Intel gives a thumbs up to Windows 7
Intel has said it will upgrade its employees’ machines to Windows 7 sooner rather than later. More than the potential 80,000-plus upgrades involved, it’s a symbolic boost for Microsoft given Intel’s previous rejection of Vista.
Speaking at a technology “summit” in San Francisco, Intel’s head of marketing Sean Maloney said the firm likely wouldn’t wait for the first service pack before upgrading to the new system. He’s quoted by The Register as saying, “There are really good reasons for the business client in terms of security, power management – lots of good reasons why you’d go for it.”
That’s a marked change to last summer when a leaked memo suggested the firm had completely abandoned any idea of ever making the switch from XP to Vista. That was particularly embarrassing given that it later emerged Microsoft had specifically relaxed some of the criteria for machines to qualify as “Vista Capable” to make sure Intel products could use the slogan.
Maloney also said that whether other firms followed Intel’s lead in quick upgrades might well be dependent on finance bosses rather than IT chiefs. He noted that many firms, particularly those who stuck with XP, will probably find it more efficient to get new machines to coincide with the move to Windows 7. But he argued that most purchasing decisions are made in the fall and pointed to the widespread corporate belt-tightening that took place at that time last year as a reason why the “correct” technical option isn’t always a goer.
Speaking at the same event, Maloney also admitted Intel’s previous predictions that netbooks might appeal to first-time buyers had proven misguided. He acknowledged that those with the cash to spare would usually prefer a full-blown desktop, while those on a budget, particularly in developing markets, might find a computer financially unviable whatever its price because they couldn’t afford added costs such as Internet subscriptions.
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