Part D

Solutions to Problems

While observing the potential problems and disadvantages of using the pilot program on Windows 7 PCs, the tendency to overlook the possible solutions is a very large amount. The potential problems of using the pilot program are that many small businesses do not want their company to suffer and also many Microsoft Windows 7 users do not want to have their computer, while not connected to the Internet, to be run be advertisements. The solutions to both of these problems are both very easy to conquer.
With the possibility of smaller retailers not having the ability to purchase space on the Windows 7 desktops is a problem that Microsoft is currently trying to fix. "Using Windows 7 themes -- collections of backgrounds, borders and audio elements -- advertisers will be able to brand the desktop", Microsoft said (Hachman, 2009). This would allow for small and large companies to both have the ability to buy Windows 7 desktop real estate for the small price as long as they are willing to pay for their ad theme to be created. This would allow both companies to have equal rights when it came to buying and creating ads on Windows 7 themes. Thus eliminating the first problem. With the second problem comes a more vast amount of possible solutions.
For example, people that do not want to turn on their computer's monitor to find an ad in their face will have the ability to decide whether or not they want to be part of the pilot program. Miscrosoft said that the company wanted to make a point to stress that the themes were "opt-in," and thus would not appear automatically when a user launches Windows 7 (Johnston, 2009). The ability to be able to "opt-in"to the pilot program is a very feasible solution to the problem that arises when people, who are against advertisements on the internet, do not want to see ads on their desktops and so both problems, even though there are some more, are solved.