MS Windows what?

From Dictionary.com: Vista:

From Dictionary.com:
Vista: A distant view or prospect

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

Ok ... so Vista's a name.

Ok ... so Vista's a name. Just like XP, which implied an eXPerience. From Microsoft's point of view, Vista is a view of the future of desktop computing. As a developer who's worked on "LongHorn" technologies, I can tell you that underneath all of that sleek skinned "aero" look, there's the soul of a completely new OS with a lot of new ideas hithero never seen before.

Microsoft has been trying out a lot of new ideas recently, and this branding image is one of them. For example, I remember reading a post about the 2003, 2000 and 98 naming schemes that said "What, do I need to be told what year it is now? Why cant they stick to the version?"

Sure, by that token we should still be talking like geeks in version, minor revision and build numbers.

Let's just move on, guys. I know Microsoft did.

-Ananth.

Yes, it looks cool when you

Yes, it looks cool when you see it written and dancing on your computer screen and then you think all the incredible landscapes,animal pictures you can download ,organize and view so easily with this new Operating System. Yes, What a wonderful vista!

View from Nigeria

VISTA: To be honest, I was quite disapointed with the branding, but hey, it's Microsoft and I tell you it will get around and you'll reference it to something cool.

Over here in Nigeria we developers are using Microsoft technology, and greatly flaunt brand names and make a show out of authorized logos and the respect they command. I hope I'll get the feel of windows Vista splashing on my start-up screen with a refreshing music to follow, like i always feel with my Win 2000 OS.

Beware of anyone that claims

Beware of anyone that claims to be, "a computer whiz", and doubly so if they don't even know how to toggle the damn CAPS key!

Vista works for me - running the beta now, and I like it. I could care less what they call it, I just care if it's secure, easy to use, fast, and fun. So far, it's doing well on three of the four, and I am sure it will get much faster once they remove all the debug code.

I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT

I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT THEY CALL IT BUT THEY SHOUDLVE CALLED IT WINDOWS XP2! I LIKE THE OS CALLED WINDOWS XP!!! BUT OH WELL. YOU GUYS CAN RESPOND TO ME MY EMAIL IS JOEY_S1222@HOTMAIL.COM. I AM A COMPUTER WHIZ AND LOVE MICROSOFT. BTW AT LEAST THEY DIDNT CALL IT WINDOWS LONGHORN. -- JOEY SANCTUS

It's also English for view.

It's also English for view. As in a breathtaking mountain vista.

Still doesn't have anything to do with the kinds of things that Microsoft should be marketing Windows towards...namely security, stability and ease of use. Of course, that doesn't necessarily say that Windows does those things well or better than the other guys, but marketing is supposed to fill in the gaps that development hasn't been able to fill.

And certainly giving Windows a name that gives a customer that fuzzy feeling that it's secure, stable and easy to use would be better than accentuating the fact that a Window is see through....like duh.

Windows Kevlar, Windows Ruggedized, Windows Vault...Windows Secure...

Can think of, at least, a hundred names that would be better suited to the message that Microsoft should be getting out about it's flagship product. The fact that it looks nice, isn't in any of them.

Come on, do you believe that

Come on, do you believe that OS X will be sitting on a beach when Microsoft embedds DRM into Vista? Apple wants customers too. Customers want DRM-protected content (they won't simply have a choice when buying HD DVDs). Therefore, DRM will come to Apple very quickly too.

That's easy.

Vista: Spanish or acronym?

VISTA is a spanish word for VIEW. If you google around you will discover some guys saying that in fact VISTA is an acronym for Virii Infections Spyware Trojans Adware... all packaged by microcrap. Think different!

The name of a product is one

The name of a product is one of the most important aspects of its promotion.

A name should grab you immediately, not "grow" on you.

Al Ries and Jack Trout make a good case for the extreme importance of product and company names.

Window is, to me, a perfectly appropriate name, but "Vista" is questionable. It looks nice on the page, but for some reason, I confuse it with "Visa", and want to pronounce it "Veestah".

To arrive at a name, one must use the logic Alex is proposing: what is it exactly. Then: what word conveys this in a catchy, easy to say, easy to spell manner?