Microsoft does not need me to point out the lackluster response seen with their latest Windows release. As many others before me have stated, apparent sales hardly translate into people happy with the product.  Despite most of the compatibility issues being addressed, a clear reason to upgrade is apparently not being seen by the typical consumer on the level that Microsoft would have liked. Now I would point out that there is no question that Vista is more secure than XP, however most people still have reservations with regard to compatibility and even seeing a clear benefit to going through the hassle of actually upgrading.

Upgrading any OS is a royal pain. This includes OS X and Linux as well, as there will always be some compatibility issue that will eventually rear its ugly head. I have seen ongoing evidence as Vista is being labeled Windows Me Part 2. Even worse, Microsoft has not done enough to clearly provide a reason to undergo the switch to the new OS.

So what is the fairest way to look at whether it is really worth upgrading? I see a few different ways to look at it. If the user is a die-hard Windows user, has issues with malware sneaking onto their system, Vista makes a lot of sense. However for many power users and enterprise users alike, the value is still being defined.

Is Vista worth it? I found this to be a balanced view on the situation. I think this piece by InfoWorld nails it:

At the end of the decade, when Microsoft’s executives look back at the debacle that was Windows Vista, they’ll see that simply slapping a fresh coat of paint on an otherwise aging Windows architecture wasn’t enough to fool anybody. Let’s hope they also realize that, as with any major update, they needed to make their case to IT. Focusing on consumers while ignoring their enterprise customers, and assuming IT shops would simply fall in line, was no way to execute a platform migration.

Ouch, here is to hoping some lessons were learned for Windows 7…