Posted on 06/01/2009 10:14:20 AM PDT by JoeProBono
According to NetApplications, Windows XP is still the OS of choice for users out there in ComputerLand, with some two-thirds of users still making use of the aging OS. By comparison, Vista is struggling to capture a quarter of the market share. Vista’s “WOW!” failed to capture the attention of users, as many chose to stick with their older OS.
If you are an XP user, has what you’ve seen of Windows 7 made you willing to ditch XP?
The way I see it, Microsoft needs to be putting effort into marketing Windows 7 to those currently using XP. After all, those already using Vista have shown a willingness to switch OSes already, and moving from Vista to 7 isn’t that much of a leap. It’s those entrenched XP users that present a problem for Microsoft. These people, for whatever reason, turned their backs on Vista, and it’s these people that Microsoft needs to win back.
But it’s not going to be easy.
While Microsoft tried to convince people that Vista wasn’t really as bad as they thought it was by resorting to a web ad campaign that was thinly disguised as an “experiment”, those still using XP weren’t buying it. In fact it wasn’t until Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunter” ad campaign that the Redmond giant started seeing its ad dollars really having an effect. Problem for Microsoft is that these ads spend their time selling Windows-based PCs rather than Windows itself. It seems that Microsoft knows that selling Windows is an uphill struggle.
Another problem for Microsoft is that there’s no easy upgrade path for XP users wanting to move to Windows 7. While I usually hate doing in-place upgrades on an OS (that’s where you apply the OS over the top of the existing one and keep all your old settings and programs) because it leads to more problems than it solves, I know that there are a lot of people out there who like this method because it saves them a lot of time and effort. You can’t do this going from XP to 7. You can use Windows Easy Transfer to move your stuff (data, not apps), which is probably the safest method, but it’s a multi-step hassle that many won’t bother with.
As I see it there’s another obstacle in the way of XP users adopting 7, and that is the fact that if you peel away the Windows 7 veneer, what you end up with resembles Vista. A lot. Sure, it’s Vista SP2, and not the poor quality RTM code that Microsoft shoveled into user’s faces, but it’s still Vista. There may be fewer comparability roadblocks than there was for those who tried moving from XP to Vista, but users going from XP to Windows 7 are still going to stumble across roadblocks. XP Mode will help, but ultimately it’s a kludge. A kludge that’s only available to people who buy the most expensive versions of Windows 7.
It’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft tries to win over the entrenched XP user. Microsoft may decide to throw ad dollars at the problem. Alternatively, Microsoft might stick with the current “Laptop Hunter” style ads and rely on user’s PC growing obsolete over time.
Nah....ditched XP for a Mac last year.
Why do I want to pay bucks JUST to change my operating system if my current operating system does what I want it to do?
Win98 still running strong!! LOL
For your tech PING list.
My main computer is still XP, and will stay that way for some time.
Vista simply does not run some of my older apps like MS Money 2002 Deluze, even though supposedly it can run in Win95/98 mode.
Baloney!
I have Vista x64 SP2 and it hasn’t been too much of an issue. The only issues I have had are with IE7 and IE8.
Easy answer. No.
heh heh
7 does look to be significantly improved, some even saying it runs as fast as XP.
The release candidate is free to download and use for a year, and I am considering doing so. Just worried about screwing up the computer with Vista on it (wife’s...).
Never buy a MS OS until the 3rd SP.
Thinking about it. Haven’t tested the RC on any of my systems yet to make a decision. I’ve been scared to.
And I’m not spending any money on it until I can test it. Made that mistake with Vista.
please add me to your techie ping list.. ? thank you!
If you are an XP user, has what you’ve seen of Windows 7 made you willing to ditch XP?
XP with SP 3 is the best system out there...I manage a LOT of computers...no problems...why fix it if it ain’t broken?
I have been running the Windows 7 RC since it was released and it is ok but it does not feel like home. I like XP better. 7 has a couple neet things but im not overly impressed as of yet.
I’m ready to ditch my ONE Vista box for Win 7, but all my XP boxes will remain XP boxes.
No. Windows 7 has DRM stuff that I won’t pay money for.
I’ll wait to hear how it goes — for six months or so.
I have heard some complaints...
Since 7 has a cumbersome upgrade from XP, does that also mean that the programs on XP will have difficulty running on 7?
Upgrading for the sake of upgrading just doesn’t appeal to me. And what I’ve read about 7, it doesn’t offer anything new and WOW! that I can’t live without.
I cringe at the thought of trying to get all my programs to work, if I migrate to 7.
I will predict that half of the public will be with XP through 2016...and there will still be 25 percent of the public with XP through 2020. I see no reason to advance...XP has everything I want and it functions perfectly.
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