Okay Geek Farm
24 years of Windows box design - The good and the bad
Brandon Davenport
Microsoft has not always been remembered for their "box art" and maybe they don't want to be -- they want to be remembered for their OS, Windows, and that's about it -- the 98 troubles, the XP search puppy, the Vista haters and the 7 hopes. But through it all, before you loaded the OS, you opened, looked at, and forgot the Windows package. So now we take a trip down memory lane...
Windows 1.0
The official release of the Windows "Operating Environment" in all its 80's glory. Creamy white text, on Navy blue with some snazzy photos of the OS running on a 64k monster. This pic appears to be the actual packaging from 1985, untouched.
Windows 3.1
This is when the Windows Box looked good! Clean, simple, and dawning the oh-so famous flag. This was the first Windows box to have the iconic flag on it. This flag would be featured on every Windows box thereafter.
Windows 95
This is another cool looking box (look through the eyes of someone in the 90's) They went a little crazy on the clouds, but it is still nice and clean. The font is much better than the 3.1 box, and the transparency on the flag is a nice touch.
Windows Me
This is bad. It has the design elements of a door, and the color scheme of a 13 year-olds MySpace page. This is the bottom for Windows boxes, and there is nowhere to go, but up.
Windows XP
Windows XP is the only box to have part of the OS on it, the Fisher Price start menu. XP was the first real overhaul of the OS, and was mainly focused no longer on businesses, but on the general public. With its big poofy buttons and its bright colors, it was a success. It got worse.
Windows Vista
Yes the box looks wicked, but the OS was such a yummy mess that Microsoft is coming out with a new one already. But back to the box:
"The packaging has been completely revised and, we hope, foreshadows the great experience that awaits you once you open it." Hmmm. In a disappointing move environmentally, Microsoft moved to a clear plastic design. Blogger Long Zheng was more positive, calling it "holy freaking super deliciously awesome."
Windows 7
This is truly the best Windows box ever -- scratch that, this is the best Software box ever. It is simple, clean, eye catching and still holds true to the original packaging formula. Clearly, this box is inspired by the Windows XP box. Simply amazing, and the OS inside is just as good.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the stuff you ignored and forgot now sits here. Some are bad, some are good and they all contain tech gold, but yet they stay somewhat the same. A box.
"Don't judge a book by its cover."
