Windows 7 starts looming over Windows' Vista

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 28 January 2008 13:27

Opinion and Analysis

Windows Vista has been, without a doubt, Microsoft’s most controversial operating system ever. Plagued by issues including performance, incompatible software, missing hardware drivers and more, Vista has thankfully seen much improvement throughout 2007 – but it is enough to finally accelerate Vista demand?
Little more than a year since Vista’s consumer launch, whispers about the next version, currently codenamed Windows 7, have started growing a bit louder of late, just as Vista gets set to hit its stride with SP1.

Many of Vista’s troubles have been solved over time thanks to ongoing updates from Microsoft, soon to culminate in the first service pack (SP1) that will mark a milestone of maturity that Vista had most definitely been lacking on day one of Vista’s launch.

The release of SP1 will also encourage some users in the consumer and corporate worlds to finally make the switch, but as whispers that Windows 7 will come sometime in 2009 or early 2010 get a bit louder, existing Windows XP users are wondering whether to skip the twister that has been Vista and look ahead instead to the promised heaven of Windows 7.

Certainly, if you’re an individual user, happy with your Windows XP computer, there is no reason to race out and update.

Many businesses have loaded XP instead onto new computers originally pre-loaded with Vista just to maintain their ‘standard operating environments’, most of which in the world of business are years behind what cutting edge consumers would use.

But unless you’re considering moving to Mac OS X or Linux, if you’re going to buy a new computer over the next couple of years, you’re likely to get Windows Vista.

My advice? Read on!