Microsoft Drops 'Metro' Name For Windows 8 UI 356
hawkinspeter writes "The BBC is reporting that Microsoft is dropping the 'Metro' name for the new Windows 8 UI. Apparently, the catchy new name they've settled on is 'Windows 8 style UI!' This has happened due to a (potential) trademark dispute with Metro AG, a German retail giant. Microsoft said, 'We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines. As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialogue to a broad consumer dialogue we will use our commercial names.' I'm wondering if Microsoft planned this to get publicity for their new OS and UI or whether they just forget to check on how 'Metro' is used around the world."
Re:Codenames are common. (Score:5, Insightful)
Yea that's not what this was though, this was a marketing term and they started pushing it very early. Similarly technical documentation for developers refers to it all as Metro, if they were going to change that because it's not the real name, they would have done it before it went RTM.
Consider this: they have no other name for it. "Aero" is still "Aero", but "Metro" is now "Windows-8 style UI".
It's an excuse (Score:5, Insightful)
They've been calling it Metro for quite a while, including on all that stuff put out about Windows Phone 7. You know WP7, that phone OS of theirs that's in production. If codenames really don't stick around once its in production, then how do they explain that?
The truth here is that Windows 8 has been poorly received, and Metro is the reason why. Too many people hate it on the desktop. In an attempt to change the conversation they're going to change the name and hope that the negative buzz doesn't carry over.
Re:Codenames are common. (Score:5, Insightful)
You seriously think it's cool to first name a product after someone without their permission, then change the name to imply negative things about the person because they didn't like that?
Overreaction (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Codenames are common. (Score:2, Insightful)
So if Samsung names their next phone, "Steve Jobs", that is ok? And if one fanboy complains, it is ok then if Samsung renames it as Human Liver Theif!