Windows 8 Drops in the Middle of My Month of Halloween Horror

Windows 8 is officially available for purchase starting today... from... here, I think.  At the time I setup this link to the official Microsoft Windows website, I found I would need a PhD in Microsoft to determine how much money they want me to give them to get my hands on a copy of the operating system.  Seriously, all I want to know is how much this thing costs and where I should send the money.  You try looking at this page and telling me how much the product they are selling will cost me:

 

Psych Wards are Full of People 

Who Have Been Driven Mad by this Website

Topics covered by Microsoft employees before creating the page above:

• We want to tell people that Windows 8 will be release on October 26.  Good.
• It's critical that people know Windows 8 will be "Serious. Fun."  This is essential.
• Include the phrase "And more" because people should be aware that our product will do more than what we are able to explain using words, pictures and video.
• Finally, as we are all aware, offering a new version of the best selling computer operating system in the history of the world is best conveyed by the image of a man holding up a child who is sucking on a lollipop.  Put that front and center on the site.

Topics not covered during this meeting:

• Screen captures of the actual product
• Displaying the price of the new product
• The competition has a much better page that describes their latest os

I've written about my experience using the pre-release copy of Windows 8 I snagged several months ago here.

Oh and I am impressed by the fact that Microsoft is offering these new computer/ tablet things that run Windows 8:

Someone should have told the graphic designer to adjust

the hue/ saturation slider before going to publication

with the image above.

Adventures in Both the Digital Realm and Real Life

Design Resource


Type Connection is a site that seems to be making its way around the innertubes these days because it tries to walk the tightrope between the banality of in-depth knowledge of typefaces and entertainment.  I managed to spend about two minutes on the site before a strong wind started shaking the tightrope and I sprinted to the end.

If you're into trying the Type Connection experience for yourself, you can visit their site here.  Or, if you're the up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, select, start type, you can skip the game and go here to download the "specimen_xxx.jpg" files that appear to have some value for future design projects.  I suggest you snag copies of these images soon before they turn off directory browsing. Here is an example of these images:

Looks Like A Good Addition to Your Graphic Design Resources Folder

Recently Overheard Conversation

A guy in a coffee shop pulled himself away from his MacBook to interact with a guy and a girl sitting at a nearby table when he heard them mention brands of computers.  "If you don’t want a Mac, get yourself an Alienware laptop" the Mac user said.  "That’s like telling a homeless person to go buy a house" came the reply immediately from the girl.