Windows has recently put out a string of ads regarding their new operating system: Vista. These ads have involved an “experiment” that was conducted by Microsoft dubbed “The Mojave Experiment.” This is an upsetting use of a one-sided argument aimed at a group of people that should be smarter than that. Many bloggers have already been discussing their disgust, and now I join their ranks.
The Mojave Experiment was a poor excuse for a study posing as market research. Microsoft gave surveys to participants asking how much they liked Vista (which they had never interacted with). They then had salespeople demo various aspects of Vista (cleverly disguised as “Mojave”) to the participants and had them then answer a survey on how much they liked Mojave. Surprise! Everyone we are told about raves about the new Mojave, even after saying they didn’t like Vista.
So what are we missing? Everyone likes it, right, so what’s the problem? The problem is that Microsoft thinks that a one-sided argument is enough to quiet everyone’s nerves about the problems that have been reported about Vista. No participant actually got to use Vista, so of course no problems arose. Two of the main criticisms about the Vista system are installation of Vista and the interaction with older software (or lack thereof) – neither of which were demoed in the “lab” setting.
Long story short, Microsoft is going to have to actually address problems in their systems before the product is going to sell in any meaningful way. Those of us who would actually consider trying out Vista aren’t going to buy it based on a group of non-users saying its great.
More information can be found at the following sites:
http://www.mojaveexperiment.com
Microsoft’s site on the Mojave Experiment
Learn more about Vista and the experiment
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/04/business/vista.php
The International Herald Tribune – an article on blogger’s responses to the experiment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mojave_Experiment
A summary of the experiment and criticisms
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