some 14 years ago, the entire launch event seemed charmed. It was sunny in Seattle. Locals wondered what that yellow thing was in the sky. And Microsoft's guests, who came in from all corners of the world, joked that Bill Gates must have paid a fortune for such weather.

It was the only Microsoft event I have ever attended where there was genuine excitement in the room. The were optimistic and made you want to use a PC. No question: The Windows 95 launch was magic. Windows 7? Not so much.

Just in time for Halloween, the Windows 7 launch is being undermined by some unexplained phenomena. Consider the following.

The Today Show, which averages some 5 million viewers, hosted Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to officially launch the Windows 7 operating system. But what possessed the Today Show art department to behind Ballmer?