Windows 7 Desktops Will Host 3rd-Party Ads
Windows 7 will get 3rd-party advertising by way of desktop themes and IE8 add-ons.
Is it a step towards a free OS? That may or may not be the case with a decision by Microsoft to sell desktop real estate in Windows 7. The advertisements, announced over the weekend, will come in the form of sponsored desktop themes from the likes of Twentieth Century Fox, Porsche, Coca-Cola, Infinity, and more. Currently the upcoming program is in beta, with plans to roll out the official version in October 2010.
There will be two versions of the advert-laced themes. The first type, Windows Theme Experience, is a collection of add-ons and gadgets for Windows 7 and Windows Vista; it can also apply to Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft's websites. This program allows the advertiser to offer backgrounds, audio, and gadgets. Windows Personalization Gallery, the other advertising program, lets advertisers provide OS specific items such as slide shows, borders, desktop backgrounds, and application audio elements.
"The new Windows Theme Experience and Windows Personalization Gallery in Windows 7 allow consumers to customize their technology to reflect the things in life they are most passionate about," said Darren Huston, corporate vice president of the Consumer & Online organization at Microsoft. "These are great examples of Microsoft innovation and technology coming together to enable top global brands to reach audiences in new and interesting ways."
Microsoft said that the Windows Theme Experience and Windows Personalization Gallery are available globally, and various themes can be viewed by heading here. Obviously Microsoft isn't forcing advertisements down the throats of its consumers. However, this may be a step in that eventual direction.
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All I have to say is they'd best not even THINK about this becoming a required part of Windows...
Wasn't there something daft about Apple trying to patent adverts on the desktop around a month ago? Being America I'm guessing the patent was granted (despite probably being invalid) so they can now get to have a nice legal fight. (Unless I remembered wrongly)
As long as its either optional or easily removable (in paid copies of the OS) then I don't see too much of a problem, Would love a good Coca-Cola theme lol
Microsoft vs Apple in court over the legal right to screw their customers:
Apple: "Microsoft are violating our patent on how to legally spam our customers"
Microsoft: "Yeah but we want a slice of the revenue pie too"
I'm a Mac, I'm a PC, we're both spamming scumbags.
This should be fun.
I think an advert driven OS which is free is a good idea for some people as long as there is the option of a full retail version without it. However I can imagine this is something that crackers will instantly seize upon - ie getting the free OS and removing the advert code. Hell we get advertising in games all the time with no say in it, so at least this is optional.
Only americans could come u with this..
up (keyboard knackered)
i wish one could just "format" microsoft send them a virus that wipes all their datacenters of stupid code...
this is the most stupidist idea i have ever heard, as if one would like spam on the desktop??? one would have to be a complete idiot to allow this, and besides is not "active desktop" allready in windows (most users ignore) the internet is allready filled with spam mascerading as "flash content" even net books struggle loading pages with the ammount of spam flash infesting, even on tomshardware i have to make sure i miss the SPAM pop up highlighted words.. if microsoft want to sell operating systems then they should add pop up and ad blockers within the os, if they don't want to sell operating systems then theme experience??
look like we will be upgrading back to xp then :-)
I love it.. They keep on upping the price on windows while at the s