Microsoft could stop making Vista now and re-release XP
By Jonathan Schlaffer
Microsoft admitted that it’s previous flop, Windows ME was a failure and hid its ugly child in a closet and never spoke of it again. Vista isn’t quite the same thing, at least it’s prettier but it suffers some of the same problems as Windows ME and didn’t quite get enough votes to be the worst when compared with Windows ME but it’s still pretty bad. Here’s a solution, Microsoft could stop making Windows Vista right now and re-release Windows XP. You heard me right.
As you may know, Windows XP is facing the chopping block come June save for a few specialized applications, most won’t be able to get their hands on it. No one wants Vista, at least, businesses and if Microsoft cares about anyone, it’s the business market and that’s who it’s most likely to listen to. The company couldn’t care less what consumers think, that’s a small chunk of the pie for the software giant.
Windows XP SP3 is just around the corner and will be bringing some of Vista’s features to that operating system. Idea! Why not just re-release Windows XP as a new version and stop sales of Vista. Of course that might annoy some hardware vendors but they were equally annoyed with Vista so not much would have changed. Plus, existing XP drivers should work with XP SP3 so there won’t be many changes needed.
Instead of releasing the update for free, charge $99 for the full retail version on store shelves, cancel Vista and it has just bought itself some time until Windows 7 is ready. Oh, and give those that have Vista downgrade rights to XP SP3 for free or almost nothing.
There, Microsoft, try to tell me that no one inside Redmond could figure this out, it took me all of 20 minutes to conjure up that plan and it looks pretty good to me but it’s possible I missed something. Maybe some of our readers would like to weigh in on this, drop a comment if you think I missed something or have something to add to the plan.
The only thing I’ve done is annoy those that want the upgrade for free, well, you can’t have everything. Some things have to be comprised to get rid of Vista and that’s the most important thing of all, isn’t it? This wouldn’t be all that different from what Apple does, updates are free to a certain point but with a major release, you have to buy it and who’s to say that XP SP3 can’t be a major release? Just re-brand it as "Windows X3" - catchy, isn’t it?
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April 22nd, 2008
That would be the most logical choice, but of course it won’t happen since MSFT has decided to take XP Pro off the market June 30 2008 thus only leaving problem riddled Vista.
The only rational options then would be for a new computer buyer would have is either Linux or Apple. Or maybe a low end computer with XP Home.
April 22nd, 2008
You forgot that Vista has:
-Superfetch
-Dx10 -support
-true dual core support
-better 64bit -system than XP x64 is and better supported
-much better security (at least 64 bit version)
-XP can’t take more memory than 3 gig ram because its 32-bit system
-indexing
-run/searchbar
No, XP really can’t be released again in my opinion. Feel free to mail me and tell why XP is better.
April 22nd, 2008
Jan,
Superfetch — From what I’ve heard, many users find performance BOOSTS when they turn that off.
DX10 — Not everyone games. (Think corporate world.)
better 64 bit — From several different sources, I’ve heard that the performance increase from a 32-bit Windows to 64-bit really isn’t all that impressive, plus, there’s still a risk of incompatibility.
Security — I’ll give you a little of that one.
Except for UAC, which only really protects a user from themselves.
RAM - Actually, 32-bit XP reads 3.5, and I’ve heard that some Vista users can’t read beyond 3.
Indexing — Indexing? That’s always been on XP, to my knowledge. How is this new?
Searchbar — yes, nice, but it’s a tiny feature - not enough to warrant a bloated OS. (And yes, I DO like that feature, and am glad they grabbed the idea from OS X Tiger, (appparently, IMO).)
So…that list doesn’t really cut it for me. That’s cool I guess if it does for others.
April 22nd, 2008
Forgot one…
True dual core support — Wait, XP didn’t have this? That’s news to me. It sees both cores on mine at work.
April 22nd, 2008
[…] post by Jonathan Schlaffer Related ArticlesVista SP1 fails to stop software piratesMicrosoft Succeeds in Making Vista […]
April 22nd, 2008
[…] Original post by Jonathan Schlaffer […]
April 22nd, 2008
- From What I’ve read XP doesn’t have that wise support for dual cores. At least mine Vista uses both of it’s cores nicely.
- I was about 64 bit vista driver support which requires microsofts digital signature that it really will work. However getting these drivers may be slower for 64 bit compared to 32 bit —-> 32 bit has larger support but I’ll stick with more stable 64 bit.
- RAM isn’t the problem when using 64 bit vista, just stick like 8 gigs and it will use it all the way. 32 bit Vista is just 32 bit OS and RAM will vary from 3 to 3.5 gig.
- When mine superfetch is working it will load apps pretty damn fast that I really don’t care was it like 2 or 3 seconds. I don’t really care about boot speed too, it take something like 1 minute and when it’s loaded, then you can work with it. So where’s the problem?
April 22nd, 2008
- I was about indexing how it enables quick search function.
April 22nd, 2008
This seems like the most reasonable response, and yet Microsoft says they listen to the consumer, and yet….we are being left with a still in the works operating system (Vista), which I’m sure a lot of people didn’t want and didn’t have a choice when buying a new computer >=(
Your idea is the best I have seen, I wouldn’t want to be left with Vista, I would want at least downgrade rights to XP SP3
And, if MS complains they will lose money……don’t they get in law suits every month or something?….
April 22nd, 2008
MS isn’t going to re-release XP, although they may actually extend it. How much more ridicule could they possibly get on Vista?
Vista is a disappointment, but it’s not the disaster, technically, that ME was. I’ll stick with Linux, myself.
April 22nd, 2008
MS will try to recover as much money as possible from what they’ve spent developing and manufacturing Vista. Re-releasing XP will not work for the simple reason people will simply not pay for something they already have… Unlike what apple users do with OSX… they creep me out.
If MS can get a sucker to buy VIsta then they’ve made some of that money back and at the end of the day, that’s all they care about.
April 22nd, 2008
Sigh…
XP needs to go away. It is six years old and has served its purpose. There is nothing wrong with Vista itself. The issues that it get’s blamed for usually fall into one of several categories:
Poor drivers from the freaking VENDOR
Poorly written software-software that was not written to proper Windows standards
Low resource machines
XP had the same issues six years ago and anyone who says otherwise is just fooling themselves.
Vista has many advantages that XP does not–parental controls, vastly improved security, IE 7’s protected sandbox mode, superior graphics subsystems, nicer ui, better built in search, no more bloody ‘MY’, ‘normal’ user (no need for administrator accounts) and so on.
Let it go people.
April 22nd, 2008
Regardless of the next big (or small!) move by Microsoft, I think Vista nay-sayers have made their point loud and clear, and Microsoft has been doing its best to respond. Hopefully they will take more care in developing their next product and make sure it works well prior to it being released instead of trying to push for completion just for the sake of competition. I think they’ve made fairly clear that they are trying to pay closer attention to the needs of their customers by developing better support systems for solution providers and business users (partner programs that invite many sizes of businesses and not just the larger ones) and responding fairly quickly to concerns with new products (like the many, many patches and service packs they got out relatively quickly). While they’re still definitely not perfect and have a long way to go, I think pressure in the industry to be more personalized (many companies are going this way) is driving them to new practices. Hopefully their next operating system will follow suit.
April 23rd, 2008
If Vista nay-sayers hates so much Vista, then they will hate win7 as much as it’s vista based and corporations doesn’t have any reason to upgrade from XP to Windows7 as their doing just fine with XP and if calculations say that upgrading computers and getting windows7 -licences isn’t goint to pay back with better productivity.
Everybody is tight on money right now and cutting costs and if company can do just fine with XP with low end/dead old PC:s which aren’t able to run Win7, they’re not going to upgrade “vista savior” system called Win7.
Then just fine: Win7 will be ME III if you really want to say so.
April 23rd, 2008
I think they need to get XP off the market…..I mean who would buy vista when there is a lot similar OS to it……..I know vista is better but still…….
April 23rd, 2008
I honestly don’t get it. I have had Vista Home Premium with no problems. I have done all the updates for both the BIOS, CHIPSET, various drivers for the wireless, etc. Plus installed all of the Microsoft updates.(to date:4/23/2k8) Not a single problem~No issues with start ups, etc. My question is: What the heck are you folks out there doing to screw up your machine? Are you just plain clueless? I have to say this..When XP first came out, I heard the same thing, don’t do this or update that, etc. I never had a problem that I didn’t create myself. And I did, just to see if I could fix it.(I was) I am beginning to think that alot of this bitchin is just so much BS. Microsoft drove me (personally) crazy with Win 95 but, over the years has done an outstanding job of making computers easier to interact with. Get that?
April 23rd, 2008
I dont think Vista is great but i dont think its the disaster some people make it out to be.
I havent had any compatability issues to speak of although gaming performance in Vista hasnt proven to be better than XP like Microsoft said it would.
Its just a bit slower but not a disaster. I dont think we should look back and scrapping Vista is a bit over the top.
April 23rd, 2008
Seriously folks, why all this constant suggestion to go back to Windows XP? Why not instead petition Microsoft to release a “Workstation” version of Windows Server 2008? Heck, even call it “Windows Vista Enterprise R2″.
Personally, I too don’t see what the clamor about Vista really is. I’ve been running Vista Ultimate since day one, and it’s been humming along quite nicely on my Core 2 Quad. It’s a great, modern, and robust OS, and SP1 really narrows the gap between it and Server 2008.
April 23rd, 2008
i think that vista should be not used anymore xp is better in almost everyway…
April 23rd, 2008
Dumindu:wrote
I think they need to get XP off the market…..I mean who would buy vista when there is a lot similar OS to it……..I know vista is better but still…….
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What MSFT should do is to discontinue XP Home in tiny laptops and let Linux have that market. MSFT is trying to play on both sides of the fence and failing miserably at it. It makes them look like a company that lacks direction.
XP is better as it can run on older and newer computers, and runs faster and with less hardware requirements. If MSFT wants to only sell Vista that can maybe run on only 20% of the worlds computers, then so be it.
I have software than can run on 99 % of the worlds computers including Apple and Solaris and its totally free. If MSFT wants to limit themselves to only 20%, let them…their loss.
April 23rd, 2008
XP can run Simply Accounting faster than Vista.
April 23rd, 2008
OH yea they should just sell DX10 for XP.
id pay 200 bucks for that.
Gamer.
April 24th, 2008
Brent: It’s impossible to get DX10 to XP due to very different code what vista and XP has. If you’re ready to pay 200 bucks for it, why not just spend it to better comp if you want to play games?
I guess you’re a troll like Josh here.
April 24th, 2008
It is very funny ,re-release xp ,xp is the best os,xp does make coffee,blah blah.i have vista since the very first day ,little problems,like those xp had ,back in 2001. Everything is about the drivers.Nvidia had terrible drivers for vista.I think it’s a worlwide conspiracy against vista!!! i’m not microsoft’s fanboy but it is ridiculous all this i see everyday in many sites. Microsoft released service pack 1 ,again the same posts.And in the end,it’s 2008 ,xp is an old os,whatever skins ,service packs,and addons we add .7 years is too much .Sorry for my english
April 24th, 2008
If XP is old, then you would have to say OSX is old as well. Current XP is far different from XP released version. Apple would have released SP2 as a new OS.
April 27th, 2008
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