Stephen Withers
Friday, 04 April 2008 03:16
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
Microsoft has announced it will extend the OEM availability of Windows XP Home until at June 30, 2010. But there is a catch.
The reprieve only applies to XP installed on "ultra-low-cost PCs" (ULCPCs).
Michael Dix, Microsoft's general manager of Windows client product management, described these products as "companion devices with limited hardware capabilities... they typically have smaller screen sizes and lower-powered processors than more expensive mobile PCs."
Although the ULCPC label doesn't mention portability, Dix's other remarks suggest the extension will only apply to mobile devices as typified by the Asus Eee PC.
The reasoning is that customers want ULCPCs to have a familiar user interface and compatibility with a wide range of software and peripherals, yet these devices are too under-specified to run Vista.
"Customers and partners have made it clear to us that Windows is the preferred operating system for ULCPC buyers, just as it is for mainstream PC users," said Dix.
One part of his argument doesn't really make sense to me. He predicts that first-time PC buyers who take the ULCPC route will likely move up to a more powerful systems. No argument with that, but get this: "With the benefit of a Windows experience on ULCPCs, it’s a natural transition to more powerful PCs running the Windows they already know."
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