Windows 7
Microsoft is releasing a beta version of Windows 7 for public download today, but this post isn’t about that. This post is about what Microsoft needs to do when Windows 7 is officially launched.
It is no secret that Vista was a failure. Businesses have held off on installing Vista, so much that the big PC manufacturers have gotten Microsoft to extend the life of XP several times. Consumers, many of whom only got Vista because it was preinstalled on their new PCs, have been unhappy with Vista’s performance. It has turned me off of Windows so much that my next desktop computer will be an iMac, and I already have a MacBook. Microsoft needs to do something to please the customers or many more will jump ship.
Since Microsoft has said that Windows 7 will fix all the complaints with Vista, Windows 7 should be an extremely cheap (less than $100), if not free, upgrade for Vista users. Really, when you see how terrible of an OS Vista is compared to XP, Microsoft should look at all Vista users as beta-testers for Windows 7, because essentially, Vista was no better than a beta product. So, when Microsoft releases the “best version of Windows ever” (which they also said about Vista), they need to hand it out as a free upgrade to all Vista users. If they don’t do something to save the public image of Windows, they are going to create many more Mac users.
I can vouch when I say these 2 things. Most people hated/hate windows vista and most people won’t pay for an OS upgrade. Back when I worked at CompUSA (R.I.P) I dealt with the “transition” from XP to Vista. Nobody BOUGHT upgrades, they were forced into it when they bought their computer. We almost instantly sold out of copies of XP. Microsoft is on rocky ground and needs to step lightly.
I, personally, have had very few problems with vista, and for the most part have been very happy. My problems have all originated with me switching to 64 bit.