Home Computer. Home Network. Home Server.

In the 1960s & 70s the idea of a home computer was unheard of outside of science fiction circles. Before the late 1980s home networks were unheard of.

In 1975 Microsoft was founded with the vision of putting "A computer on every desk and in every home...".  Microsoft led the charge in creating a world where a "home computer" something you expect to see in a home.

By including great support for networking technologies (particularly TCP/IP) in Windows 3x and 95 Microsoft ensured ubiquitous networking in businesses and homes. Today there are over 100 million households with a "home network" and Microsoft led the world in making this happen.

When we set about building Windows Home Server we knew we were going to be defining a new category of products and solutions for consumers. We thought long and hard about what we should call the product.  As you would expect, there was no shortage of opinions. In fact some very, very senior executives at Microsoft were quite forceful in saying "whatever you do, don't call it a server".

So we worked hard at trying to come up with another name. We tried other "descriptive" names such as "hub".  We tried fanciful names (like "Poodle"). But at the end of the day we recognized that no matter what we called the product we would always be describing it as a home server, because that's what it is: A device on a home network that provides centralized services over the network to other devices – helping consumers protect, organize and share their digital content.

In addition, as we did our research we discovered some very interesting things. First, we found that the only people who didn't like the term "server" were technical people who thought they understood consumers. Then we discovered that consumers in our target market (consumers who already have a home network and multiple PCs) understood what a server is, loved the name and the concept, and thought it was "the inevitable next step".  In fact we heard loud and clear that many such consumers would feel proud to be able to say they had a server in their home.

This week we started an online advertising campaign for Windows Home Server that, in a humorous way will help explain how Windows Home Server can help families. The campaign complements a range of other communications efforts including events, webinars, online and in-store demonstrations and more.

This campaign will drive home (pun intended) the idea that just as Microsoft was the leader in making "home computer" and "home network" common household terms it is doing it again for "home server".

You can find the landing site for the campaign at www.stayathomeserver.com.  Over the next few weeks we will roll out more funny video vignettes that will help families understand why they should have a home server in their household.

We've also commissioned a funny fake children's book titled "Mommy, Why is there a Server in my House?" which will help parents explain why there is a new member of the family. We are sure the book will become a best seller!  Check out a teaser of the book on www.stayathomeserver.com right now.

We have home computers, home networks, and the era of home servers has just begun...

-cek

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  面白く考えると、 「それはね、お父さんのお仕事の道具」とか 「それはお父さんが、オタクだからよ～」とか・・・、という回答になるかな。 なんで急にこんな事を書いたのか。それはお昼休み何となくインターネットの世界を漂っている時に、不思議な文言を発見したのが始まり。 その文言とは、"Mommy, Why is there a Server in the House?"ざっくり訳すと、「母ちゃん、どうして家にはサーバあるの？」というところだろうか？ まずサーバーという単語が、今のお子様業界の中で一般的なのかどうかというところから、疑問が湧いてくるし、別な観点から考えると、そもそも家にサーバーがあるぐらいだから家族の誰かがきっとコンピュータマニアなご家庭だから、こんな言葉を知っているのだろうなとか、妙な勘ぐりをしてしまう。

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Generally over the years I've tried to keep strict focus on Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  This is a funny campaign from the Home Server team who have been blogging about their new marketing campaign

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  PingBack from http://www.luiscorreia.com/teste/blog/wordpress/?p=7195

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Ha ha ha....nice marketing from our Windows Home Server team. Check out some great videos on their site.

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  The Windows Home Server team is growing and we're looking to hire a bunch of great new people! We have

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  On www.stayathomeserver.com you can find a new series of videos that describe the new Windows Home Server

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  On www.stayathomeserver.com the Windows Home Server Team are posting a series of hilarious videos that

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Earlier I posted about our new ad campaign " Stay at Home Servers " and pointed you at the

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  It's not Dinosaurs in the office, but it is pretty cool: Take a look at the latest marketing campaign

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  There is a new, and humorous way to check out Windows Home Server and see if it it right for you.