Microsoft simplifies inane packaging for Windows 7

Robert Hallock 24 Jun, 2009 at 2:08pm ET Article published in Tech

Anyone anchored to a retail copy of Windows Vista or, indeed, most recent Microsoft products are aware of the surgical skill required to open the package. Microsoft has promised to ease these frustration with the vow that Windows 7’s packaging will reflect the theme of ease and simplicity; you can now put down your pocket knives, steak knives, and multi-tools.

The new cases will open just like a DVD case after a single plastic seal has been broken. Now taking bets to see how quickly Loss Prevention Managers will stick these babies in a shuck.

The final boxes for the three retail SKUs.

Comments

24 Jun 2009 ~ 2:37pm chrisWhite Awesome! Microsoft, thanks for listening and improving this! I still think one or two editions would be better but this breakdown makes a lot of sense to me.

So which one will be used on most of the Win 7 gen netbooks?
24 Jun 2009 ~ 2:46pm Thrax It is up to the OEM's discretion as to which edition will come pre-installed.
24 Jun 2009 ~ 3:18pm Snarkasm (Almost certainly Home Premium.)
24 Jun 2009 ~ 3:31pm Kwitko Snark, I hear there's a limit of 100 desktop icons in Win7. Better prepare now.
24 Jun 2009 ~ 3:45pm Snarkasm Lucky for me, my home computers are never so cluttered.
24 Jun 2009 ~ 5:32pm Cliff_Forster Hey, I have a better idea! Digital distribution, all the cool kids are doing it! And for the retail copies you do sell, put that bugger on a USB key, they are dirt cheap now, no reason to trod along in the stone ages. Loading an OS via optical media is so 1998.
24 Jun 2009 ~ 7:45pm ardichoke The problem with putting it on a USB key:

1) Users accidentally wiping their Windows install media then not being savvy enough to download a new copy.
2) Boot from USB is still a relatively new thing and is buggy on some motherboards. My last computer wouldn't boot from USB reliably and it was technically new enough to run Windows 7.

Otherwise I agree with you Cliff.
25 Jun 2009 ~ 9:07am MiracleManS Over/under on plastic protective shells: 10min after arrival
25 Jun 2009 ~ 9:43am Nomad Too bad it won't ship to Europe with internet explorer.