Microsoft's plan to phase out OEM shipments of Windows XP, the predecessor to the new Windows Vista platform, is not sitting well with some observers, based on Internet-driven feedback.

 

 

 

According to a Microsoft Life-Cycle Policy Web page, Microsoft plans to discontinue shipments of Windows XP to OEMs on January 31, 2008. The page also said retail licenses will be discontinued at that time. Editions affected include the Professional, Tablet PC, Professional x64, Home, and Media Center editions of XP.

 

 

 

Chatters on Silicon Valley.com cited issues with the suitability of Vista on existing machines and said they might just go to Linux instead.

 

 

 

"If Microsoft forces us to make a choice of Vista or Linux, they might just be unpleasantly surprised as to the choice many of us will make," one chatter wrote. "I am telling anyone who has not yet upgraded from Win 9x to XP that they had better do it right away because Vista will never run on their Win 98-era machine. If they don't upgrade to XP right away, they will have to switch to Linux. The only alternative to that is to throw away their computer and buy a brand new one!"

 

 

 

Another chatter said it was "time for enterprises to stock up on shrink-wrapped copies of XP Pro."

 

 

 

A chatter on the Direct2Dell site expressed similar reservations.

 

 

 

"I don't care how much you've tested your systems with Vista, it simply will not be enough," the chatter said "In the corporate world, there are countless applications that are going to fail miserably with Vista in offices that are standardized on XP Pro."

 

 

 

Dell on Direct2Dell said it plans to continue offering XP for now. "Dell recognizes the needs of small business customers and understands that more time is needed to transition to a new operating system. The plan is to continue offering Windows XP on select Dimension and Inspiron systems until later this summer," the company said.

 

 

 

In a statement, Microsoft acknowledged its Vista emphasis.

 

 

 

"Windows Vista is safer, easier to use, better connected, and more entertaining that any operating system we've ever released, and we're encouraged by the positive customer response we've seen to date," the company said in a statement.

 

 

 

"It's standard practice to allow OEMs, retailers, and system builders to continue offering the previous version of Windows for a certain period of time after a new version is released, and this information as it applies to Windows XP has been available to our partners and to the public," since last year, the company said.

 

 

 

Microsoft has reported that more than 20 million copies of Vista shipped from January 30 to February 28, the first month of general availability. A Harris survey of home-based users in March, however, found that only 12 percent of the 2,223 respondents planned to upgrade.

 

 

 

There are pluses and minuses to upgrading, according to analyst Michael Cherry, of Directions on Microsoft. Security features, such as BitLocker Drive Encryption, are driving upgrades, he said. However, hardware issues have been a problem, Cherry said.

 

 

 

"The major factor I think that's putting a damper on it is people being uncomfortable with what the hardware requirements are," said Cherry. Questions have arisen about configuration matters such as the circuitry of graphics cards, he said. Lawsuits have even arisen about what it means to be Vista-capable, Cherry added.

 

 

 

Although Cherry said he did not have specific estimates on Vista shipments, he said Vista appears to have not affected PC sales rates, either upward or downward.

 

 

 

Vista shipments have been about as expected, said analyst Brett Waldman of IDC, who also acknowledged equipment issues with the new platform. Shipment levels so far are similar to what XP presented, he said.

 

 

 

To run Vista's Aero interfaces requires an advanced graphics card, Waldman said. A lot of low-end PCs do not have that, he said. Otherwise, upgrading a PC to 1GB of memory should make it Vista-capable, said Waldman.

 

 

 

Microsoft's decision to cancel XP shipments was "what we expect," Waldman said. Business customers, however, are putting Vista upgrades on hold.

 

 

 

"They're waiting 12 to 18 months to evaluate it," said Waldman.

 

 

 

The upcoming Windows Server Longhorn platform, meanwhile, is looking good, Cherry said. "It's very stable," he said.

 

 

 

Whoa, A pretty big step huh? Post thoughts and comments.

 

 

 

I got this from

 

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070 ... ogyI76VbIF

 

 

 

Whatcha think? I personaly think Microsoft is going to have problems.

I'm fine with XP on my computer :\

I know, me too. And most people dont have computers that can support Vista. Im sure I dont..

Remember, investing in Microsoft is a BAD idea.

 

 

 

That advice holds true even today. :lol:

I'm staying with Xp.

^^ Same here, but i might buy a new computer with Vista after I get a little more info about that new edition...

I don't have any need for Vista, at the moment.

 

 

 

But, man, that was quick wasn't it? I mean, Windows 2000 being discontinued wasn't THAT long ago, was it? Certainly not this quick after XP?

Yep ^^ Microsoft might get into a big situation. .. .. They're asking for it.

Yep ^^ Microsoft might get into a big situation. .. .. They're asking for it.

 

 

 

They're going to kill their stock too if you ask me. They think this corporate move will sell more Vista, but I'd bet it's not.

Dell is/was still actually selling XP on computers because of problems with Vista. I guess they probably stopped as soon as the announcement came out.

Talking about Xp, has anyone else got that update recently about the test to see whether you had the genuine copy of Windows or not? Maybe that had something to do with it.. :P

Dell is/was still actually selling XP on computers because of problems with Vista. I guess they probably stopped as soon as the announcement came out.

 

 

 

Too bad too, because that was a smart move on Dell's part.

Genuine Advantage? Been floating around for awhile. Testing to see if it's real or not my arse. It's practically spyware.

To be honest, I got my XP a year ago and I prefer it to my friend's brand new Vista. They seem almost the same except that I'm used to the XP's interface. Ugh... Tornado sirens going off.

I <3 my XP

 

I don't want Vista... :(

I don't see the big deal. XP has had like a 6 year run, and as far as I know all this means is you won't get customer support for XP.

I don't see the big deal. XP has had like a 6 year run, and as far as I know all this means is you won't get customer support for XP.

 

 

 

But it's a move to sell Vista. And a lot of people still aren't going to switch, I've even heard companies who haven't switched. When they cut off support they are going to have so many angered customers.

 

 

 

I bet Apple is having a field day. I should've invested in Apple years ago. #-o

Moved to Tech & Computers

Of course Microsoft would make a move to sell Vista, why waste resources on what they deem to be an outdated OS? A year from now should be long enough to release a service pack or two and get the major bugs fixed that are getting Dell and other guys butthurt.

A stupid move on Microsoft's part if you ask me. Windows vista might be more secure and entertaining, but to shell out another 200-500 bucks just for some new operating system that isn't all that great? :anxious: :-k

 

 

 

Very odd. But I guess Bill Gates has enough dang money as it is to make a move like this. After all, it's his loss and not so much ours. As for me, I'll stick with Xp for another few years until I find it necessary to swap to Vista.

A stupid move on Microsoft's part if you ask me. Windows vista might be more secure and entertaining, but to shell out another 200-500 bucks just for some new operating system that isn't all that great? :anxious: :-k

 

 

 

Very odd. But I guess Bill Gates has enough dang money as it is to make a move like this. After all, it's his loss and not so much ours. As for me, I'll stick with Xp for another few years until I find it necessary to swap to Vista.

 

 

 

He's essentially putting money in his competitors hands, so many people are already switching to Macs.

A stupid move on Microsoft's part if you ask me. Windows vista might be more secure and entertaining, but to shell out another 200-500 bucks just for some new operating system that isn't all that great? :anxious: :-k

 

 

 

Very odd. But I guess Bill Gates has enough dang money as it is to make a move like this. After all, it's his loss and not so much ours. As for me, I'll stick with Xp for another few years until I find it necessary to swap to Vista.

 

 

 

He's essentially putting money in his competitors hands, so many people are already switching to Macs.

 

 

 

Another way to stop the monopoly on computers I suppose. Competition is great for us, this could be another step towards breaking the chain. Which I'm all for. :D

One of the companies my friend creates software for sent 20,000 Vista licences back and got a refund on them all and switch to Mac. If that doesn't tell you something, I dunno what would :uhh:

One of the companies my friend creates software for sent 20,000 Vista licences back and got a refund on them all and switch to Mac. If that doesn't tell you something, I dunno what would :uhh:

 

 

 

Yea, Microsoft is going to not only make Apple richer but some of their predominate shareholders, when this takes effect and Apple's stocks shoot up and Microsoft's shoot down.

Anyone bother to read the article?

 

 

 

They're planning on phasing out shipping new computers with a (by then) 6 year old operating system on them. Is this really an issue? New PCs built now are more than capable of running Vista, I doubt that any built a year from now will have much of a problem with it. And it's not like you can't put XP on them if you prefer.

 

 

 

What a storm in a teacup.