Vista a resource hungry operating system that could cause your system to crawl when running heavy duty applications may get kicked to the curb once Windows 7 arrives. Yes, you heard it right according to Bill Gates they plan on making Windows 7 much more efficient.

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.

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.

Skip Vista, and stick with XP? That’s what one reviewer has sugggested after extensive beta testing both service pack 1 for Vista and service pack 3 for XP.

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.

There you have it.  Windows 7 may not save us after all.  It’s not that Vista is bad but it could be so much better.  Microsoft was hoping that was Vista SP1 would do only it didn’t.  The industry was hoping that Windows 7 would be the “anti-Vista” as it has been called by some but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen either.

It turns out that most of you are perfectly happy sticking with Windows XP.  Microsoft has created “the operating system that couldn’t” with Windows Vista.  It is considered to be this generations Windows ME.  The company is none too happy that users want to drop back to Windows XP or remove features from Vista.  Though, somewhat grudgingly, it has offered a “XP downgrade program.”

Microsoft couldn’t ship Windows XP on schedule so it released a half-baked operating system with XP-like features, Windows ME.  Only it liked to crash and wasn’t reliable.  Vista might be more reliable than XP but it has enough compatibility problems and hardware requirements to drive many away from it.  Even those that use Vista everyday aren’t necessarily happy with it but have just accepted it, for the time being.  That being the case, Windows 7 has been fast tracked for a scheduled release of mid-to-late 2009.

Unhappy with Vista?  Can’t wait for Microsoft to release Windows 7 to get rid of it?  Today is your lucky day because a preview build of Windows 7 has already been leaked.  That is, if Microsoft hasn’t used its legal might to remove any trace of it.

While we’re all still busy trying to figure out just how Vista works, Microsoft is busy chiseling out the framework and working on Vista’s successor.  Windows 7 is reported to be on schedule for a late 2009 release and it may have a few tricks up its sleeve as well.