Announcing New Packaging for Windows Vista and 2007 Office System

Posted by:
Nick White
03:13 PM Monday
Oct 30, 2006
162 Comments

With Windows Vista and 2007 Office system, we didn't just redesign the software packages themselves, but are also introducing new packaging for the two products. The packaging has been completely revised and, we hope, foreshadows the great experience that awaits you once you open it. Check out the photos below.

Windows Vista Home Basic

2007 Office Professional

2007 Office – Home & Student

Designed to be user-friendly, the new packaging is a small, hard, plastic container that’s designed to protect the software inside for life-long use. It provides a convenient and attractive place for you to permanently store both discs and documentation.

The new design will provide the strength, dimensional stability and impact resistance required when packaging software today. Our plan is to extend this packaging style to other Microsoft products after the launch of Windows Vista and 2007 Office system.

Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Featured News, Packaging

Comments

JDubman

Posted on: October 24, 2008 at 1:10AM
I worked at Microsoft for over 10 years and I couldn't figure out how to open this box without Googling for instructions.
AlexES

Posted on: February 21, 2009 at 5:59PM
Hello everyone: I am glad that I am not the only one that had a problem with this "packaging", see my blog of Dec 2007. When I worked as a design engineer in an electronics eqpt manufacturing plant we used to test every packaging and user product by having people from the production factory open the pacakages, use the equipment and give their comments. Had I designed such a package and released it to market I would have been called in the president's office to explain and the result would have been my dismissal. Don't they have design reviews at Microsoft, to weed out poor designs? Thanks and best regards, Alex S. :-)

:-( for the "packaging"
cathdgillespie

Posted on: March 03, 2009 at 5:07PM
I received my copy of Office Pro 2007 this morning and actually had to google instructions to open this ridiculous box. Mine didn't come with the plastic overwrap showing instructions (although if packaging requires instructions, that ought to be enough to tell you that's it's badly designed). I'll take the good old cardboard box and a discount, thanks.
ravindra106

Posted on: April 10, 2009 at 10:56AM
very informative post indeed,keep sharing dude!
maloo

Posted on: November 04, 2009 at 7:27AM
Nick says: 'The packaging has been completely revised and, we hope, foreshadows the great experience that awaits you once you open it. Check out the photos below.'

No photos below, just red x's. Nick says it's because of server replication problems. That was three years ago.

It's late '09 and we are still looking for help and a place to complain about the 'idiot box'. We bought the software 9 months ago. Now when I need to reinstall Windows like you do every 9 months or so, Office bugs me for the serial number that can only be found inside the box. The red tab is long gone if it was ever there and the molded-in grip lines on the tabs saying 'press here' don't release a thing. Horribly frustrating design Nick, I'll cc your 25-year-old boss but you're probably both out for a latte.

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Trackbacks

Posted by: Robert McLaws: Windows Vista Edition on October 30, 2006 at 8:47PM
It looks like Long was right . Nick White announced the retail packaging for Windows Vista & Office
Posted by: Mark Johnston's Developer Experiences on October 31, 2006 at 4:50AM
I know that when you talk to any Apple owner they always rejoice in the experience of purchasing an Apple
Posted by: Gabriel Lozano-Morán - The .NET Aficionado on October 31, 2006 at 5:40AM
The Windows Vista team has posted on their blog pictures of the new Windows Vista and Office 2007 packaging.
Posted by: Vistablog on October 31, 2006 at 8:06AM
Anche l'occhio vuole la sua parte. Una nuova veste per le confezioni, ispirata ai disegni, ai colori e alle trasparenze dei due pacchetti software (Windows Vista e il nuovo Office). Via downloadblog
Posted by: Blog de David Sebban [MSFT] on October 31, 2006 at 8:16AM
Microsoft vient de rendre publique les visuels illustrant le packaging de Windows Vista. C'est beau :)
Posted by: GottaBeMobile.com on October 31, 2006 at 8:33AM
Posted by: Gizmodo on October 31, 2006 at 8:37AM
Microsoft, planning to lure you into using Windows Vista and Office 2007 for the rest of your life, today reveals the packaging for the upcoming products, going with a rounded design reminiscent of a 1950s toaster. Let's let the Microsoftians...
Posted by: chuza.org on October 31, 2006 at 10:10AM
O deseño de envoltorios, e paquetería, é algo que moitas veces non se coida o suficiente, pero que preocupa a moitas compañías, e é parte importante do _marketing_ Esta nova, no fondo é unha excusa para sinalar a bitácora _oficial_ dos desenroladores
Posted by: The Art of PowerPoint-ing on October 31, 2006 at 10:21AM
Thanks to PowerPoint MVP for providing the information. The packaging for Windows Vista and Office 2007
Posted by: Tiernans Comms Closet on October 31, 2006 at 10:30AM
Windows Vista Blogs has some shots of the new Vista and Office 2007 boxes. These look very cool! Kind...
Posted by: Microsoft News Tracker on October 31, 2006 at 11:01AM
For the visually oriented, Nick White reveals some boxshots for Windows Vista and Office 2007 at the Vista Team blog and the packaging is really quite novel as it is a hard plastic case with a trendy rounded corner that has room for the disk and some
Posted by: Silicon Valley Sleuth ES on October 31, 2006 at 11:26AM
Microsoft no corre riesgos. El sistema operativo Vista no tendrá simplemente una interfaz totalmente rediseñada, sino que el embalaje será también nuevo. El nuevo paquete tiene esquinas redondeadas. Principalmente porque esas cajas con esquinas son poco
Posted by: Windows Vista/Longhorn Blog on October 31, 2006 at 12:33PM
Info from Vista Team, new package design for Vista and Office: With Windows Vista and 2007...
Posted by: Nanda Lella's WebLog on October 31, 2006 at 12:50PM
With Windows Vista and 2007 Office system the packaging has been completely revised. Check out the photos
Posted by: Backstage at MED on October 31, 2006 at 1:08PM
Hey, love the new packaging. Check it out as reported by Walzenbach , Engadget and Windows Vista Blog
Posted by: El Bruno on October 31, 2006 at 1:38PM
Buenas, hace un ratito he visto como será el nuevo packaging para Windows Vista y para Microsoft Office
Posted by: El Bruno on October 31, 2006 at 1:40PM
Buenas, hace un ratito he visto como será el nuevo packaging para Windows Vista y para Microsoft Office
Posted by: Inside Office Online on October 31, 2006 at 3:54PM
The box designs have come out for the 2007 Office (and Vista) product lineup. Check it out below. We're
Posted by: Howard on October 31, 2006 at 10:11PM
The Windows Vista team has released photos of the new packaging that Vista and Office 2007 will come...
Posted by: Eric A. Duncan on October 31, 2006 at 10:30PM
While checking out the new (and big shock to the design) packing that Vista and Office 2007 are going
Posted by: Jije on November 01, 2006 at 5:15AM
Posted by: Steve Clayton: Geek In Disguise on November 01, 2006 at 11:27AM
Call me a geek (oh I did that myself so no need) but I luuurve these new product boxes for the Windows
Posted by: Guillermo Taylor @ Microsoft on November 02, 2006 at 9:44AM
Sé que algunos de ustedes saben, en especial porque hemos compartido alguna de esta información en los
Posted by: Blogging About .NET on November 05, 2006 at 11:26PM
Have you seen the design of Vista and Office boxes? Apparently I'm not the only one that after seeing...
Posted by: Office pour et par les administrateurs on November 08, 2006 at 5:55AM
La nouvelle boite n'est plus en carton mais en plastique. Les détails sont ici sur le blog de l'équipe
Posted by: Site d'informations sur Windows Vista et "Windows Longhorn Server" on November 08, 2006 at 10:53AM
La nouvelle boite n'est plus en carton mais en plastique.La couleur changera en fonction des versions.
Posted by: Chris Pratley's OneNote Blog on January 31, 2007 at 5:21AM
Yes, the final code of OneNote 2007 is now available for purchase in an actual box (with a curvy corner
Posted by: palmit.commentary on February 15, 2007 at 1:16AM
Earlier this week I came across a Windows Vista Ultimate package here in the office and discovered something interesting -...
Posted by: Javier Romero on February 22, 2007 at 11:24AM
En el Blog del Equipo de Windows Vista se anuncia el lanzamiento de los empaques para Windows Vista y
Posted by: Shiny Shiny on March 07, 2007 at 6:46AM
5px; float: left;"/> I must say, I'm a little astounded to learn that over at the Windows Vista Blog, many readers have been asking how to actually open the packaging that contains the disc! Are any of our readers having any trouble with this? If so,
Posted by: Javier Romero on June 18, 2007 at 11:20AM
Nuevo empaque para Windows Vista y Office System 2007
Posted by: Minefeed.com on August 20, 2007 at 11:04AM
I bought a retail copy of Office 2007 today (I'm loading up the new laptop I got for the world tour, [...]
Posted by: palmit.commentary on August 21, 2007 at 2:07AM
Joel, over at Joel on Software, wrote today about his less than fantastic experience with the new Office 2007 packaging....
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