Vista: 40 Million Sold

[ronjor]

-{ Quote: "Bill Gates has a real knack for delivering big news in a small way. The Microsoft Chairman could have been ordering hamburgers when telling the WinHEC audience the company had sold close to 40-million copies of Vista." }-Story (http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/vista/vista_40_million_sold.html)

[coolbluewater]

Sheep. ;D

Gates didn't bother to say how many went back to XP, or abandoned the Windows platform entirely.

[EASTER.2010]

-{ Quote: "Sheep. ;D

Gates didn't bother to say how many went back to XP, or abandoned the Windows platform entirely." }-

I'd like to read the figures of the returns from that number. LoL

[wilbertnl]

From the article:

"'Sold' does not equal 'deployed,'" said Al Gillen, IDC's research vice president of system software. "If you went out and tried to find the portion of that 40 million that went into businesses, you will find a lot of the machines have been downgraded to Windows XP, which is perfectly legit."

[TonyW]

I'm not one of the 40m. Still with XP.

[Pedro]

-{ Quote: "From the article:

"'Sold' does not equal 'deployed,'" said Al Gillen, IDC's research vice president of system software. "If you went out and tried to find the portion of that 40 million that went into businesses, you will find a lot of the machines have been downgraded to Windows XP, which is perfectly legit."" }-
I've come to realize with our discussions, that probably the consumer isn't informed that a choice can be made not to buy a computer with Vista.

But then, he has to have a full copy of XP to use on another pc, since XP OEM rental isn't the full product.

-{ Quote: "Daoud said that there were "60 million PCs sold worldwide during the first calendar quarter, of which a good 40 percent [went] to consumers (almost all Vista); 25 percent SMB (of which about 60 percent of it went to Vista if you assume small businesses are consumerlike buyers); and 35 percent spread among large accounts and public sector."" }-
This is where the deals are made, with the manufacturers. That and advertising of course. The heart of Microsoft's earnings?

[Chuck57]

Being the new thing a lot of people I know around here went to Vista. It surprises me that quite a few of them thought they had to. Believe it or not, when I told some that I was sticking with XP Pro, I was asked, Didn't your computer stop working?

I also know that a lot have dumped Vista and gone back to XP, because I know the guy who runs the computer repair shop in the next town. He's said that he's had a very good couple of months financially, removing Vista and putting XP back on computers.

[EASTER.2010]

-{ Quote: "I also know that a lot have dumped Vista and gone back to XP, because I know the guy who runs the computer repair shop in the next town. He's said that he's had a very good couple of months financially, removing Vista and putting XP back on computers." }-

That's exactly whats happened in my area and it's no surprise. I been asked i don't know how many times by folks who recently bought a PC with Vista if i would please remove it for them and reinstall their XP instead. They absolutely detest it and i seen why. I don't want to rattle too many pleased customers/users of Vista but IMO it's a raw deal all the way around.
Heck, even my town's public library declined upgrading to it and likewise theres a PC Shop near me that does a huge business and they won't even support it. They are more than obliged to remove it for XP or another but they flat out refuse to service Vista equipped PC's and that blew me away.

[mata7]

well am one of the happy 40m hows run vista ultimate and home premium Whit out problem

[tansu]

And I am one of who get an ultimate and threw it away, then went with Ubuntu :)
But I believe there will be something to make me get back to Vista, someday... maybe :)

[lucas1985]

40 millon licenses sold doesn't mean 40 millon Vista installs.
On the other hand, almost all licenses are bought by OEMs/SIs. The number of licenses sold in retail is far lower.
Also, a good number of business are buying licenses but they're not deploying them.

[EASTER.2010]

To be fair with Microsoft, Vista IS NOT their best effort to-date, i'm of the belief and quite convinced that they are not quite so reduced or limited in the innovation department when it comes to their operating systems, only just that Vista is their latest quick-fix answer to fashioning a more attractive & useful system plus they been overdue for some serious new PR to stir the pot so-to-speak untill they finally gather themselves enough to really ring some bells globally.

I will always take exception to their neglect of 98/Me for not returning to them at least once more just for the simple fact it's always been within their ability to make waves with them again if they really wanted to. Can you imagine a "new" 98/Me that can compete on the order of XP and in some ways excell in a few areas above it? Well, that is always been my expectation, plus i am convinced even though their not, that such a move would reap huge benefits in profit revenue as well as redeem some reputation they passed on by turning away from them completely.

Microsoft? Are you listening? Of course not, Vienna is much too vital a project to even think of such nonsense, right?

[Rico]

Hi Guys,

Major transitions usually have complications associated with any introduction, users are comfortable used to there current applications. Folks were/are very used to XP & transitioning to Vista is quite the undertaking. In Micorsofts case ironing out the glitches & hiccups, rapidly is of vital importance. Should the fixes be late in coming, more individual will migrate back-wards. Forward migration to Vista, is where the money is. Microsoft realizes that each backward migration hurts the bottom line. You can rest assured that, Micorsoft will work very hard, to insure the average user, has positive things to say about the new OS. Keep in mind, that with progress, things in general become more complicated, the more complicated a system becomes, you introduce many new ways that the system can fail. Eventually complicated systems, with refinements, become reliable, this will occur with Vista. If I remember correctly, some Windows98 apps did not transition well, to XP. But nowadays I think anyone would be hard pressed to think of something XP can't do & 98 can. The computing community realized XP, is the dominant player & adapted there applications to the new platform, they moved forward progress was made. Eventually Vista will be as ubiquitous, as XP is now. I'll also wager that many folks, who uinstalled Vista, had or were borderline hardware requirements, making the Vista experience not as enjoyable, as there old pal XP was. Look at the correlation between software & hardware: DOS ran nicely with 1 mb of mem, but then DOS really did not have that many lines of code, compared with Windows. What we have is sort of is the chicken or the egg which came first. The more lines of code, requires larger HD's & more memory (my first HD was 80mb & apps like wordperfect) now were talking massive storage. This is progress. One last comment. Nostalgia has its place & will be always a niche player. I view DOS, WIN386, Windows98 etc. nostalgically, as I remember my trials & tribulations with each. I do not believe it would be wise business decision, to re-invent any of those products. Micosoft is no different than any other company, should they falter (not solve Vista transition problems etc) the competition will steam roll over them. As Always

Take Care
Rico

[EASTER.2010]

-{ Quote: " I do not believe it would be wise business decision, to re-invent any of those products. Micosoft is no different than any other company, should they falter (not solve Vista transition problems etc) the competition will steam roll over them. As Always" }-

My view obviously differs greatly in that logic. And because of either their deliberate failure or neglect, or whatever you want to call it, that's precisely why the Competition "IS" already steam-rolled them, come Unbuntu, Linux, Apple Mac etc.
I view $M's lack of rethinking again their position to revisit/readdress 98/Me O/S's as while not a fatal error, (YET), a very critical error in judgement in a business as well as reputation sense. This view of mine on this aspect of theirs should be considered as a defense in favor of Microsoft and not against them because it is. Take this plz as no indictment of $M for such a lack of vision for not reviewing the whole picture collectively but rather a reminder which should have been not only seriously considered but acted on with dispatch. Now that they've taken the route they've opted to follow their obligated now to follow thru with it come what may, Vista-Vienna and whatever else. IMHO and mind you i'm only a single opinion here, that decision is proving not exactly favorable for their future or reputation, at least in the eyes of a larger degree of the population although they still possess plenty enough clout to mount a big enough charge to not see any need to change that course, but i still can't help but feel that in the end they would have done themselves as a Tech Leader a great credit had they recovered 98/Me systems at least once more. I might be in a minority with this line of thinking and i'm not a businessman in the same sense they're accustomed to serving, it still behooves me to bring attention to it nonetheless, for whatever it's worth, now or in the future. Thats all i can offer in their defense at this point in time, and in addition i don't hold out any hope either that they will ever come to any other conclusions then what they've already decided on, but it's their own destiny as an industry to mark in history and not ours.

[Rico]

Good Morning Easter.2010,

Indeed M$ may fumble & fall from grace. Regarding 98 & Me, you obviously have a soft spot, or special fondness for these OS'es. I do believe Microsoft is unaware, that folks like you exist (wanting older OS, redo) in fact, I'll bet it's never made there radar. Given M$ unawareness, how much work would you be willing to do, to have this occur?

1. An internet petition, expressing a willingness to pay (upgrade price, for the new ME or 98) by 1 - 2 million end users, presented to M$, would get there attention.

2. Would M$ need to support the update, this would have to be factored, into the whole decision, & may tie up so much of M$ resources as to not be feasible.

3. Would new features be added to 98 & ME, at what point would 98 & ME become, not 98 & ME & morph into its own new product? Would the apps remain the same & or how would they change. Parameters for overhaul?

4. Would the rest of the software industry voluntarily support 98 & ME? M$ has a reputation of strong-arming, other vendors. M$ may anger, the computing world with strong-arm tactics. M$ is more image conscience nowadays, can't afford this tactic, for low profit potential, nostalgic OS

5. What may work is a license agreement, where M$ allows a 3rd party to re-invent the OS & pay a royalty on the sale to M$. M$ might be very happy with this sort of agreement, money for them & little work. But the problem becomes, who would step up & purchase the license to overhaul the nostalgic OS'es. Trust that M$ lawyers would put enough verbiage, so that the new OS, do not steal or are a major competition for Vista. The legalese would make a deal very tough to do.

6. A comprehensive plan presented to M$ is the best shot, to continued life of the older OS'es. Most likely any non-focused request, will be viewed by M$, as stealing desperately needed resources from Vista, Vista is in the fight of its life for acceptance by the computing world.

7. It can be done! Does anyone want to do the work, to come with 98 third edition, or ME2?

Take Care
Rico

Easter - Your last quote from me 'Take Care' should have been included, with 'As Always'. My meaning was 'As Always Take Care."

[coolbluewater]

I think M$ wouldn't want to see 98/Me raised from the dead simply because it would eat away at Vista sales, not to mention sales of hardware and software vendors. Older hardware and software isn't compatible with Vista, and that just drives the demand for new hardware and software, like it or not. It's the classic game of one hand washing the other. Personally, I don't like it, as it is just planned obsolescence IMO.
Microsoft knows full well there are disgruntled end-users running W9.x/Me who don't feel the need to dish out $ for new hardware or an OS; they just want updates.
Call me nostalgic, but I wish it was c. 1997 again, with so many choices to be had before the mergers and dot.com bust (except for the gaming aspect, of course). :)
Nowadays, my only personal use for M$ is XP on one box running games - everything else I do is with Linux or BSD.