Microsoft hopes to knock socks off with Windows XP Crocs • The Register

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to unleash its latest product on the public: limited edition XP-themed Crocs.

The news is doing the rounds among Microsofties and former Microsofties on LinkedIn, who shared screenshots accessed from the company store, but has yet to be officially confirmed by the software giant. However, judging by the company’s desire to show off its quirky side through promotions including its line of “Windows Ugly Sweaters,” a hook-up with the footwear manufacturer, which is not averse to the odd collaboration (for example, the Minecraft-themed line of foam sandals), seemed inevitable.

The shoes in the screenshots are decorated with a simulacrum of the Windows XP Bliss desktop background with “Jibbitz,” including Clippy, the Internet Explorer icon, and a mouse pointer. Jibbitz are decorations that can be clipped to the ventilation holes on the shoes and are a popular method of customizing the footwear.

There’s also a drawstring bag, presumably in case you decide your fashion choices are best kept private.

The price? Apparently $80, and the dwindling staff at Microsoft have been given the first opportunity to grab a pair ahead of a worldwide launch. Considering the ongoing rounds of layoffs at the company, there could well be more than a few pairs left over. After all, “you get to keep your job, want some Crocs?” might not be the great incentive it seems.

The company behind Crocs was founded in 2002, the year after Windows XP hit general availability. The classic clog ranges from $29.99 to $49.99 on the company’s website, although the Minecraft edition went for $79.99 (now discounted to $40).

There are plenty of unkind comments to be made about the collaboration, from the distinctive odor that can come from the footwear, through to the benefits of having something wipe-clean with which to wade through the updates and patches released by Microsoft.

Crocs have had a checkered history over the years, and have apparently become “cool” once again recently. Similarly, Windows XP was initially hugely popular before being derided for its flaws as follow-ups, including Windows 7, arrived.

As users tire of Microsoft forcing AI on them and the company’s relentless requests for telemetry, Windows XP has now achieved a level of retro-cool in the eyes of some users. So long as it is never connected to the internet, right? ®