Systems builders and VARs replacing Vista with Windows XP

System builders and VARs are not taking chances with Vista for reasons of hardware and software compatibility issues. Reports gathered reveal that they are in fact at replacing Vista with XP.

Jay Tipton, vice president of Technology Specialists, a Fort Wayne, Ind., Microsoft Gold partner, told CRN that “We are ripping it off systems 99 percent of the time. There are too many issues especially in the medical vertical market. It hasn’t been tested with any of the medical software out there.”

“I just can’t in good faith put Vista on a client’s network and expect all their software to work,” Tipton added.

However, Tipton sees that ripping and replacing would soon stop when Microsoft has fix Vista to make the older software work.

Glen Coffield, president of Smart Guys Computers, an Orlando, Fla.-based retail chain with six stores in central Florida, disclosed that XP is outselling Vista by 95 percent. In Smart Guys, over 1,000 Vista has been ripped and replace with XP in the last 90 days, he said.

Earlier, Dell issued a warning to businesses over migration challenges that lie ahead as they move to Vista.

Dell’s European client services business manager, Niall Fitzgerald, said, “Vista is big and complex and there is a lot to it. It requires a lot of testing. You can’t just shut off XP on Friday and start Vista on Monday morning.”

Unless Microsoft solved first the Vista’s hardware and software compatibility issues, no one can expect businesses to make a total migration. The reality remains, businesses don’t want to replace all their software and hardware to move to Vista. Microsoft should get the message.

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