William Longmire calls himself “Microsoft Fanman No. 1.” He also happens to be a Seattle Seahawks supporter.
So with Windows 10 launching Wednesday and the football season kicking off this fall, Longmire prepared for the big week by ordering something rather unique to wear: A custom-made Seahawks jersey with “Windows” on the name plate and the number “10.”
Only in Seattle, right?
“I love the Seahawks, I love Microsoft, and I love Windows 10,” he said while waiting in line to meet Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin at a Microsoft Store event in Seattle on Wednesday. “Windows 10 will be around a long time. It’s a game-changer. It’s on all devices. I’m just super excited about it and have been since Day 1.”
If there was a competition for Microsoft fandom, Longmire might sit near the top of the leaderboard. He recalled being one of the first to own a device with Windows Mobile 6.0 and said he’s used every single Lumia device ever released.
“I really believe in their ecosystem,” he said.
Longmire, a resident of Selah, Wash., works as a GIS coordinator for a city in Central Washington. He’s said his department thought about switching its technology platform to Apple, but ultimately stuck with Microsoft.
“We knew what was coming and it’s here,” Longmire said. “There’s no reason why we have to go to other platforms. Windows 10 on all our devices will do it for us.”
Longmire called Windows 10 a “game-changer” and said his favorite aspect of the new operating system is the continuity across different devices.
“Being able to use a phone and have the same user experience I have on my desktop — I’ve been talking about if we could do that at my workplace, and how it could be amazing,” he said. “It’s happening now. We are in exciting times right now.”
Before heading to the University Village Microsoft Store on Wednesday evening for a Windows 10 launch event, Longmire said he visited the Microsoft Store in Bellevue earlier in the day and even stopped by Microsoft’s campus in Redmond.
“I just wanted to feel the excitement there,” he said.
When it comes down to picking either the Seahawks or Microsoft, Longmire said he likes both. Ultimately, though, he’s going with Microsoft.
“My wife is more the football fan,” he said. “I’m more of the geek.”
Look for Longmire at the Seattle’s fourth home preseason game in early September near the Seahawks bench.
“I’m going to be in the front row,” he said. “I’ll be showing off Windows 10, man.”