Introducing the New Windows 8 Logo

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that a rumored change to the Windows logo for Windows 8 is real, confounding tech enthusiasts, virtually all of whom doubted its authenticity. The new logo, which controversially dispenses with the flag motif Microsoft has long used, is a throwback of sorts to the original Windows logo, Microsoft claims. But I have to be honest. That "original" logo is one I've never seen before, at least not that I can recall.

Here's the logo Microsoft says was used originally, in Windows 1.0. (I didn't even realize that Windows versions previous to 3.0 even included a logo.)

win3_logo_1

And here's the new Windows 8 logo.

win8_logo_1

Is it flat, lifeless, and dull or the new hotness?  I guess we'll see, but I'd remind people that we get used to things like this pretty quickly. Remember the uproar over the name Pentium? Of course you don't.

And with that, I can check off the second of fifteen articles I was plotting out for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. I guess I'll have to come up with another topic for the launch.  Shouldn't be hard.

Discuss this Article 3

yoshipod (not verified)
on Feb 18, 2012
Looks fine to me. It fits in with the Metro theme in my opinion.
glenn.gilbert@b...
on Feb 20, 2012
As the designer pointed out, what's a 'flag' got to do with 'windows'? The new one's much more modern and Apple like ;-^)
Zottig
on Feb 20, 2012
They did something similar with Office 2000's icons. Google also did it with the Chome logo recently. I guess there comes a point where you can't make icons/logos any more pastel and candy-ified before you need to reboot and go back to bland so you can slowly add back the sugar. When I first saw the logo however I immediately thought of the "Blue Duck" episode of the Dilbert animated series and wondered if that's what someone was going for.

Please or Register to post comments.

IT/Dev Connections

Las Vegas
September 30th - October 4th

Paul ThurottYou'll have the opportunity to experience:
• 120 Technical
Sessions
• Networking with Peers
• Expert Speakers


Come See Paul Thurrott & Mary Jo Foley in Person!

Register Now

Office 365 InfoCenter

Get the latest insight and info from Paul

Read Now!

What I Use