Microsoft Says Vista Is Fixed – Spends $300 M To Convince Us
Microsoft has another strategy to convince the public that Vista is now fixed and they want you to ‘look how far we’ve come’ campaign. Microsoft is going to try and convince the masses that Vista is great and better than the reputation that continues to haunt the operating system. Which may take some doing. On their website they state:
Windows Vista: Look how far we’ve come
When Windows Vista debuted in January 2007, we declared it the best operating system we had ever made. “Windows Vista is beautiful,” The New York Times raved. It’s humbling that millions of you agree.
But we know a few of you were disappointed by your early encounter. Printers didn’t work. Games felt sluggish. You told us—loudly at times—that the latest Windows wasn’t always living up to your high expectations for a Microsoft product.
Well, we’ve been taking notes and addressing issues.
So as we prepare to stop selling Windows XP on June 30, it felt like the right time to update you on our progress, highlighted by the recent release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
While we’re at it, we’d like to clear up some confusion and lingering misunderstandings about Windows Vista—and our plans for its predecessor, Windows XP.
Microsoft also has a 100 reasons why section that makes for interesting reading:
1. Windows Vista makes using your PC a breeze
Windows Vista features a breakthrough design and easy-to-use organizational tools that make it simpler to get things done and get on with life! Find what you need instantly, on your PC or on the web, with Instant Search. Bring more clarity to your tasks with the spectacular Windows Aero user experience and Windows Flip 3D,A allowing you to see everything you’re working on at a glance.
Plus 99 more.
But what is confusing is this. If Microsoft has really sold 180 million copies of Vista, why the panic mode? Now that XP is no longer being offered on new computers, won’t this automatically force everyone into using Vista?
Naturally we consumers look a Vista differently than do businesses. It appears it is the businesses that are reluctant to switch. That’s where the money is. 
What do you think? Comments as always are welcome.
8 Comments
George
July 22nd, 2008
at 9:09am
business’s should be reluctant to switch! My home computer uses vista, and it runs it great, and i dont have any problems. However, when i first got my laptop for work, it also had vista on it, vista business. And even though it said, “business” is did not have all the features that i needed that i had in regular windows xp even! also, it ran sluggishly on the laptop. Now, i have not used vista for my business laptop in a long time, maybe they’ve fixed some of these problems, but my boss had a bad experiance with vista also, and we’re a small business. i dont think hes going to make the switch any time soon.
Bobzilla
July 22nd, 2008
at 10:14am
We all know that the claim to 180 million copies of Vista sold is a marketing trick. Lots of OEM Vista boxes have been sold, and for the most part that’s how Vista has been sold. Microsoft knows that Linux is a powerful and stable OS, therefore is doing everything they can do to keep OEMs from offering Linux pre-installed. To answer your question: the panic mode is Linux. If the OEMs ever offer a complete line of Linux computers to compete with Windows on a level playing field, Microsoft’s road will become rough and rocky to say the least.
Eddie Cosma
July 22nd, 2008
at 10:46am
Why the panic? Because Apple just reported that Mac sales have increased 41% and that they sold more Macs in this quarter than any other to date.
People are seeing the light.
Ron Schenone
July 22nd, 2008
at 12:56pm
Thanks for the comments and for sharing your experiences and expertise.
Regards, Ron
Jon Chorney
July 23rd, 2008
at 8:14am
Having seen firsthand how many issues arose with both software and hardware in a business setting (I’m a SysAdmin) when Vista appeared, I believe that Vista is unlikely to achieve much willing acceptance in the business environment.
Dell, among others, offers the “downgrade” which gives you the disk and drivers for Vista while installing XP Pro on their business class computers. This will continue at least into January andvery possibly beyond. Decison makers, like me will wait to see what the next version of Windows will be like at that point before decising how to proceed.
But, more importantly, business has rejected the idea that upset without a significant benefit can be justified. Frankly, I know of no business case for anything that Vista has to offer. So, to say that “XP had problems at the beginning, too” is meaningless in the business world. The computer is a tool. If my tool works, don’t think I will accept a substitute if it isn’t better, faster, more secure or stable than what I have – it’s really that simple.
I can’t afford to deal with growing pains with a computer OS and I only have 45 workstations and 16 servers to worry about. How do you think the guys with hundreds of servers and thousands of workstations feel about it?
Home users may enjoy the flash, but for business, there are a whole different set of criteria.
Ron Schenone
July 23rd, 2008
at 8:43am
Hi Jon,
Good points
Thanks, Ron
Shawn
July 23rd, 2008
at 9:25am
“…stop selling Windows XP on June 30″. Brilliant move Microsoft. Give us even more reason to switch to Mac. I’ve been a Linux guy for years and work with it professionally and I finally made the switch to Mac…couldn’t be happier. I just wish I would have done it sooner! Microsoft is just going to make things worse by trying to resurect Vista and stop selling XP. They need to realize that the name “Vista” has been too far tainted by this point and no matter how much money and marketing they sink into that POS, people still won’t buy it. It’s simple business 101 and I can’t believe the CEO now running MS doesn’t know that. If the makers of the Yugo car, back in the day, redesigned it a year after it tanked into a sleek convertible sports car and didn’t rename it (or the company name), then it would be a complete failure. Why?…it’s still a Yugo!
Ray
July 27th, 2008
at 10:22pm
Soon as I downloaded XP SvcPack 3, it ruined my XP to the
point I had to put my machine in the shop.
To quote Fred Langa’s words from Windows Secrets latest
column:
QUOTE:
With regard to Windows: Like many of you, I’ve experienced some frustrations with Vista. My primary, XP-based PC has several subsystems for which there are no Vista drivers. I can’t upgrade it to Vista without trashing some perfectly good hardware, and I’m not going to do that.
My laptop can run Vista, but it’s just a bit too underpowered to run Vista at a speed I’m comfortable with. After using Vista on it for many months, I finally reverted to XP Pro.
It’s too bad, because I like Vista (it’s visually gorgeous, with a number of useful improvements). But for now, the benefits of upgrading simply aren’t worth the costs to me.” END QUOTE
I’ll go, but when I do go it will be kicking and screaming all
the way.