It’s no secret that millions of people around the world prefer Apple’s flashy visual designs to anything Microsoft has ever put out. But disdain for Microsoft’s artistic philosophy has really reached a new high with the release of the Windows 8 logo. Microsoft’s User Experience director, Sam Moreau, described it as a move toward the “Metro” aesthetic and also shared with the public a question -- from the future designer of the logo -- that had a serious impact in the ultimate design: “Your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?”

It seems that question was to set the tone for the entire redesign to follow. But, granted, some of the rationale behind the move doesn’t make sense. Above, Moreau says that the change to a windows-oriented Windows logo is “an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations.” Even if you put aside the visual look and feel of the new logo, this is a problematic statement on its face. You can see in the PC World post above that the most “window-like” logo was seen way back in Windows Version 1.

Who in the world is pining for those good old days?

There are a lot of other buzz words in Moreau’s explanation. “Modern and classic,” for example. What?  These two things are opposites. Moreau actually compares the logo positively to signage at "airports and subways.” Even for a committed Microsoft fan, it’s kind of hard to take this new graphic turn too seriously. Luckily, logo and product are two separate things. Windows 8 is poised to be as ubiquitous as the other Windows operating systems, and it seems like the final product will have a lot to offer end users.