Perhaps one of the largest factors to Vista’s success or failure is whether or not companies choose to adopt the new Windows Vista operating system, stick with the tried and true XP, or hold off until Windows 7. It would seem that businesses don’t see any perks to adopting Vista, which doesn’t bode well for Microsoft.

There’s no way around it: the vast majority of consumers and businesses are in a full-on funk as to what to do with Windows. Do they stick with the tried and true Windows XP, grudgingly adopt Vista with the knowledge that Windows 7 might be no better, or play the waiting game for Microsoft’s “apology” OS, Windows 7, hits the market? A Microsoft memo grants these insights: Windows 7 will probably be the embodiment of what Microsoft intended to do with Vista and more, but don’t hold your breath, because you’ll be waiting for Windows 7 until 2010.

With early betas and RC versions of Vista SP1 some users saw their systems go into endless reboot cycles and now the same thing is happening with certain systems that are upgraded to Windows XP SP3.

After compatibility issues last week many of you may already be aware that Vista SP1 and XP SP3 were delayed. They are now back with a vengeance, available for download since last night. I know just how excited you guys are to download these service packs which will greatly enhance your operating system adding much needed fixes, with a side of glitches in Vista SP1’s case.

Sometimes having the most used operating system in the world still isn’t enough to get buyers to to adopt a system that isn’t catching good vibes from the media. Microsoft seems to be having that very problem with Windows Vista, but there are still a few tricks it can pull in hopes of increasing popularity.

Microsoft announced their plans to retire Windows XP licensing to OEMs and via retail chains by June 30, 2008. However, according to ARN Net some top PC vendors such as Dell are planning on using a loop-hole to get PCs out the door to businesses with XP pre-installed on them rather than Vista. What’s the loop-hole you may ask? The loop-hole is a clause in Vista Ultimate and Vista Business that allows one to downgrade their operating system if the customer wishes to do so.

Though many consumers aren’t suffering the woes of being forced to upgrade to Windows Vista, what with a very suitable XP SP3 readily available, businesses are in an altogether different position. Analysts believe that Microsoft’s halt on distribution of XP to retailers and manufacturers will force businesses to upgrade to Vista, whether they like it or not.

If you were hoping to get Vista SP1 or Windows XP SP3 installed to your respective operating system, it may take a bit more time.  Microsoft has suspended the delivery of both service packs after some additional compatibility problems were discovered.

Have you been sitting around thinking you would go insane or explode if you had to wait for Windows XP SP3 one more second?  Well, your wait is over.  Windows XP SP3 has gone RTM (release to manufacturing) today and will be available on April 29.  Microsoft is still being secretive on some of the details, however.

Microsoft has done everything but admit Vista was a failure, it has skipped around the term with Steve Ballmer saying that it is “a work in progress.”  Well, it may be but after trying to fit in every feature possible, DRM bloat (which may or may not be the cause of system sluggishness); the company is now once again trying to please everyone that is dissatisfied with Vista and will do everything possible to make Windows 7 everything that Vista wasn’t.

Microsoft has a checkered past with its (in)ability to provide on-time releases of its operating systems.  Windows Vista is a prime example of this.  It’s on-again/off-again release schedule was enough to drive one to insanity, we finally got it, two years late, several features shot and incompatibilities plagued it but at least we got it.

Usually the idea of an update is to “fix” something that is “broken.”  It seems Microsoft didn’t get that memo or implement that idea of an update.  Updates at Microsoft, especially for Vista seem to fix the problem it was designed to fix but at the same time cause another problem or two.

Just because a hack exists doesn’t mean that it’s okay to exploit.  A lot of sites including Vista.Blorge.com are going to have to eat a bit of crow.  Well, Microsoft, it may not be okay but if you don’t want people exploiting such an obvious exploit then it might behoove the company to patch the exploit in the first place.

Vista wasn’t right from day one and Microsoft knew it but instead of admitting failure it has decided to blame its executive team for Vista’s failure by firing some or moving some on to mostly "administrative" positions.  After being moved on, some decided just to leave the company outright.

From the test versions of Longhorn (Vista’s development name) to the beta and RC (release candidate) versions of Vista, there was one nagging problem that many reviews cited; Vista’s UAC function.  UAC (User Account Controls) is a feature in Vista designed to limit program’s access to the rest of the system and by default, software will not have administrator level access to the entire system.