After 20 Years, Microsoft Windows Gets New Logo

Microsoft produced a new logo for Microsoft Windows today.

Since 1992 Microsoft has used a variety of wavy flag-like representations for their flagship Windows operating system.

The change in the logo will better reflect Microsoft’s “Metro style design principles,” according to Sam Moreau, who is Windows’ principal director of user experiences. Moreau explains his Metro style design concepts on a video here.

Introducing the new logo on Microsoft’s blog today, Moreau said a key moment in considering a new design came when Paula Scher, of the Pentagram design agency, said “your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?”

Moreau goes on to explain that the flag evolved over time, going from something plain to more complex as computer graphics improved.

The new logo is rather simple. All blue. And does away with any wavy lines. An image of the new logo is to the right.

In the comment section of Microsoft’s blog, the new logo is getting mixed reviews. With 149 comments so far, most are leaning toward a dislike of the new logo. Here’s a sampling:

• “Sexiest logo ever for WindOS !!”
• “I’m a fan of Windows. I’m a HUGE fan of Windows 8. But this, guys, is epic failure.. Why not just make it like the start button in the WDP, maybe in one color, but this… this is disappointing”
• “I absolutely love the new design. Metro, Windows, Tiles, all in a nice simple and classy logo. Seriously Windows FTW all day, every day. Kudos to the crew at Redmond.”
• “The logo itself reflecting a tilted window is great and would have looked brilliant with colored gradients. But without color, it’s UGLY! My Windows life is now colorless and monotonous.”
• “oh my god, please let this be a bad dream”
• “This is cheap art, something which can be very easily spoofed and duplicated, it is a joke!!!”

The new logo will be used on the Windows 8 operating system, which is to be presented in beta form on February 29, at a ‘consumer preview’ event in Barcelona, Spain. The same week that the Mobile World Congress takes place there.

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