There are a couple things to consider. Arguably, Vista is better then its predecessors....... But, it is, what(?), 2 to 3 years behind schedule. So far in fact that Win ME was released as a stop-gap between 2K and Vista. Many say, just to keep MS in the publics eye. Whether you like MS\Bill Gates or not, you must admit when it comes to $$$$$$$ they are not stupid. My bet is that in the dark deep recesses of some basement a bunch of programmers are already hard at work on a Vista replacement. My hope is (won`t happen) that they strip all the old worthless code out of the current OS (have heard several 100 Mbs if not more was left behind from as far back as Win 95). Maybe add some eye candy for the general public and return to a more 2K type OS. How often an OS is released is not just based on if one is needed or not........it has a lot to do with need\demand of keeping in the eye and mind of the Public. Satisfying their want to feel like they are on the cutting edge. That is demonstrated on this Board all the time by people clamoring for the latest releases of the software regularly discussed....even if it is not ready yet. Just my .02. But I`m sticking to it. Windows will be an ever evolving thing. If for no other reason then the money.
I think it'll be short live like WinME. It's just a stepping stone to what they envision, which came short with Vista. I'd say a max of two years ... outside chance for three ... but no more.
Lacking any punctuation at the end of your sentence, I`m curious whether it is a statment of basic agreement or a question.
Windows Vienna, previously known as Blackcomb, is the codename for the next version of Windows after Vista. It could be released anytime between 2009 and 2012.
The problem is that with their OS monopoly don't have to hurry, it is too difficult for people to switch to another brand OS. Of course there are other OS-es and most of them are better, but it is not like buying a television set or a DVD.. And just take another OS of the shelf. Very sad.. That is the brake on the innovation ... If you compare it with other kind of software, companies are working very hard to offer new features and improvements, if they don't the compatition will kill them. That is the only reason why XP is still here after 6 years !!!! and vista is still a Beta product. But you can read the question in two ways. You can also read How long will vista stay a beta? i don't know a whole generation of kids has seen nothing else as this being a beta.
Vista is a very resource hogging OS, so I think the sales are going to decrease. For Microsoft the best ever Windows version is XP (sales) and the reason of those annoying service packages that have mantained XP for 6 years.
Has anybody heard the one about a release of Windows 98.6? It's been said they were saving that one as an update for 98 but instead was passed over for Me.
I am likely to wait one to one and a half years before going to it after it's public release date. XP will do fine until then.
With increasingly faster internet connections becoming available, I don't think it will be too long before homes start having 'servers' installed. I know in the UK Ntl are testing extremely fast broadband T1 speeds I think. With this in mind, the next generation, or perhaps the one after that, will need to provide many services for the end user. At the moment XP does a fair job, it looks fairly 'pretty', and is resonably easy to use for the 'average' user. The next leap is to enable the home system to provide all forms of media, and data storage available - video, music, video phone (the list goes on). While this is certainly governed by the abilities of the hardware, the OS needs to 'cope' with this too. Windows does have limitations in this area, and is still unable to rival now almost defunct OS's like RISCOS - which was able to utilize several video media 'windows' at once back in the early '90s, without noticable slow-down. The great advantage of Windows is the availability and choice of software, which the user can choose. I must admit XP is alot more stable than 9x OS's , a result of the use of the windows NT architecture, but the BSOD does still occur. This is something which never happened to me using the RISCOS system, which was a true 32bit OS - and well ahead of its time. However that is the past, looking to the future M$ most certainly know the direction they wish to travel, and with the introduction of DRM they are aware that the internet will be used increasingly for streaming media into homes. It seems Vista is stepping up the security side too, and with PC being used to store sensitive data, this is an a sensible avenue to travel down. With regard to the idea of home servers, I think Linux may have the advantage here - yes M$ have Windows server, but the beauty of Linux based system (as I understand it) is their wide use on the internet in this capacity. I've recently looked in Ubuntu - which certainly looks great, and am hoping to trial it on a box soon. So M$ direction will be, IMO, towards supplying users with their own 'server' perhaps with a home networking using WIFI, or similar connection to the 'server'. The consequence for the end user is cost, both with regard to hardware, and OS licences - I'm sure M$ is rubbing their hands if this comes to fruition, as will the hardware suppliers. The 'look' of windows will stay pretty constant, users are comfortable with it, and with comfort and familiarity comes a certain amount of 'trust'. Indeed with society increasingly relying on computers, the outlook for OS suppliers is good, and I can possibly envisage Linux based system becoming commercially available - especially if more users continue to convert from Windows, but that is supposition - but certainly not impossible. The Western world is governed by capitalism at the moment, and people are greedy so maybe the temptation will be too much......
