Microsoft’s Windows 8 Strategy: Conquer the Amish
Documents leaked to the Web reveal Microsoft’s secret weapon in its plan to avoid complete irrelevance: Winning the hearts and minds of the technologically illiterate.
A secret Microsoft presentation on what to expect from Windows 8 has been leaked to the Internet, and it reveals a stunning reversal of strategy for the beleaguered software giant.
Instead of appealing to its traditional constituency of 400-pound geeks still living in their mothers’ basements, Redmond is taking a bold new tack: Reaching out to people who’ve been completely insulated from technology for centuries.
A Powerpoint presentation which first appeared on an Italian Web site reveals the Amish are clearly the targets of Microsoft’s upcoming Win8 strategy. Here’s a slide showing Windows 8′s “auto detection” technology, which automatically turns the PC on when user “Amish” sits down….
…and shuts down when user “Amish” leaves.
It’s an intriguing approach, analysts agree.
“The Pennsylvania Dutch may be the only population that has never been exposed to claims about new versions of Windows,” notes Microsoft analyst Al Sayanything. “They might actually believe what Microsoft says.”
Take, for example, Microsoft’s claims that Windows 8 will be more secure, more reliable, faster, and start up and shut down instantly, he adds.
“We’ve been hearing these things for so long it’s laughable,” he notes. “But to the Amish, these claims are brand new. I think Microsoft has a real shot at getting them to bite at least once.”
Get fresh geek humor delivered daily: RSS | E-Mail | Twitter | Widgets
