“The 9 worst Microsoft products ever” is a list published by Network World on December 7, 2007—not an objective, data-based ranking of every Microsoft product. Julie Bort’s opinion piece judged nine products by different standards, from price and compatibility to whether the author saw a market for them. One entry, the Surface PC, had not even shipped yet. Here are the nine in the article’s original order, with the historical context that matters today.
What the 2007 list does—and doesn’t—claim
Julie Bort’s Network World article was a five-minute opinion piece published December 7, 2007, alongside discussion of Microsoft products on MaximumPC’s “greatest hits” list. It offered no shared scoring rubric, sales comparison, or adoption data for its nine selections. The ranking is therefore best read as one technology writer’s contemporary judgment, not an industry consensus or a measured verdict on Microsoft’s entire history.
The list also mixes products at very different stages: its first entry was still awaiting release, while others had already launched or disappeared. The criticisms below are attributed to Bort’s article unless otherwise noted.
The nine products, in the original order
1. Microsoft Surface PC: a costly tabletop bet
The 2007 article called the tabletop computer potentially fun but questioned whether consumers wanted a computer embedded in a living-room table. It cited an anticipated price of $5,000–$10,000. Crucially, the Surface PC had not shipped when Bort wrote about it, so the entry was a forecast about price and appeal—not a judgment based on retail results.
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2. MSN Music Store and “Plays for Sure”: a compatibility problem
Bort said the MSN Music Store had closed and directed customers to Zune Marketplace. She criticized the transition because, according to the article, purchased tracks protected by Windows Media Audio DRM 9 would not work with the newer DRM 9.1 used by Zune. The resulting disconnect between the “Plays for Sure” branding and the experience of affected customers was the point of the criticism; the technical and consumer-impact claim is the 2007 article’s account.
Microsoft’s 2006 Zune announcement described the service and device as a new approach to digital music. The announcement quoted then-Windows Client Business senior vice president Will Poole saying consumers could look for the PlaysForSure logo on devices and music services to know they would work together. That was Microsoft’s statement of the intended experience; it does not negate the compatibility complaint reported in 2007. The same announcement specified a 30 GB player, a three-inch screen, and a November 14, 2006 U.S. launch—historical launch details, not present-day availability information.
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3. Windows Vista Ultimate: delayed Extras
The article faulted Vista Ultimate for delays in delivering its promised “Extras” and called the eventual collection modest. That is a complaint about delivery and perceived value, not a comparison of Vista’s overall performance against other operating systems. Vista is no longer supported: Microsoft’s lifecycle record lists April 12, 2017 as the end of support, including for Ultimate.
4. Microsoft Bob: an animated interface for beginners
Released in 1995, Bob presented a cartoon-style computer interface intended to help novice PC users. The 2007 article recalled animated guides, including Rover the Retriever, and dismissed the concept. That verdict was the author’s opinion; the article did not cite a usability study.
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5. Microsoft SPOT watch: wearable computing before broad adoption
Bort said Microsoft previewed SPOT at COMDEX in 2003 and that retail watches from Fossil and Suunto appeared in early 2004. The article questioned whether wearable computing had found a broad consumer audience, but supplied no adoption figures. Its skepticism should not be mistaken for measured sales data.
6. Origami / Ultra Mobile PC: a handheld without evidence of reach
The article grouped Origami and the Ultra Mobile PC with Microsoft’s PDA efforts and asked whether people were seen using the devices. That is anecdotal criticism, not a reported sales result or user survey. The entry reflects a question about visibility and audience rather than a quantified case of failure.
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7. Microsoft Mira: the wireless touchscreen monitor
Mira was described as a wireless touchscreen monitor for home use, with devices made by ViewSonic, Philips, NEC, and Fujitsu. Bort’s claim that Mira products were not visible in the market was an observation made in 2007. It should not be read as a current inventory or availability check.
8. Microsoft home routers: a short-lived product line
The article named the MN-500 and MN-700 wireless router lines, launched in 2002, and characterized the line as short-lived. It also mentioned used MN-500 listings around $10 at the time. That figure is a stale 2007 reference, not a current used-market price.
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9. ActiMates: an interactive Barney toy
The article cited the Interactive Barney toy’s $99 launch price in 1999 and said the line later included other cartoon characters. Its criticism of the toy’s appeal was intentionally humorous, rather than a documented assessment of sales or customer response.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the ranking needs historical context
The nine entries do not fail by one common measure. Some criticisms concern a high anticipated price, a delayed feature promise, or a reported compatibility break. Others are judgments about whether a product looked appealing or visible to consumers. The article provides no comparable adoption statistics across the group, so it cannot establish which product sold least, disappointed the most customers, or caused the greatest loss.
Read in its proper frame, the list is a dated snapshot of Microsoft’s risks in 2007—and of one writer’s opinion—not a definitive, timeless ranking. Its most concrete present-day status update is that Windows Vista support ended on April 12, 2017; several other claims remain specifically the article’s historical assessments.
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