Windows XP Is Still The One!

I’m not sure what it is that has happened, but over at ZDNet, a few things are being admitted, which just a few weeks ago, would never have seen the light of day.

First, though Microsoft has spent a (reported) $100 million on Bing, there are doubts being presented. Doubts that Microsoft can overtake Google with this effort. You may see this as odd, but not long ago I would have sworn that anything Microsoft (and, of course, powered by Microsoft advertising dollars) was going to be sold to the masses as golden, no matter what.

The fact that doubts are being presented there is a good sign. It is a show that realism is returning, and those Redmond dollars, with President Gates on them, aren’t holding as much sway as usual.

Another thing that has been reported is that overwhelmingly, Windows XP remains in use by the multitudes. Again, to read earlier notices from that publication, you would have thought that only the developmentally disabled were still using the atavistic OS known as XP.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, in his column today, states that not only is Microsoft XP the one OS most used, according to NetApplications, but also Microsoft needs to do some work to bring the reticent XP users into the Windows 7 fold.

I fully believe that it won’t happen, until such time as something comes out that forces the upgrade – hardware without drivers, or perhaps $99 19″ touchscreen LCDs ( I can dream, can’t I ? ).  While people want new, as it is a natural human tendency, fear of the unknown is also a natural human tendency. Allowing people to try before buy is a good trick, but basically it is a trick – the story keeps changing, and the builds are developing different looks.

But there are also the problems with price, as it has been reported that Microsoft will be raising the price of admission. I for one don’t see the advantage, as I really don’t like anything about Windows 7, other than the new background images.

It seems as though the admissions of that, and the lessening of the fanboy-like hype, is finally forthcoming. It’s far overdue, but still, better late than never. If one looks back just to two weeks ago, the amount of blustering about Windows 7, and why it’s so swell that only an idiot would not immediately switch was still in full bloom.

According to NetApplications, Windows XP is still the OS of choice for users out there in ComputerLand, with some two-thirds of users still making use of the aging OS. By comparison, Vista is struggling to capture a quarter of the market share. Vista’s “WOW!” failed to capture the attention of users, as many chose to stick with their older OS.

If you are an XP user, has what you’ve seen of Windows 7 made you willing to ditch XP?

The way I see it, Microsoft needs to be putting effort into marketing Windows 7 to those currently using XP. After all, those already using Vista have shown a willingness to switch OSes already, and moving from Vista to 7 isn’t that much of a leap. It’s those entrenched XP users that present a problem for Microsoft. These people, for whatever reason, turned their backs on Vista, and it’s these people that Microsoft needs to win back.

But it’s not going to be easy.

AKH goes on to talk about the ‘Vista disasta’ and that Windows 7, under the skin, is really just a cleaned up Windows Vista. While I think he was trying to be positive, it points out the problems with Microsoft – Vista was such a disaster that the company will be living it down for years. At least with Windows Me there wasn’t a multiyear wait, and build up of enthusiasm, only to be dashed, bit by bit, first before the release, and then after it, when the bugs started biting.

AKH concludes with -

It’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft tries to win over the entrenched XP user. Microsoft may decide to throw ad dollars at the problem. Alternatively, Microsoft might stick with the current “Laptop Hunter” style ads and rely on user’s PC growing obsolete over time.

That’s the way I see it. Windows XP will slowly fade away, but not completely for a very, very long time. With some level of support until 2014, things will not die down in the XP campfires until that time, at least.

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