Microsoft Logo Gets Redesign After 25 Years: Tell Us What You Think About It
- Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:13pm by
Liz Klimas
- Print »
- Email »
REDMOND, Wash. (TheBlaze/AP) — It’s a first in Microsoft history: a logo redesign. The company‘s corporate logo has a new look to set the stage for upcoming products designed to cast the world’s largest software maker in a new light.
It marks the first time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo in 25 years. The new logo cast the Microsoft name in a lighter and straight font instead of the italic bold typeface used in the old standby. The new logo also includes the familiar red, blue, yellow and green colors used in the flag on Microsoft’s Windows operating system in a square box.
Microsoft unveiled the new logo Thursday at three stores in Boston and the Seattle area. Check out this video announcement of the new artwork:
The redesign comes as Microsoft prepares to release a dramatic makeover of Windows and a tablet computer called Surface.
Jeff Meisner wrote in a blog post for Microsoft wrote the design elements for the new logo pull from “our product design principles” and also ‘the heritage of our brand values, fonts and colors.”
“We’re excited about the new logo, but more importantly about this new era in which we’re re-imagining how our products can help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential,” Meisner wrote.
According to the Seattle Times, this is the fifth time the company, founded in 1975, has changed its logo.
Microsoft's logo from 1982 through 1987. (Image: Wikimedia)
Microsoft's most current logo before the one released Aug. 23, with its 2011 through 212 slogan. (Image: Wikimedia)
What are the tech blogs saying about the change? ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley wrote “I don’t have much to say about the makeover.”
Peter Bright for Ars Technica states you may recognize this color scheme from the old Windows‘ logo and here’s why Microsoft may have pulled from it:
A more cynical view might be that they’re intended to reestablish the immediate name recognition that was lost when the new monochrome Windows logo was revealed.
Let us know what you think of the logo change in the comments.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 706 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 556 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 370 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 363 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 362 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 363 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 370 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 286 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 149 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 363 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (143)
The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:15pmWith the introduction of Windows 8 so soon after Windows 7… I see Microsoft going down the tubes.
Changing their logo at this point might just be another proverbial nail in the coffin.
Mr. Gates, I’ve made a lot of money fixing your “Windows” software. Hello OS X or Linux? Yep, the new malware will be directed towards you two as you both grow bigger.
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:37pmAs the name implies SCREW-WINDOWS got tired of being hacked and putting up with all the hassles but when my computer went on auto pilot with a mind of it’s own I dumped windows for linux and never looked back.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:54pmHi SCREW-WINDOWS,
I knew you would be attracted to my post. I like your name and avatar.
How’s it going Ubuntu user? I use a bootable Ubuntu version for some data recovery procedures.
I agree but, as Microsoft goes down-hill the malware writers “will” start writing programs to infect OS X and Linux. You’re not safe as long as people keep dropping Windows. Have you noticed that Anti-virus Companies are putting out programs for Mac OS X? Linux is next. It’s only a matter of time and Microsoft going down-hill. You should pray (not a literal prayer) that Microsoft stays on top.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:23pmA logo for Identification… to differentiate between objects… is simply alike a Coat Of Arms… useful only for discriminating… otherwise Meaningless!
Report Post »SerikFox
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:04pmI wouldn’t count Microsoft out just yet. They’ve been making subtle changes for a while now; I don‘t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon.
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:21amI use fully encrypted Ubuntu and occasionally Fedora only. linux is pretty safe unless you allow programs to run as root and the antivirus is mainly used if you run windows programs on linux.
Report Post »sillyfreshness
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:18am“After 15 months and $70 million dollars in research, we came up with these 4 colored blocks. We will now spend the next 12 months and $200 in advertising to let everyone know about our new logo.”
Report Post »The Realist
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 9:50amI agree about the Windows 8 being too soon after 7. Personally I just updated to 7 from XP Pro about 8 months ago, and only did that for >4GB memory and a few other issues-including that “it was time to move on.” I used XP (Whistler in beta cycle) about a year or so before official release as a primary OS and never had any major problems that I couldn’t recover from with Acronis or other imaging software in a worse-case scenario.
From the articles I’ve read and pictures I’ve seen so far, I don’t think I’ll be going to Windows 8 until a gun is to my head.
Having said all that, I’d rather see Microshaft spend some time REDESIGNING THEIR POLITICAL LEANINGS, as in not supporting the communist liberals hell-bent on destroying our country, (might be a tad bit better for their profits, wouldn’t you think?) but that’s likely to be wishful thinking at its finest.
Report Post »DimmuBorgir
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:07amUbuntu is for people who don’t know how to use windows and use the same password for everything
Report Post »davidj2k
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:28am“With the introduction of Windows 8 so soon after Windows 7”?
Windows 7 came out in July of 2009…that would be 3 years ago
Vista -> 7 = 2 years
XP -> Vista 6 years
ME -> XP = 1 year
98 -> ME = 2 years
95 -> 98 = 3 years
With the exception of the Vista mistake 3 years is actually a long time for Microsoft releases.
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 12:17pmUbuntu is for people who are smart enough to know to access windows you don’t need the password.
Report Post »Pearsontech
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 12:53pmLogo is lame looks like something my 2nd grader could design. Windows 8 sucks. Changing things way too soon people are just now barely adjusted from changing from XP to Windows 7 and now they want to completely redesign the interface again. Complete and utter crap will be sticking with Windows 7
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:30pm@ Pearsontech
Report Post »Does it surprise you look at the theme’s you get to choose from on Windows.
The-Monk
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 3:01pm@The Realist
Acronis is great! Glad to see someone here using it.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 3:05pm@davidj2k
You forgot W2K (Windows 2000) between ME and XP. NT is also missing as well as DOS.
But, very nice post. Thanks. : )
Report Post »skowronek
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 5:03pmIf I had a nickle for every time I heard this, I’d be wealthy enough to buy a MAC!
Report Post »davidj2k
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 11:51pm@THE-MONK I purposely ignored those two because NT was the enterprise/network/business version of 95/98 and 2000 was the extension of NT…when I was in the Air Force we used NT/2000 but everybody at home used 95/98/ME during the same time period, so I was really going with the “home” versions aka what everybody used…FYI working on NT computers was a nightmare…my favorite head scratcher for most users was the “NTOSKRNL.EXE is missing or corrupt.”…which almost always meant there was a floppy disk in the drive when the user booted the system so you would go to the users desk hit the button to eject the disk and magically it would boot :)
Report Post »WickedJ
Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:35pm@ Screw-Windows: seriously, using Ubuntu doesn’t make you computer literate. I turned my 60yr old dad onto Ubuntu and he loves it now too. I love it. But it doesn’t earn you a membership into some secret club of computer literates. I work with Bash shell scripters, tell them you use Ubuntu (and therefore know something about Linux, even though you copy-paste commands into the terminal all the time) and they’ll just laugh at you. Windows is Windows for a reason. I used a barebones Fedora 13 with no GUI (just text-based UI) for years, pretty much just to prove to everyone that I could. It was a pain. Windows is Windows for a reason. Let me just ask you this: do you do your taxes on Ubuntu? If so, what do you use? Because I’ll switch straight back to Linux if it finally starts carrying programs that can do serious tasks.
Report Post »WickedJ
Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:52pm@ Screw-WIndows: And don’t give me some BS about Wine. I shouldn’t have to fire up a Windows-Emulator and write shell scripts just to run a simple program.
Report Post »PatriotGames57
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:13pmReally? And The Blaze thought this was interesting enough to take space?
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:18pm@PatriotGames57
It’s their space. If you want to set up something like The Blaze….. go for it.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:24pmI agree with both of you. It‘s a dull and boring story but it’s the internet. Space is infinite.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:33pm@grayling646
Space on the Internet is not infinite. All data is stored on hard drives. There is no such thing as “Cloud computing”. The “Cloud” is just a physical Server Farm with a physical location. It means “data not stored on your computer or servers”.
Report Post »Ramv36
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:55am^^Speaking of wastes of internet space…
Report Post »De-Elect
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 6:19amI agree.
Report Post »Although it is news. . . And bate for the angry anti-microsoft geeks.
eaglescout1998
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:11pmThey’re doing everything to push their new Metro UI. From what I have seen of Windows 8, I suspect it will be an even bigger epic fail than New Coke.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:19pmThat would be, Caffeine Free Diet New Coke.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:19pmWith the introduction of Windows 8 so soon after Windows 7… I see Microsoft going down the tubes.
Changing their logo at this point might just be another proverbial nail in the coffin.
Mr. Gates, I’ve made a lot of money fixing your “Windows” software. Hello OS X or Linux? Yep, the new malware will be directed towards you two as you both grow bigger. Cha-ching$$$
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:40pmSeveral large game manufacters say Windows 8 is a nightmare.
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:50pmWhen you hire the competition to build your OS you should know you are about to fail.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:01pm@SCREW-WINDOWS
“Several large game manufacters say Windows 8 is a nightmare.”
Have you ever used Coral Draw? 5 was great, 6 sucked, 7 was great and 8 sucked. See the pattern?
Same with Windows IMHO. Windows 98 was good, W2K sucked, XP was good and Vista sucked, Windows 7 is good and… Windows 8? See the pattern?
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:26amYea and they sucker the schools and Governments into costly upgrades “Feeding the Greed” at taxpayers expense but people are wiseing up.
Report Post »SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:31amWhat great innovation has Microsoft come up with that wasn’t copied from someone else and they complain about copyright infringement.
SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:35amEA, Blizzard and Steam are going for the linux gaming platform.
Report Post »WickedJ
Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:56pm@ Screw-Windows: That’s news to me. I’ve been waiting forever for a Linux platform on Steam. I guarantee you if that ever happens, Microsoft and Apple are totally finished. The problem is, that will never happen. Valve isn’t even talking about providing Linux support for Steam. I’d love to dream that it will happen one day, but I’m a bit of a pessimist. It’s not gonna happen.
Report Post »WickedJ
Posted on August 25, 2012 at 9:01pm@ Screw-Windows: In fact, I’ve literally been waiting over a decade for Linux support from Steam.
Report Post »The_Pointy_End
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:10pmIt looks like a window (for Windows). Think back to when we all drew stick figure houses. Microsoft kept the colors from the old logo. The new logo is ok, nothing wowing.
Report Post »VoteRightDammit
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:08pmWhy didn’t they just use an image of an apple?
Report Post »The_Pointy_End
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:12pmLOL – are you implying they copy apple!
Report Post »g123695
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:21pmCopying Apple? Yes. Too little, too late? You betchya.
Report Post »http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57499419-75/yes-a-microsoft-store-wows-a-naysayer/
KingCanon
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:05pmWow!
Report Post »How do human minds come up with such great ideas?
:c
Cosmos102
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:11pmLOL. I kept waiting for the “new redesign” to appear. Then I realized that was it!
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:26pmI tried to look at the new logo, but Windows 7 locked up, spit a CD/ROM out and emailed me a bad name. Obviously, Windows doesn’t like the new logo.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:06pmHi Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra,
Are you sure that you are not Gonzo’s twin brother?
Both of you make my day…… daily! LOL
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:54pmDarmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg3Yk3WLAcs
MONK, I believe you got this last night.
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:46pm@RJJ
I love it, funny stuff.
A few months ago, I was driving down the street, going to work, and a rabbit comes screaming around the corner, almost went under my front tire, I hit my brakes just as a fox came around about 1 second behind it. I almost got a 2 for 1.
Report Post »OperationNorthwoods
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:03pmYou gotta read between the lines man, its actually a plus sign. My mind is officially blown.
Report Post »Armugalut
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:01pmAnd now you know why their nickname is “Microsuck”
Report Post »Mike Benton
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:58pmI’ve been struggling to see if it is possible for me to care less….I can’t.
Report Post »NarnianWarrior
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:58pmDon’t mind me saying, but those colors do resemble the RAINBOW colors we;ve all seen proudly displayed at Headquarters of such Corporate giants. No doubt, a symbol of solidarity the ongoing agenda, Microsoft’s continues to demonstrates commitment to that unity and the further moral decadence of society.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:58pmI remember the days…MS Dos 3.3 best version ever made….what’s a window?…I could do everything on a C:command.line that a stinkin’ mouse could do…how do hold this thing? Fidonet was cool.
Report Post »Sure wish I would have bought that stock.
The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:06pm@Captain Crunch
I hear ya…. 3.3 was awesome. My first 3.3 was on 2 5.25″ 360KB floppies.
Are you sure you aren’t the “perfect pitch” Captain Crunch “modem whistle blower”? : )
Report Post »joleary
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:55pmIt just sits there. No “movement”. Nah, Nah, Nah.
Report Post »g123695
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:49pmMicrosoft’s marketing department as always been mind-numbingly terrible. Which is why Apple beats them every time. I hate the new logo. Three words. Ctl + Alt + Del
Report Post »saranda
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:45pmWhat is going on here? GB doesn’t see staking or Hitler or Satan in Mr. Sorties logo? Surely more analysis is needed. Perhaps David barton can tell us what the founding fathers think of it.
joleary
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:53pm@Saranda….idiot!
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:00pmFriendly Hint: If you want to try your hand at sarcasm…make sure you know how to do it.
Report Post »Ramv36
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:14amAnd for research on that hypothesis Sandra, I think you should read all of David Barton’s works, see if you can find all the threads of the conspiracy.
Then construct a theory about this new Microsoft development. Please keep it less than 500,000 words and have it ready by Thanksgiving.
Now get out of my office.
Report Post »Tigress1
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:39pmWhatever.
Report Post »Watermain
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:38pmWho cares?
Report Post »TexasGodGunClinger
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:36pmPrimary colors, understated font, symmetry…I like it.
Report Post »Wolfgang the Gray
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:36pmI think the new logo is boring. I actually like the 1982 logo better, it makes me think of the HAL-9000 computer from 2001 A Space Odyssey. Yes, that was 11 years ago, but the science fiction of that movie is a lot farther than we have actually come. Either way though, it will neither incline me more or less to buy a Microsoft product. I wonder how much money they wasted changing the logo and doing feedback sessions on the change?
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:22pmWhen you think about, imagine all the hours put into think tank and brainstorming groups before they came up with that…
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:11pmKICKINBACK, About twenty years or so ago, I worked as a combat doctrine writer in the Army. For different projects we used to have some head bashing meetings. One of our OICs used to start every meeting by asking us all the think about this a moment, then to think clearly. But, just remember that an elephant is a mouse designed by committee.
Report Post »hotstick5p
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:33pmI think that it was Windows98 that crashed during Gates‘ live announcement of the OS’s introduction. People have been predicting MS’s decline and fall at least since then.
I need more evidence.
Report Post »friendofyours
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:33pmBoring.
Report Post »v15
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:32pmIt’s a square. Not a stroke of genius nor any creativity; I can envision how it all went down at the marketing department: “Okay….stay with me on this…after months of following trends and compiling the data…..the new logo……will be a square! But wait! It gets better! This square will have not one but FOUR different colors!!!” A decade from now they’ll get a huge creative idea and replace the square with a circle or triangle.
Report Post »OperationNorthwoods
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:05pmIts actually four diamonds turned on their sides. Its genius.
Report Post »I-Pay-Taxes
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:31pmWOW! That must have taken them…literally minutes! What a bunch of risk-takers you crazy nerds;-)))
Report Post »AnAmerican111
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:29pmLogo sucks just like their O.S.
Report Post »QC Ghost
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:24pmIf it’s not broke, don’t fix it (unless you have more money than God)!
Report Post »bpodlesnik
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:22pmI don‘t really have much to say about it either other than it doesn’t look bad.
Report Post »CK1911
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:21pmAre they going to start selling Rubik’s Cubes now?
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:25pm@CK1911
“Are they going to start selling Rubik’s Cubes now?”
Hey, if you can‘t figure out a Rubik’s Cube….. how do you expect to fix a Windows OS problem? LOL
Report Post »