(I say that, because WE invent the tools guys like YOU, merely USE... & that's that!)"
...I mean, seriously ? Get a life. Do you think there's really much difference between a software engineer and tech support ? I'm an information security consultant... Do I win ? Grow up !
Also, stop repeating your handle.
I've already ordered two copies of Windows 7, so it's not as if I'm not interested, plus I have way more than ten friends.
Of course, I'm thinking of a couple of amendments :
1) I'm not thinking 'PhotoPalooza' or 'Family friendly fun' - I'm thinking 'Bacchanalian Debauchery'
2) Fancy dress : wear your own (non Microsoft) OS T shirt or 'come as an OS' (penguin and daemon suits, ahoy.).
2a) The exceptions to the 'no Microsoft t shirts' are either a) Xenix or b) Microsoft OS/2.
I wonder if I chucked out my horribly faded OS/2 t shirt, or whether I'd have to break the habit of a lifetime and actually buy an OS t shirt (OpenBSD's Puffy, perhaps?).
I have to admit, the T&Cs are sewn up as tight as a drum.. There's virtually no room for misbehaving. Virtually, though - doesn't mean it's utterly impossible..
In particular, the fact your image and words can be used anywhere, for any purpose, forever, should make any sensible person run away screaming.
Of course, dear Microsoft, good luck using my image in your marketing material if it's not going to show my face *wink*. I sense some creative photography.
...just reminiscing about some of APKs more lucid and readable (but equally trolllike) posts:
by Aaron Kempf June 17, 2009 12:49 PM PDT
who cares about ACID?
I want firefox and chrome to be able to do everything that IE does before I begin to care!!!
Aaaw bless his cotton socks - he's a proper little MS fanboi he is! Though I suppose they need everyone they can get. Do you want someone to get your mummy because all these nasty people have upset you? If you can't read this Aaron I suggest you run it through a script which arbitrarily capitalises and/or puts words into inverted commas --- it seems to be your preferred mode of WRITING.
I can probably get away with adding to my post from earlier,
Yesterday was a lan party (see "friends") :)
my win7 pc was the bestest ever at hosting games.
dont knock me, 'puters would be boring without games.
anyway since running 7 rc1, fellow players have commented on the faster loading times of hosted games, as well as more stable running.
so its cool
I am sat using it now.
and yes I will probably end up eating M$ ass but hey, Its a free country (well almost)
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