Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 19 October 2008 14:22
Opinion and Analysis
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Because the testing teams are now supposed to be working with the feature teams and programmers, they’re having more input into making sure the feature is built right earlier in the process.
This is supposed to be delivering much more robust builds and adds fuel to the fire on rumours that Windows 7 will come out in mid to late 2009 after all, rather than stretching out into 2010 as Microsoft also warns could happen.
And while Ballmer is quoted telling Gartner keynote attendees that “it’s ok to wait” on replacing XP systems with Windows 7, and skipping Vista, he also noted that “IT buyers” do need to buy new models and do deploy the upgraded OS that is pre-loaded.
While Ballmer didn’t specifically mention it, it sounds like Ballmer is wanting to downplay the fact some companies and individuals choose to “downgrade” back to Windows XP, although Ballmer does say that Windows Vista adoption is ahead of Windows XP adoption in the same timeframe.
Microsoft is also going to talk more about its Windows Cloud OS at the Professional Developers Conference, clearly seeing Google turn the web into its own platform and wanting to do the same.
Microsoft’s mantra is software and services, merging the desktop and the cloud, not just the cloud itself, and while this is hardly surprising, it’s a combination that combines local storage and power with the benefits of the cloud as opposed to more emphasis on the cloud itself.
Ballmer criticised Google Apps as being primitive and claimed Open Office was a much bigger competitive threat to Microsoft Office, challenging Google to advance its tools and upgrade them to a new level of features and benefits.
On a totally separate note, it’d be interesting to see if Microsoft would give Windows Vista Ultimate users a rather “ultimate extra” of a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, or if Microsoft wants to be less Ultimate, it could give Vista Ultimate owners a free copy of Windows 7 Home Premium and a half-price upgrade to get 7 Ultimate instead.
How many Ultimate users are out there? Not too many, I’d wager, compared with the users of Vista Home Premium or Basic. Or Business.
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