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Can't Believe the "Mojave Experiment"? See It for Yourself

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Mojave Experiment improved Vista perceptions

The results of Microsoft's Project Mojave, in which Microsoft demoed Windows Vista under a code name for 120 Vista skeptics in the San Francisco area, are now avaiable online, the Windows Vista blog reported today, and also explained some test details:

  • The focus group took place over three days in San Francisco and was conducted earlier this month.
  • All participants were either Mac, Linux, or users of versions of Windows that came before Windows Vista.
  • Respondents were chosen from the focus group organizer's database, called at random, but then selected based on having a low perception of Vista (<5 rating on a scale of 1-10).
  • The participants were given a demo by a trained retail salesperson - geared towards the experiences they seemed most interested in following a series of interviews. While the retail salesperson drove the demo, it was geared by the interests and direction of the participant.
  • We did not use some geeked out or custom built PC. We used an HP Pavilion DV2500. It had 2GB of RAM and was running an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7500 @ 2.20GHz. The OS was a 32 bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate.
  • Of the 120 respondents* polled, on a scale of 1:10 where 10 was the highest rating, the average pre-rating for Windows Vista was 4.4. After they saw the demo, respondents rated Mojave an average of 8.5.

*84% of respondents  use Windows XP; 22% use MacOS; 14% use versions of Windows before XP; 1% use Linux.

To see the interviews for yourself, head over to the Mojave Experiment website.

After You Try Mojave, We'd Like You to Try Our Coffee...

If this experiment reminds you of the legendary Folgers' Coffee hidden camera taste tests, you're not alone. Wall Street Journal tech blogger Ben Worthen also noticed, but that's not surprising. Earlier this month, Worthen suggested a variety of ways for Redmond to fight back against Apple's snarky ads, including a blind taste test (Worthen suggested the equally legendary "Pepsi Challenge" as a model). Interestingly enough, CNet's Crave did a side-by-side Zune versus iPod "taste test" last year - and the Zune won.

So, now that you can see the actual interviews, what do you think? Drop by the Mojave Experiment website, watch some of the interviews, then give us your thoughts.

COMMENTS
avatarWanna see Mojave in Action?

If you'd like to try Mojave at Home, Download Windows-7 Beta Today!

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avatarWhat would truly be

What would truly be interesting to see is the hardware that the interviewees were using before being prestented with the Vista-running notebook. If you're moving from a P3 to a 2.2ghz T7200, we're talking quite a difference, of course it's going to be faster. I can also only speculate on how much hand holding was done during the interview, that is to say, did they just let the individuals rome around or did they direct them?

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avatarHow 'bout Windows: FinallyOuttaExtendedBeta ? and people like us

Yes. That's the most amazing swishy-bubbly flask I've ever seen. Better than rice-cakes and flat ginger ale.

 

Okay, since some peeps think we're bashing MS/Vista ---I'll give it just one more try.

There are 109 models in the DV2500 series. I only checked the 1st one and the last, but the original BIOS date for those is June 2007. According to Wikipedia, Vista was released in January of 2007.

So. We've got a laptop released at least 5 months after Vista's release. I'm not really familiar with how the DV ["widescreen"] series is spec'ed stock ---but I can tell you that the entry level in their other series have usually been with the minimum suggest memory for the OS ---which Wikipedia says is/was 512 GB. Early Adopters who paid through the nose for high-end hardware had problems, too.

So, how many people do you think adopted early, bought new equipment that was "Vista ready," and/or cut some corners on cost -because they could re-use so little of their old equipment???

This is where a huge amount of the negative reaction to Vista, and while they are permitted to upgrade, some have got to be trying to figure out if it's a good idea. These people sure weren't part of "the experiment," unless you mean one in which they paid to Beta-test experimental hardware, and they are not being told if/when the OEM has given up on that hardware.

MS & the hardware vendors did a poor job coordinating on release, and if they're fixing these problems (w/the old hardware) now, ---I guess that's the big new bulletin I'm missing.

How about a study, of how long it took for people who've trouble with Vista, to find a solution that actually fixed the problem??  How many have given up, after how long?  How many have had zero problems?

It damages cofidence in their ability to build a system as stable an adaptable as XP on an 800 mHz computer with 512 MB of RAM. Especially if they are not reaching out to customers who aren't computer gear-heads.

I'm not down with the "there's a new serivice pack out, so I feel the compulsive need to drop another $500-1000 on upgrades or a new computer," thing. All I see is them piling up the cash, for what seems like not so much, in terms of funtional utility.

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avatarDang that was a pretty

Dang that was a pretty impressive site. microsoft did a good job with that. 

 

 

 

brianm.cc

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avatarSo what???

Most polls are designed to persuade opinions of those unable to think for themselves. I don't care if the entire US was using Vista, if I want to keep using XP - I WILL! I have based may choice on my own needs and requirements- something an EXTREMELY small percentage of people are able to do! (sorry, it's the truth).

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avatarNot impressed

$50 bucks says at least 90% didn’t even know how to fully utilize the OS they were using before this. 

 

$100 bucks says the next day 70% couldn’t perform all those “cool” things just “demoed” for them if left on their own.  (-speaks from anecdotal experience)

 

Also lol’d that the “gaming on Vista” ad is just Bejeweled with chat.  Way to know your audience MS.  (The Day without a Whopper spot was better.)

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avataronly 2 problems with vista

only bad things with vista are compatability and user un-freindlyness.

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