Microsoft's future as an OS developer rides on Windows 7

[Daniel ~]

Written by Daniel
Monday, 02 November 2009 17:46
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Early users see promise in the energy-saving features and boot-up times of troubled Vista's successor.

Microsoft Corp.'s standing as an operating system developer is on the line with the launch of Windows 7, according to analysts and other experts. [Front page...]

[candle_86]

well we know 7 wont flop the thing is faster than XP with the features of Vista.

[danrok]

The fact that Windows gets bundled with so many new computers, pretty much ensures it can't fail.

Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. I'm glad I didn't waste money on Vista, which seems to me was only released to fund ongoing development of Windows 7, and to keep shareholders happy.

[Kaitain]

Originally Posted by danrok

The fact that Windows gets bundled with so many new computers, pretty much ensures it can't fail.

True only of home users.

Microsoft relies on business sales to ensure their market share and income. The problem is that for most business applications, Windows XP is good enough.

There doesn't seem to be any compelling reason for businesses to go through the upheaval of replacing their present set-up. A fair amount of specialist software that is difficult or expensive to replace (anything by Intergraph, for example), won't work well in Win7, and virtualisation doesn't sit well with more conservative IT departments (even if they have sufficiently new hardware to support it).

And without that business dollar, I think MS will have a hard time affording the production of the next Windows, and I don't see them being willing to leave it another 5 years for the OS market to crystallise around 7.

[candle_86]

well the bussiness world is moving to 7, many are already testing and some are moving over to it. Windows7 unlike Vista will run on older computers. IVe installed it on this P4 im stuck with for now, and it runs fine. Thats a P4 2.6 with 1gb of ram and it runs very fast and very stable. The only thing not working is the new Interface because of a Geforce4MX. This means though that computers from 2002 run Windows7 fine, and on overclock.net people have installed it on P3's with 512mb of ram and the OS still runs fine.

[danrok]

Originally Posted by Kaitain

True only of home users.

Microsoft relies on business sales to ensure their market share and income. The problem is that for most business applications, Windows XP is good enough.

There doesn't seem to be any compelling reason for businesses to go through the upheaval of replacing their present set-up. A fair amount of specialist software that is difficult or expensive to replace (anything by Intergraph, for example), won't work well in Win7, and virtualisation doesn't sit well with more conservative IT departments (even if they have sufficiently new hardware to support it).

And without that business dollar, I think MS will have a hard time affording the production of the next Windows, and I don't see them being willing to leave it another 5 years for the OS market to crystallise around 7.

I'm pretty sure most businesses will take the Windows 7 licence with new PCs, even if they're not planning to use Windows 7 now. Just because that is the cheapest way to buy it.

Buy a new PC now, and the Windows licence is perhaps just $10 or $20 of the price you pay.

[Kaitain]

Originally Posted by danrok

I'm pretty sure most businesses will take the Windows 7 licence with new PCs, even if they're not planning to use Windows 7 now. Just because that is the cheapest way to buy it.

Buy a new PC now, and the Windows licence is perhaps just $10 or $20 of the price you pay.

True, it's quite entertaining to see the new PCs dotted around the Client's offices with their Windows Vista licence badges displayed proudly, but running the corporate XP SP2 image.

For actually using the software, I think there'll be a lot of unused W7 licences sitting around for a very long time. None of the (horrifically expensive, specialist) software I use on a day to day basis loads even in Vista, nor is it likely to be updated anytime soon.

Until it's upgraded to require W7, our work machines will not be updated, as they're good enough, too.

I wonder whether MS will put up with another 5 year market penetration curve?

[Daniel ~]

I think we HAVE to look at open source and ask how far away they are from producing a free OS that can compete in a business environment head to head with the newest offering from MS...Or rather...MS has to ask her self it takes 5 years to produce their next OS...will Open Source be there waiting offering a free alternative?