Ballmer suggests XP might stay while PC makers flout Microsoft

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 28 April 2008 18:32

Opinion and Analysis

Publicly announcing the continuing of XP sales might sting by the tacit acknowledgement that Vista isn’t all that it should have been – else continuing sales of XP wouldn’t be necessary.

But it would vindicate Microsoft in the minds of some, at least, as a company that does indeed care about the desires and wishes of its customers, even if they want to run what Microsoft clearly considers yesterday’s OS.

The PR benefits of saying ‘Yes, dear customers, if you want XP we will happily sell it to you!’ would be enormous, and would outweigh any negative publicity, even though negative publicity would undoubtedly emerge from Vista haters who will happily cry “Microsoft has to keep selling XP, we told you so!”.

To get consumers and businesses to embrace Vista, Microsoft needs to work harder in showing users the worth of Vista, not simply forcing Vista on users by limiting choice.

The 21st century and the technological era is all about choice, and Microsoft is slowly learning that it’s better to place nice with the community and others, than to try and keep everything to itself.

In an ever more connected world, with ever more choices in software, operating systems and hardware, Microsoft can’t afford to scare customers away. Sure, it’s market position and dominance means that it would take quite a lot to break Microsoft’s monopoly on the OS business.

But Microsoft is under attack from more competitors than it has ever been before. Showing it cares, and allowing sales of XP to continue, at least for the time being, is one small positive step they can take for humankind, and one giant leap for Microsoft.

Can they do it? Yes. Will they do it? Ballmer wants to, but the Microsoft machine says ‘no’, just like the computer in the British comedy, ‘Little Britain’.

Should they do it? Of course. But what Microsoft does, we have yet to see. Go ahead, Microsoft, disappoint us all if you dare, but just remember that each disappointment is another straw on the camel’s back.

There’s isn’t a saying about one too many straws for nothing! The camel’s back won’t break for some time yet, but why weaken it any further, under the intense competition you’re experiencing, any more than you have to?

Why not take some of the straws away, and surprise us all instead? You can do it! We’ll be watching to see what you do, and just like an elephant, we will never forget.

Choose wisely, Microsoft – a lot of people are hoping you’ll make the right decision for them, and not what you (mistakenly) believe is the right decision for you.

Put your customers first for once – they’re the ones that ensure you have dividends to pay your shareholders, and keep you in monopoly status, at least for now.