Windows Vista is, if not a complete flop, still far from gaining mainstream popularity. Microsoft is admitting as much by announcing that they will continue to provide Windows XP media to vendors through July 31, 2009. This means that PC vendors will be able to offer the XP “downgrade” option on new equipment through that date.
Details can be found in this article.
Windows 7, the successor to Vista, is currently planned for release in the first quarter of 2010. The extension of the XP downgrade option will help to bridge the gap and possibly avoid Vista altogether.
I’ve always insisted that no one should be forced into the expense of a software upgrade unless improved features and functionality make it worth the cost. Vista fails that test. It was released because Microsoft’s budget cycle called for a Windows upgrade, and they expected their customers to snap it up just because it was new. When that didn’t work, they tried to force the issue by stopping sales of XP. Then XP users revolted.
All I can say right now is that Windows 7 had better be a worthwhile upgrade.