Advertising coming to your Windows 7 desktop theme

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Geoff Spick18 November 2009, 8:00 AM

Big-name companies may soon be able to place adverts on the Windows 7 desktop thanks to a marketing-friendly initiative from Microsoft


The desktop is a personal reflection of the user (or company) it belongs to. That has been the long-standing tradition of computers since the optional desktop background first came into blurry, low-res existence. Now though, the lure of advertising dollar now seems to be nudging Microsoft in the low-rent direction of slap-an-ad-on-anything-that-moves-or-sits-still-as-your-desktop-background.

The theory seems to be that Windows Themes, Gadgets, Internet Explorer 8 extensions can all be linked together to create a complete branded desktop and Internet "experience" for the likes of Ducati, Porsche, Fox Movies and others who are participating in a not-so-hush trial. You can download these and more standard themes from the MS Personalization Gallery. If successful, it could lead to a flood of other marques creating downloadable bundles for fans to adorn their systems, but with a greater product focus than the traditional fan-made themes and backgrounds of old.


Do you want a fries theme with that burger? Its only a matter of time

Darren Huston, a corporate vice-president at Microsoft, said: "The new Windows Theme Experience and Windows Personalisation Gallery in Windows 7 allow consumers to customise their technology to reflect the things in life they are most passionate about. These are great examples of Microsoft innovation and technology coming together to enable top global brands to reach audiences in new and interesting ways."

While this isn't exactly high-jacking any and all desktops, it is but the first step into what will probably be a long and tortuous opt-in journey for live ads to haunt the desktop. If Microsoft doesn't do it, someone else will and, unless users get paid lots of money for letting advertisers appear, it won't be pretty. Still, it's marketing sub-genius having a 7-Up desktop on Windows 7, our personal favourite of the bunch.

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Phred (Cornerstone member):

Quoting Darren Huston:

"These are great examples of Microsoft innovation and technology coming together"

Really, who are they kidding? Microsoft & Innovation in the same breath?

18 November 2009, 9:02 AM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

TV Bis (User):

Quoting Phred:
Really, who are they kidding? Microsoft & Innovation in the same breath?

Don't be jealous now Phred - Mac and all the others will join in soon......




18 November 2009, 10:55 AM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting TV Bis:

Don't be jealous now Phred - Mac and all the others will join in soon......


Apple are way ahead... They want a patent on ads that prevent you using the OS until you acknowledge them. Now that's innovation! Oh, and also that other thing... Annoying.

18 November 2009, 6:08 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Phred:
Really, who are they kidding? Microsoft & Innovation in the same breath?


I have to disagree. This is actually, a great examples of Microsoft innovation, as its been in recent years. :)




18 November 2009, 1:32 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Fornax (Regular user):

I like it and will downloading some of those themes tonight.
Good work MS
Hopefully Linux will follow so I can install something like this on my Laptop running Ubuntu. Linux distros should do something like this better fund projects


18 November 2009, 10:22 AM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

A complete branded desktop. Now ther is something to desire. Precious pixals chewed up with some manufacturer's logo.

The whole corporate logo fascination thing is an endless source of amazement and fascination. People who wouldn't look twice at a 20c plastic pen, will near come to blows with workmakes to secure a logo emblazoned freebie.

Ever noticed that people who drive Ferraris don't wear Ferrari T-shirts, and that people who wear (have purchased) Ferrari T-shirts drive budget hatchbacks or catch the bus?
Apologies to readers who own a Ferrari T-shirts but I'm just calling it like it is. :)


Quoting Fornax:
Hopefully Linux will follow

Hopefully they wont. Anyway Linus doesn't follow it provides alternatives.


Quoting Fornax:
Linux distros should do something like this better fund projects

Have a look at the license agreements and you'll soon work out why it wont happen and why it's not such a good idea.

If manufacturers want to distribute this stuff to promote their wares that's fine, but somehow I smell a rat with this supposed cooperation. MS have already threatened budget builds peppered with ads, think of this as step one.

No sticker or badging ever made a PC (or Car or other machine) work better.
All too often the quest for badging only serves to make the proud owner of a copy of someone else's logo look a little sadder.


18 November 2009, 1:21 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

CBR1100XX (Cornerstone member):

Good onya MS!
Your shareholders couldn't be happier. Finding new ways to make money in this climate is a good thing.

18 November 2009, 1:34 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Your Average Joe (Regular user):

Quoting CBR1100XX:
Finding new ways to make money in this climate is a good thing

Yeah! They better make hay while the sun shines before Ubuntu finally realises that oranges and browns are just 'uggggly'.

Matter of fact I think the penny has dropped with the 9.10 release.




18 November 2009, 1:43 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
before Ubuntu finally realises that oranges and browns are just 'uggggly'.

The fools!!! Don't they know a combo like that is destined to clash with Solar Flare Trim.

What i don't understand is how loading the latest Fast and Furious theme is seen as a snack, yet the selection of an alternate Ubuntu colour theme is somehow seen as impossible?


18 November 2009, 1:52 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

The Big Baboo (User):

Quoting Raindog:
What i don't understand is how loading the latest Fast and Furious theme is seen as a snack, yet the selection of an alternate Ubuntu colour theme is somehow seen as impossible?

Damn "Raindog" and I thought you knew how to do everything :( Ah well I guess I'll have to do it meself :)




18 November 2009, 4:33 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting The Big Baboo:
and I thought you

There was your first mistake.


18 November 2009, 4:49 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

AndyCee (Advanced member):

I seriously can't tell whether these comments praising this idea are sincere or just meant for baiting Raindog.

Branded themed desktops are a bit meh, surely.

18 November 2009, 8:28 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting AndyCee:
Branded themed desktops are a bit meh, surely.


Yeah. But millions of people do it. Especially with cars, movies and music. I don't like most of the branded ones (especially the ones with release dates as part of the branding), but some people don't care.

18 November 2009, 9:08 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Ausman (Regular user):

"Still, it's marketing sub-genius having..."

Sub-genius - Kidding right? Ad sponsored programs have been around almost as long as ads on webpages and having a webpage as an "Active desktop" is so old MS dropped it from marketing...

19 November 2009, 1:52 AM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

apt.pupil (Advanced member):

i can see it...

now all Alienware pcs and laptops will have an Alienware theme set as a locked default.

i guess my next Alienware pc will me unlocking the hidden administrator profile

19 November 2009, 2:38 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Aubrey (Cornerstone member):

I can feel a "Windows Christian Edition" coming on. ( a la Ubuntu, but at least those third-party themed version will include a few "specialist" applications along with the eye-candy.)

"These are great examples of Microsoft innovation and technology coming together...." This stuff is just so lame. really.

20 November 2009, 4:11 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

apt.pupil (Advanced member):

Quoting Aubrey:
"These are great examples of Microsoft innovation and technology coming together...." This stuff is just so lame. really.

i only partially agree with you there.

you know what- i do agree with you.

i like the idea of having adverts on my desktop less and less





20 November 2009, 5:15 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

The Big Baboo (User):

The more I hear about this Win7 the less I feel inclined to get it and that's only because I mainly lean to the left most of the time :)

21 November 2009, 10:13 AM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Dougio (New user):

That will mark the start of a new era for Linux. I have test run just about every major issue of Linux since 1995. It has always been wanting in some directions, but during the "stupid era" of a new virus everyday, I spent much time running Linux with only odd reboots to WIN for jobs that Linux could not do.
Two occasions caused massive amounts of loss via email borne viruses during WIN usage (2005 & 07), but the quality of Microsofts anti virus updating won me back and other than to keep abreast of things Linux, the last 2 years have reverted to Win 2000.

Adverts on the desktop (I have just bought Win 7 for all 3 machines) would take me straight back to Linux.
ps Who was the clown at Microsoft that made such idiocy of setting up an intranet? Win 2000, XP, ME, Vista all handled this OK. Win 7 is worse than 1993 era Linux. Lets hope that SP1 fixes that.

doug@yippyio.net

10 February 2010, 1:27 PM (1 month ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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