Posted on 04/19/2007 1:00:32 PM PDT by JohnSheppard
Dell today revealed that it will restore the option to use Windows XP on some of its home systems, marking a potentially damaging blow to Microsoft's hopes for the newer Windows Vista. The Dimension E520 and E521 as well as virtually all of the company's Inspiron notebooks can immediately be custom-ordered with XP in Home or Professional editions, giving cautious buyers the opportunity to use the earlier OS. The change in policy was the result of user feedback, Dell claims.
While a popular request through the company's IdeaStorm website, the choice was substantially outnumbered by requests for pre-installed Linux, US-based technical support, and other features -- pointing to a larger general demand for the change. The turnaround may be a reflection of an overall backlash against Vista, observed IDC analyst Richard Shim.
"That there is remaining demand from some segment of consumer market points to the inability of Vista to resonate with consumers," he said. The researcher noted that the sales spike for Vista may have been buyers waiting to buy their normal PC upgrades rather than a genuine climb in interest.
Microsoft itself has pushed for a hasty end to the 2001 operating system and earlier hinted it would discontinue XP for pre-assembled systems by next year.
(Excerpt) Read more at electronista.com ...
Ok, and MS refusing to support XP affects this news how, exactly? MS will ship/sell XP to OEMs, but pretend it doesn’t exist?
If a friend of mine is at all typical, then this was a good choice by Dell. My friend, advice to the contrary not withstanding, bought a new machine from Dell with Vista installed just as soon as it came out. He’s been pulling his hair out ever since. The box is a lemon.
I have no idea what they'll do with security updates, though.
They're getting into serious IBM mode. IBM continued to act like they were a monopoly even after the PC market became wide open. MS is acting like there aren't other OS operating choices. They'll pay for it, eventually, and apparently are already with Vista.
MS doesn’t support OEM Windows anyhow. The OEMs do.
I think I saw a thread just yesterday regarding XP, and how MS is backing-away from it . . . I’m simply remarking that one cannot back away from something and continue to ship it (or so I thought).
Sorry, I wasn’t trying to prove you wrong :-)
MS has to give the OEMs a drop dead date. Although I am surprised Dell has done this. I don’t think this has happened before.
If Vista is as bad as this article is claiming then I would think the OEMs would be eager to sell beefier hardware rather than backing out of it.
I run it as test on several machines and think it’s great. My main boxes are still XP or W2K3 but that’s because I’m lazy.
pimg
People are tired of buying a machine from Dell only to have Dell tell them they should buy more hardware to run the OS on the machine they just bought. It’s the market.
That thread from yesterday was an eye-opener. I’ll see if I can find it.
MS has officially announced that they will no longer allow PC makers to “sell” an OEM license for XP as of January of 2008. They will allow them to sell a special Vista license that includes “downgrade” rights to load and use XP. Vendors like Dell will collect the money for Vista (which is a little bit higher than, say, XP Home) but install XP. They will include the installation disk(s) for the OEM version of Vista that the customer has paid for. That “downgrade” right will no longer be available in 2010. Rumor has it that MS is also withdrawing free support for XP as of the end of 2009. You’ll still be able to get patches, but no tech support without paying for it.
Our company has secured a one year extension on buying machines loaded with Vista. We just don’t need the hassle right now with several other projects ongoing.
Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Windows XP
by Bill Landner
In what appears to be a last ditch effort to sell more of it’s newest operating system (OS), Microsoft has notified computer manufacturers that by the start of 2008, they will no longer be allowed to ship PCs loaded with Windows XP.
“The OEM version of XP Professional goes next January,” said Frank Luburic, senior ThinkPad product manager for Lenovo. “At that point, they’ll have no choice.”
“Dell recognizes the needs of small business customers and understands that more time is needed to transition to a new operating system,” Dell said on its Direct2Dellblog. Dell plans to continue offering Windows XP on select Dimension and Inspiron systems until later this summer.
The extremely rigorous hardware requirements coupled with a major lack of compatible drivers and programs for Windows Vista has left a lot of people leary of Vista, preferring to purchase PCs loaded with Windows XP.
Microsoft’s “mainstream” support for Windows XP Professional under their SupportLifecycle Policy ends on 04/14/09. No updates will be issued after that date unless you pay for “extended support” which is available until 04/08/14.
As with the release of previous Microsoft operating systems, soon you’ll be stuck with Windows Vista whether you want it or not. Unless of course, someone brings another lawsuit against Microsoft — or you go with a Mac.
Link to above article (actually his name is Bill Lindner):
PING!
The Linux fans here create threads claiming Microsoft has stopped supporting things all the time. Fact is security patches will be provided for Windows 2000 till 2010 and for XP till 2014 which is all you really need to keep running.
I hope you’re right. I’ve got XP.
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