Once MS, always MS[1]. I always have a shred of faith that next release their marketing will be more elegant, but every release I'm disappointed. I would pay to read a blog post making a strong case for their naming scheme.

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUXnJraKM3k

It does seem like they're slowly getting better. The marketing I've seen for the tablet (what little there is.. problem #1) makes it look slick.

The "Windows 7 was my idea" series was pretty neat too.

It's been a kind of "eight step forwards, seven back" experience lately.

Surface looks great, but goddamn Microsoft have done some boneheaded stuff.[1]

The same applies to this license. I'm sure it's a truly great feat, but the idea is wrapped in so much silliness it almost makes it entirely ludicrous.

[1]: http://daringfireball.net/linked/2012/08/15/engadget-surface

I'm sure they'd explain to you that their strategic dynamism comes with a lot of synergies.

Who's going to buy it? This isn't a product that people are going to stand around talking about. If you're going to buy it, you're going to buy it regardless of the name.

It's anti-marketing. "We know you're too smart to fall for marketing speak, so we'll just tell you what's in the box."

The same person who came up with the name Bing - the only four letter word that's difficult to say out loud.

Where do you hail (actually there's another one!) from?

To me, (UK) bing is self evidently the noise one hears when getting an answer right in a gameshow, or hitting a crystal wineglass with a fingernail.

I would counter that "Kiln" is a four-letter word that's even more difficult to say out loud.

Lawyers.