Looking back at the Windows 95 Launch and wondering about the Windows Vista Launch

Raymond, Craig, and others are talking about Windows 95 today since today is its 10-year anniversary.  I had just gotten a new computer a few months prior (since I was heading off to college) and I vividly remember getting Windows 95 in the mail.  (Stores were offering a free upgrade so you wouldn't wait until the launch to buy a new computer.)  Although I was so busy I *think* I waited until Thanksgiving break to install it.  That's hard for me to imagine now!

Anyway, I saw this link to a 10-year old newspaper story (courtesy of Filo D'Souza), and felt it was worth sharing.  It was a massive launch!  Although to me, lighting up the Empire State Building with red/yellow/green lights seems like a waste of money.  I wonder how much it costs to customize the building's lighting for a night?

The upcoming launch of SQL Server, Visual Studio, and BizTalk is going to be huge, but I can't even imagine the fanfare that will accompany Windows Vista!