A reality check for Vista (Microsoft's New OS)

CNN.COM ^ | 9-8-06 | Owen Thomas

[Hydroshock]

SAN FRANCISCO (Business 2.0 Magazine) -- Judging by the grief that Microsoft is getting over delays in the release of Windows Vista, and the buzz surrounding the price it plans to charge for the next generation operating system, you'd think we were all hankering to get our hands on this hot new piece of software.

Don't believe the hype: There won't be lines around the block at midnight when Vista hits store shelves early next year, analysts say.

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"I don't expect anyone's going to be camping out at Best Buy waiting for this product," says Citigroup equity research analyst Brent Thill. "I think the pace of adoption will be slower than the market expects."

They can get it for you wholesale

Microsoft (Charts) gets more than 80 percent of its $13 billion in annual Windows revenue from PC makers, who install the operating system on new PCs. The cost of Windows - estimated at around $70 - is included in the price we pay when we buy a new PC. The proportion of people who buy copies of Windows at retail to install on their PCs is vanishingly small.

And the version of Windows that those retail customers have on their PC hardly figures into the equation. By and large, we buy a new PC when we need another one.

[dubie]

It sucks and I hate Vista. I installed RC1 yesterday and only used it for all buy 20 minutes and knew I would never use it. YUCK!!!

[Hydroshock]

Linux the ultimate windows service pack!!!!!!!!!!!

[stainlessbanner]

ping

[tubebender]

Vista ping...

[Jake The Goose]

Resistence is futile - you will be assimilated.

Vista will rule - every time Microsoft goes through a major platform upgrade - it takes the world at least 18 months to get on board.

Next year Microsofts sales numbers will be down as the world hesitates in order not to be first on the block to take the plunge.

VISTA will ultimately not be an option for most - new applications will require it.

This process takes a long time in our 3 minute society.

[Hydroshock]

Not if you use linux!!!!!!

[Jake The Goose]

Ahh - the voice of a true techo.

You are correct - you are also many many miles ahead of 98% of all computer users.

I bow to your superior knowledge.

[Obadiah]

Yes, I agree with your thoughts. However, I think the author is pointing out that completely unlike, Windows 95?, where people literally were camping out at Best Buy at midnight waiting to get their hands on a copy, Vista will be far, far different. Even in my own case, I have been strongly considering going over to the dark side, and buying one of the lefty's favorite chic toys, an Apple G5.

[Jake The Goose]

That's interesting - I am having the same thoughts about moving to Apple.

I was a MacIntosh user (and loved it) way back in the late 80's - and somehow the world of business standards pushed me onto the PC - ..

I'm with you - let's go to Apple - why not - most business applications are now compatible.

Maybe a little more research is in order.

[Element187]

nice to see you realizing the truth.... M$ is no match for the superior security, stability and performance that linux offers.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I'm slowly making the transition over to the Mac. I use Windows XP mostly as a gaming platform now - and at the office - but I'm doing my best to gravitate away from Windows-specific software even there. By this time next year I expect to be living a Windows-free life. ;)

[laotzu]

it takes the world at least 18 months to get on board

Assume MS to stop supporting XP in the 17th month.

[Jake The Goose]

I think you are now my role model.

[The Great RJ]

Businesses and individuals who have just grown accustomed to Windows XP will not be standing in line to buy a whole new operating system with unknown problems. Look at the history of XP and the major service packs needed to fix a host of initial flaws. Gates and company would do far better to definitively fix XP before moving to another OS product.

[Obadiah]

Yep, the business end pushed me into PCs. I also like gaming, so Mac was still a non-starter. However, what has really turned the corner for me is that Macs have vast superiority in video editing, which is important to me. And, while I believe more games will be coded for Macs in the near future, there is now a very good program out that will allow a Mac to run Windows and OSX simultaneously (Apple's program allows you to run either, or, but not both side by side.) So the gaming thing should not be an issue and I can stick with MS Office if I want to.

[ricer1]

I installed Linux (FC5) about a month ago... (previously used FC3 and before that FC1). It's been a sweet experience. I only use $windles when at work where it's the default (sub)standard.

[Tree of Liberty]

Linux still has a LOT of GUI-fication to do to be anywhere close to user-friendly. I installed Ubuntu on a spare system the other day (a simple enough process), but I'm trying to get Squid to run as a transparent proxy for my home network, and I feel like dropping the box from the Sears Tower.

IMO, first, there needs to be a simple install prodedure for everything (Synaptic is a nice front end for apt-get, but there was no immediate clue as to what it did), and second, there needs to be a simple "click here, here, and here to set up the program to do x", like in the MS world.

Telling someone to compile the source, then edit some conf file isn't going to cut it.

[VRWCtaz]

Seeing as you've brought up Apple, my wife brought home a G3 yesterday that they were getting rid of at her office. I have never even as much as touched any of Steve's colorful prodigy, yet I've been playing with PCs since my first 486SX25. (My next project is a home network.) Do you have a suggestion as to a tutorial site that will help bring me up to speed on what I need to know in order to mess around with this thing. It sure is pretty with its blue and white translucent case.

[Tree of Liberty]

You're speaking of "Boot Camp", right? Also, in case you weren't aware, there are very strong rumors that VMware is making an OS X version of their software, so you won't even have to reboot to start a windows session.