Will Windows 7 Learn From Vista’s Mistakes?

If we are to get serious about Windows 7, we need to accept that Vista is basically a better looking Windows Me release. Like Windows Me, Vista has a lion’s share of improvements, but at the same time, it is a step backwards as vendors apparently were not ready with their hardware during the OS release.

Then there is the problem of Vista further segmenting the Windows users. Some of them balked at the idea of using Vista as it was costly, along with offering little outside of improved security. At the end of the day, the next release of Windows had better be able to step up to the plate and find itself in a position to recapture the market share it has lost, as small as it may be.

Windows 7: A Checklist That Must Be in Place. If Microsoft would care to even appear on my radar ever again with its Windows offerings, the following had darn well better be in place come the release of the next Windows version:

1. Release the next version of Windows on time. No excuses, plan for the worst, then get it done.

2. I never care to hear the word ‘defragment’ again. If Microsoft decides to continue with the aging and terribly inefficient file system known as NTFS, it will lose power users left, right, and center. We want WinFS, not excuses.
3. Further develop the Windows UAC. Microsoft is on the right track, but needs to further develop this so that it is not such a nag. Even better is to build something similar to suDown.
4. Consider a smarter license. Build this version of Windows on the MIT Open Source license, then allow users to develop new UI environments while protecting their kernel as proprietary as they always have. Basically, a reverse of what Apple has been doing for years.

Windows 7: Consider a More Common Sense Marketing Approach. When Windows Vista was released, I’m nearly positive that people all over the world were wondering who the bonehead was that was leading the marketing efforts. Hiring some unknown comedian to talk about everything but the OS and then further confuse the issue with random interviews was not a wise approach to getting the Vista word out.

Once Windows 7 is ready to be released, how about creating social media efforts that highlight why I care about upgrading? I realize this is a radical thought, but seriously, it’s so obvious!

Windows 7: One Edition, Bundled With Microsoft Word. I know this idea will give Microsoft a headache, but the fact is that it needs to begin offering real applications with its OS and not rely on OEMs to bundle trialware that will end up being uninstalled anyway.

It is critical that either Microsoft creates apps or bundles full versions of outside applications that are included with Windows 7 to establish some extra value. This is perhaps even more important when considering that both Apple’s Mac systems and the various Linux distributions already do this. It’s simply a matter of keeping Windows competitive.

Will Microsoft Ever Heed This Advice? Just how much do we think Microsoft has learned from its Vista experience? The release was late to market, missing the promised file system, and was more bloated than value. I cannot tell you just how many people are holding onto Windows XP for the time after having been disappointed with Vista.

What do you think? Will Microsoft finally get it right with Windows 7? Could we see it really begin to take chances that will ensure that it will not become a dinosaur of the software industry? No matter what it chooses, it has a strong foothold over the OS market, so I’m deathly concerned that it is not going to sweat about being competitive as much as it ought to. But with new competitors in Apple and Canonical, I will be curious to see if it can break away from the IP threats and consider working at innovating its existing OS structure into something truly amazing.

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[tags]windows 7, vista, vista problems[/tags]