Windows 95 - 10 years on

Joe Wilcox points out that tomorrow, August 24 2005, is the 10th anniversary of the Windows 95 release. Joe takes a trip down memory lane...

"Those were the days when Microsoft got aspirational marketing right and
for the right audiences. For businesses, Microsoft wooed businesses to
Windows 95 with features like easier networking, more productivity and
(gasp) long file names! Microsoft promised consumers better
entertainment, such as desktop games or multimedia (no one called it
digital media back then). The Windows 95 CD included music videos
"Buddy Holly" by Weezer and Eddie Brickell's "Good Times" to show off
the cool, new multimedia features. And all this without one word about
the Internet, because Microsoft hadn't caught onto it yet."

Joe challenges Microsoft on the next Windows Vista release:

"My expectation is that Microsoft will deliver all the more with Windows
Vista. I think it would be tough to recreate the magic of the Windows
95 launch today or next year. But I certainly would encourage Microsoft
to try. And I would like to see the company remember Windows 95. There
is a good marketing opportunity here, particularly linking past glory
with future glory and Windows Vista."