Microsoft Caves In To Windows Xp Demands

[Xaggeration]

Microsoft is extending the time it will allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retail outlets to sell PCs with Windows XP as customers continue to balk on upgrading to Windows Vista.

 

 

Microsoft had planned to stop selling XP through OEMs and retailers on January 31, 2008, while custom system builders have until January 31, 2009, to pre-install XP on machines. But because sales of Vista PCs have not been as strong as expected, OEMs and retailers have asked Microsoft to extend XP's availability. OEMs and retailers will now have until June 30, 2008, to sell PCs with Vista preinstalled on machines, Microsoft said. Retailers also can sell XP out of the box until that time if they choose, the company said.

 

"While we’ve been pleased with the positive response we’ve seen and heard from customers using Windows Vista, there are some customers who need a little more time to make the switch to Windows Vista," Microsoft said in a press statement.

 

Microsoft also is extending the life of Windows XP Starter Edition, the version of XP for emerging markets. The software will be available until June 30, 2010, so users in those markets can take advantage of low-cost, hardware-constrained PCs that Vista may not be compatible with. Vista requires hardware upgrades that most PCs running XP do not have.

 

Per Microsoft's policy as of 2002, a new Windows OS would stay on the market about four years after its original availability date. But XP was released on Oct. 25, 2001, more than five years before Vista limped out the door to consumers January 31, 2007, after several delays and a major code overhaul.

 

Microsoft had high expectations for customer adoption of Vista, and claimed the launch would be one of the most successful in Windows history. Unfortunately for the company, those predictions so far haven't panned out, and in July, Microsoft lowered its projections for customer adoption of Vista. The company had said the split between XP and Vista sales in its fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, would be 15 per cent to 85 percent; now the company is saying the split will be 22 per cent XP and 78 per cent Vista.

 

Source: Pc Advisor

[Guest Travis]

"While we’ve been pleased with the positive response we’ve seen and heard from customers using Windows Vista, there are some customers who need a little more time to make the switch to Windows Vista," Microsoft said in a press statement.

 

 

What a load of beaurocratic crap! What they are saying is they have had so many complaints that they don;t think it's wise to do away with XP yet. But they want you to know that there are some customers who like Vista. Microsoft

[cybergig]

Yes microsoft, I think Linux and Unix got more of an upstart while Microsoft lagged behind a little. I hear from many Internet users that I talk to which are current windows users that they would prefer to switch over to Linux, Macintosh or a BSD platform. I introduced quite a few to it myself, what I don't get is why people would stick with Microsoft when it has been proven they are are a bad company. Lets face it Windows came off a ripped mac, now Windows Vista is following the same pattern with the same features called different things. Windows XP is a good stable operating system which started with the NT platform... all of that was good but lets see, Microsoft predicted a good outcome for vista when all they did was redo XP a little with the look and style of the OS and put Macintosh features within it.

 

Microsoft made a big when they made vista.

[Jonny1]

I personally only know 2 people who use vista and they only use it because they got it with their computers. Although I'm not sure they would take a rollback now after using it for so long.

 

I would love to use Linux instead of windows, but theres a steep learning curve that I don't have time for at the minute and I know many others feel the same.

[The Gate Keeper]

well around here there are several using vista. I myself am using vista. I, however, am aware of the problems it can cause, and this is why i'm the only person in the household using vista. I have left all my other computers on windows xp system. I see where a lot of people are coming from. I personally haven't experienced too many issues. And the issues i have experienced, i've been able to resolve by simply using microsoft's help, or doing a google search for a similar problem, and basing my solution off theirs.

 

Though i am not really testing vista, i'm just using it. Larger corporations, and heavier users would use a lot more of the features then i do. But yea, i have no real complaints about vista. But i don't think xp should be taken off the shelf any time soon.

[Guest Travis]

Well we tried to buy XP from the microsoft store through a friend who works there last June and they told us they no longer sold XP there. Last month they showed up and said, "hey here you go! They sell em again!"

 

So what does that tell you?

 

MS will never admit Vista was a bad move. MS will never take it back. I just hope they smooth it out. As I said fromt he getgo, Im waiting for some of the service packs to roll through.

 

One thing though. I thought it was pretty slimey and tricksy making the sys requirements so high. Very tricksy indeed. I mean, if I had stock in hardware companies I d do the same thing I guess. Mo Money!!!!