The Business Value of Windows Vista

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

johnbaxter — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:10:35 GMT

Digs at the "iCabal" in connection with the "Vista is a Failure" meme and related oddities of crowd-think seem misplaced.

While it's true that members of the "iCabal" do spread the meme, I venture that at least 98% of the spreaders of the meme are Windows users, not Mac users. There aren't enough iCabalists to have created the meme in the space where it is widespread.

(I don't have a problem with your use of "iCabal" in other contexts--I find it amusing, just as I find the Get a Mac ads confusing [and the ads have made me a John Hodgman fan quite aside from their technical (de?)merits. And iCabal is a handy label.)

Who am I to say this? I much prefer Mac OS X to Windows, and it is what I use. I do have a (cheap) Vista laptop (needed to answer Vista questions early on). And Windows XP virtualized to run one program I'll be able to phase out by the end of July, which will let me retire the XP virtual machine from my MacBook.

I can't imagine going back to XP from Vista for anything. (Note that I didn't have strong XP habits to break.)

When local computer club members ask what to buy, I don't tout the ways to get XP (Vista's first 6 months or so, I sometimes did). I may suggest Vista; I may suggest a Mac; more often than either I suggest at least looking at Mac before staying with WIndows and getting a Vista machine.

I don't consider myself part of the "iCabal"--but if you want to that's fine: no insult taken.

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

Waethorn — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:26:51 GMT

"Many people in this world don't even use computers, they may ask "is there any need for a computer? a need?"

tell that to Nick Neg.

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

heran — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:42:41 GMT

"Is there any need for a product like this? A need?"

Many people in this world don't even use computers, they may ask "is there any need for a computer? a need?"

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

Ocean — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:27:42 GMT

<<XPS - XML Paper Specification. Microsoft created royalty free document format.

www.microsoft.com/.../default.mspx

Is there any need for a product like this? A need?

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

subzerohitman721 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:19:17 GMT

@Ocean

XPS - XML Paper Specification. Microsoft created royalty free document format.

www.microsoft.com/.../default.mspx

My Comments:

I can understand why businesses want to hold on to XP at least until early/mid 2009. Thats when most businesses will roll over to Vista. Between now and the release of Windows Seven, XP will be continually challenged by virus writers, spam, malware, rootkits, and other system compromising approaches. However, the real fault for the lack of preparation for Vista's arrival belongs completely with the various IT departments and high business management across the world.

Instead of putting the resources and manpower to properly test and upgrade software, most ignored or did so at an inadequite pace. From the start of beta 1 on July 27, 2005 up to the consumer release on Januray 30, 2007, IT departments had exactly 18 months and 3 days to accurately test and prepare for Vista. How much more time did all these IT departments need to get ready for Vista? Why didn't these software companies start testing way back then?

Since business is always a "presumed daily operational model", planning for future infrastructure/environmental operating changes is what great company do. That failure to properly prepare shows a lack of leadership and understanding of the evolving computer world. It is not like we started shipping Windows to businesses yesterday, this kind of thing has been happening for 15 years. Businesses are always behind the curve and never fully or accurately plan for future operating systems.

So to blame Vista and Microsoft for it, is not a sound or logical premise. Each business, software company, IT department, and even tech pundits have to share the blame for not taking that preparation seriously. I on the otherhand, was checking out and watching it closely. I had even used Vista's minimum/recommended specifications to hand build a Vista-Premium system. If a simple enthusiast like myself can accurately prepare for Vista by using common sense and a little forethought, IT and business have no excuse. Businesses and IT got caught with their pants down and everyone decided "Blame Microsoft, Blame Vista." Sorry guys, but have the balls to admit you missed the train and hand to make other plans.

The lesson of Vista should be painfully and somewhat embarassingly obvious. IT departments and software companies need to beta their stuff early, often, accurately, and efficiently. If they did this, probably more companies would be migrated with others joining in 09. More companies will do so, but I bet you all will fail to learn the obvious.

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

dugbug — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:48:55 GMT

oh come on johnpapola, I love the iCabal term :) The same group praises apple for inventing multitouch, which was lifted almost directly from existing research (not that Im complaining, I am a fan of the iphone). But nonetheless any implementation of public research is seen as a copy.

Most businesses are new to XP. Why do analysists expect some rapid adoption?

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

johnpapola — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:41:21 GMT

Paul, please stop with this "iCabal" routine. It taints every post you use it in with the aftertaste of bias. It's also dumb and feels like a blatant effort to create a "meme" even tough nobody cares.

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

timiteh — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:29:11 GMT

At work only a few(managers and some of the R&D team) use Vista business.

The others use either Windows XP SP2,Windows 2000 and even NT4 for some.

Assuming that almost all our clients use either Windows 2000 or Windows XP, and that our applications are optimised for these two O.S, we have not a big incitative to move to Vista business yet.

Though it is possible that in a close future, especially with the migration of our Servers to Windows 2008, we start a migration of the XP machine to Vista Business.

Personnaly if i had the choice, i would use Vista Business with XP Virtual machines for specific tasks as i actually find that Vista is so superior to XP that it is not even funny to compare them.

This said i agree with Paul that Microsoft should clearly split the development of the Windows client.

I personnaly see 5 distinct teams work on Windows Client:

*3 big teams for respectively the Windows Core(Note this team must feature both member of the WIndows Server Team) , Windows Home and Windows Business (this team could according to me merged with the Windows Server Team)

*1 average team for Windows BASIC which must be clearly aimed at both legacy hardware and Low Cost PC but with both a minimun of eye candy(some kind of AERO Light) and a set of Business oriented features

*1 relatively small but efficient and skilled team to deal with the ULTIMATE S.K.U which is mainly a work of integration of the other S.K.U with some goodies

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

whiplash55 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:01:52 GMT

While upgrading to Vista may not be happening anytime soon, (many of us just got off 2000) avoiding Vista seems foolish. In the last year it has improved dramatically and in my experience with it at home is the most stable release of Windows yet. I'm puzzled why Microsoft allowed so any of their newer applications that improve the OS be compatible with XP. The new search and Windows Live applications improve XP considerably. And I thought Office 2007 would be Vista only? Sometimes I think they don't want people to upgrade or are they afraid people will dump the platform altogether?

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:20:29 GMT

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re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

DRWAM — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:35:01 GMT

Ocean, another reason is some of us [businesses] have apps that are so old, that we are lucky that they run on XP. It will be very costly to replace them. We plan on it, but it will take time. You are also correct that XP works just fine, and although Vista is a great OS with good reasons to upgrade, it's not a 'must have' right now. Also, we fear that the low end, business grade PC's may not have enough horse power for Vista.

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

Ocean — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:30:25 GMT

>>Download the XPS or PDF<<

What is a XPS??

re: The Business Value of Windows Vista

Ocean — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:27:38 GMT

Obviously flawed?

The problem is that Vista is a luxury for most users, businesses included, and it's not a must have.

MS climaxed with XP...that was the last 'must have' windows OS. Vista is there for whenever I get a new machine or whenever businesses decide they have to do a upgrade cycle.

Thats why MS, and the vista fans have to 'sell' the OS. Thats why we have to have white papers and articles about the 'business value of Vista' : because it's not immediately apparent...and it might not even be there.

But I'll wait for the article to see. :)