Microsoft employees started throwing their own individual Windows 7 launch parties tonight. On one side of Lake Washington, a general manager had a comedy night at Parlor at Lincoln Square for 200 of her friends, coworkers and board buddies from a nonprofit. And on the other side of the lake, a program manager threw a party at Lucid Lounge in the U. District with a DJ and a band.

Lucky for Microsoft, neither of the parties looked like this:

That was the cringe-inducing video created by House Party, the company Microsoft hired to recruit people to throw Tupperware-like parties at their homes promoting Windows 7. People who signed up received a party pack including a free edition of Windows 7, a poster and some other party favors, like gift bags and playing cards.

Employees were also invited to host their own parties. Here are photos of the party at Parlor, thrown by Dana Manciagli, a general manager for the Original Equipment Manufacturers group.
She used the event to raise money for Junior Achievement, a nonprofit that teaches kids how to manage money. Parlor donated the space, comedian Justin Ripple donated his time and Microsoft supplied the gift bags. The comedian went on, then Manciagli put together a demo of Windows 7 features.

"All my friends don't fit in my living room," Manciagli said.

Adib Kadir, a program manager for Microsoft AdCenter, sent out a Facebook event invitation to all the Seattle friends in his network. A friend from the University of Washington responded with "nerrrrrrrrd" on his wall.

Undeterred, Kadir got Lucid to host the event and to book a band. "Most of us are used to Jamie Foxx after parties and Jay Z pre-funk," he said. "This allows those of us who are enthusiastic about Microsoft to share it. I think it's genius."

When I left Kadir, he was streaming Blackstreet and Wale through the bar's sound system and waiting for his friends to show up. If he sends me any photos of the event, I will post them here.

As the above how-to video says, "In a lot of ways, you're just throwing a party with Windows 7 as an honored guest. Sounds easy. And it is."

(Photo: Microsoft)