Windows 7 House Party – Updated

 UPDATED FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30th

     Preparing for the Windows 7 Party took some time – however, most of it involved the install of Windows 7.  I was not able to upgrade from Vista due to an error I kept getting about not all of my files being on the same partition.  This was inaccurate, but there was no getting around it.  I was forced to do a clean upgrade, which means after saving my user data, any user settings and programs on my computer would be deleted once I installed Windows 7.  I could reinstall the programs once I reloaded all my software programs – that is – assuming I could still find my software CD’s.  Reluctantly, I performed a clean install of Windows 7.  There are benefits to not upgrading however,  – it cleaned up my desktop and multiple programs I loaded that I do not need anymore. 

 

Once I had Windows 7 loaded on my computer, I began working with my pictures, documents, and surfing on the web using Internet Explorer 8.  At first glance, I didn’t notice a lot of variations from Vista.  However, my computer did appear faster.  As I delved deeper into importing my pictures and viewing them, I noticed a world of difference.  If you are a media lover – especially with digital pictures and video, upgrading to Windows 7 will be very advantageous for you. 

 

At the party, I demonstrated many of the new features of Windows 7.  Some of the attendees had already worked with Windows 7, so it made the night fun as we were all adding tips we had learned on our own.   The party was a success as far as seeing the new features of Windows 7 and having some good discussions.  On the flip side, however, the launch of Windows 7 was not on many people’s radar – most of the people I invited weren’t aware of the upgrade and felt unprepared to start thinking about upgrading.  People in the IT world were well aware of the launch, but unless the average consumer is a techie, they weren’t ready for Windows 7.  My recommendation to Microsoft would be to consider further Windows 7 parties about six to eight months from now after the buzz from these house parties, bloggers, and the press begin spreading the word more.  A whole new wave of Windows 7 users will be ready by then.  I am currently working on a post which will review my top faves from Windows 7.  Stay tuned.

 

Original Post

A friend of mine forwarded me an e-mail about hosting a party for Windows 7, the new operating system from Microsoft.  Windows 7 is the successor to Windows Vista. I could not pass up this opportunity, so I applied right away using a cool website called http://houseparty.com. 

 Http://Houseparty.com gives opportunities for people like you and me to host parties for brands we love.  Brands like Microsoft, Hershey, Barbie, and countless others know that the best way to advertise is by word of mouth.  Thus, through houseparty.com, brands are giving some of their best fans across the country a chance to share their favorite products with their friends.

To prepare for the party, Microsoft gave me a copy of the Windows 7 software and links to watch videos online to know what to demonstrate to my friends.  In addition, they gave me some coupons for other types of software, streamers for the party, a bag of balloons, a Windows 7 poster, Win 7 bags for everyone, and more.   The rest of the party is up to me – I can make it as elaborate or casual as I choose.  For this party, I’ll be serving up desserts, drinks, and demo’s of Windows 7.  After the party, I will post pictures of the evening on houseparty.com so party guests can see the pics and Microsoft can view how the house parties went across America.  Over 5,000 Windows 7 house parties are being conducted last week and this week. 

Stay tuned for more.  On http://wellconnectedmom.com I will post some pictures from the party to give you a better idea of how the party went as well as explain some of the new and improved features of Windows 7 and their benefits to you.

Note:   The purpose of Houseparty.com parties is to share your enthusiasm for the products you are hosting.  No products are sold during the party.