Web Talk

A few days ago Microsoft stated that it will stop selling Windows XP by the 30 of June 2008, definitely. Period. Do you remember the article I wrote about a Windows XP petition? Well, Microsoft is fully aware of it and, as a matter of fact, its spokeswoman stated that…”some customers are pushing for an extension to the deadline. More than 160,000 people have signed a “Save XP” petition launched by Infoworld magazine. Microsoft itself has made its own research and it thinks that the time is right to discontinue XP”. Anyway there are a lot of exceptions to this deadline. In fact, the spokeswoman went on saying “We feel we’ve made the right accommodations for customers in certain segments who may need more time to transition to Windows Vista,” … “But as Steve noted, we maintain a constant stance of listening to our customers and our partners. That’s what is guiding our plan, and will continue to guide us going forward.” The accommodations she is referring to, are for those companies who sells a lot of computers. Such companies can ask their vendors to “downgrade” their licenses to Windows XP. But what does it means? Basically, when an user buys a computer he also buys the license for a Microsoft operative system. In the aforementioned case the buyer will buy a Windows XP license, but Microsoft will claim a Vista sale. That’s the case of Dell which will preinstall XP Professional as a “downgrade” on certain PCs and laptops. These computers available with the XP option will also include the Windows Vista installation DVD in the box, so users will be able to install Windows Vista if they want, and without buying another license. So, at this point the debate is still fully open. If on one side we have Windows XP and its sure death, on the other side we have millions of people pushing to still use it, since they don’t trust Windows Vista. A lot of users think that Vista is buggy, unreliable and with drivers hard to find, and it is not rare that some of them successfully downgrade to XP waiting for the upcoming Windows 7. One thing is for sure: Microsoft has not managed to conquer users’ hearts with its eye-candy Vista, and with Apple’s operative systems and Linux pushing hard, it can not afford to make another fatal mistake. Dear Microsoft, the time when you were in a monopoly business is over. Wake up!

Source:PcWorld.com