For most of my life, the word “Windows” has only called up one mental image: the Windows 98 loading screen, chugging away on my basement computer, a Packard Bell. Interesting home computing choices aside, the image of Microsoft’s Windows, that wavy blue, yellow, red, and green flag flying gallantly across the screen is gone forever.

Well, at least for Windows 8.

What? It’s not a flag? Of course, of course – it’s multi-colored windows.

And that’s the confusion that Microsoft has addressed with their logo redesign. “It’s a window…not a flag,” they say in a blog post.

We have said that Windows 8 is a complete reimagination of the Windows operating system. Nothing has been left unexplored, including the Windows logo, to evaluate how it held up to modern PC sensibilities. The Windows logo is a strong and widely recognized mark but when we stepped back and analyzed it, we realized an evolution of our logo would better reflect our Metro style design principles and we also felt there was an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations.

And with the help of Pentagram design consultants, the new, simple, almost sterile Windows 8 logo was born. For the first time in 20 years, the Windows logo goes monochromatic.

If anything, the logo that Windows 8 most closely resembles is Windows 1.0. See?

So Microsoft really went back to their roots with this one. A true “window.” Although the logo is monochromatic, each user will be able change it to other colors (all red, or all green per say) –

Our final goal was for the new logo to be humble, yet confident. Welcoming you in with a slight tilt in perspective and when you change your color, the logo changes to reflect you. It is a “Personal” Computer after all.

What do you think? Microsoft is giving up a hugely recognizable design here. Will it pay off? Will this new logo help Microsoft usher Windows into a new era? Let us know in the comments.