Windows 7 Freebies For Twitter Fans

Microsoft turns to Web 2.0 to hawk its new PC operating system.

Paul McDougall, Editor At Large, InformationWeek

September 24, 2009

2 Min Read
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Microsoft is continuing its social media campaign to promote Windows 7. Twitter users who search for the #WinWin7 tag can win pizzas, candy, gaming keyboards and other "somewhat goofy" prizes, a spokesman said.

"There's more to come and the prizes are only getting better," wrote Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft's in-house Windows blogger, in a post Wednesday.

LeBlanc said Microsoft's goal is to capture 77,777 followers on Twitter. Starting at 42,777, the company will give away a copy of Windows 7 for every 2000 additional followers it garners.

"For those good at math, the more people we get to join, the more chances you (as a follower) have of winning a copy of Windows 7," wrote LeBlanc.

LeBlanc said there's more to come—of an unbeknownst nature.

"When the magical number of 77,777 is reached, the Windows Outreach Team has some great (and super-secret) prizes to hand out," wrote the blogger. "If you're not following @MSWindows on Twitter already, you should consider doing so as things look like they will get pretty interesting," said LeBlanc.

The social media campaign and other Windows 7 promotions aren't surprising, as Microsoft is desperate to avoid a repeat of the Vista debacle. Vista, Windows 7's direct predecessor, was unpopular with many users and was virtually shunned by the enterprise market. Complaints included Vista's intrusive security measures, incompatibility with older software, and heavy horsepower requirements.

Windows 7 is available to consumers on Oct. 22nd.

Attend this Windows 7 virtual event to gain exclusive access to our one-stop information destination, packed with resources to guide you in your decision-making process. Sept. 30, 2009. Find out more and register.

About the Author

Paul McDougall

Editor At Large, InformationWeek

Paul McDougall is a former editor for InformationWeek.

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