Jason Jenkins
Jason loves anything tech-related and drives his partner crazy by bringing home the latest gadgets to play with. So crazy, in fact, she has finally persuaded him to buy a new place to house all the junk -- sorry, life-changing consumer technology -- he has amassed over the years
Wednesday 29 October 2008, 5:33pm
Is Microsoft really expecting us to pay for Windows 7?
I was looking at screenshots of the new Vista service pack announced at Microsoft's Professional Developers' Conference yesterday, and it seemed like a good patch.
Apparently, it turns Vista into a speed demon, makes transferring files via Bluetooth easier, reduces the size of the Windows icon on the start menu, adds some system monitoring and generally makes the software less irritating. Sounds good so far.
Then I realised this isn't a service pack at all, but an entirely new version of the operating system, Windows 7. Is Microsoft seriously expecting Vista users to pay for this?
Yes, the touch-sensitive interface may turn out to be a bigger deal than it first seems (although it seems awfully similar to the doomed Tablet PC to me), but aside from that, what's the big deal?
The Windows product team seems to have forgotten that it's in a war with Apple. Sales of Vista against Mac OS X aren't looking too rosy, but more importantly, Microsoft is losing the battle for something called 'mind share'. It's a horrible term, I know, but it's used in this context by marketing types when they want to express how many consumers like their product.
There's no doubt in my mind that Apple is winning the battle for mind share. Apple's relentless assault on Windows, both as a technology and what it says about the people that own Windows computers, has really connected with trendy consumers. Apple has successfully positioned Windows in the minds of many potential Microsoft customers as nothing more than a boring tool, and a pretty crap one at that.
Personally, I love and hate Mac OS X and Vista in equal measure, but the point is that Microsoft has to address this perception problem it if it's to continue to dominate the desktop. Adverts such as the Mojave Experiment are a start, but what's really needed is a new version of Windows that actually gets people excited.
So far, Windows 7 isn't that product. But all is not necessarily lost -- more features are promised between now and its launch. Let's hope Microsoft comes up with something that's actually worth paying for in the meantime.
Comments on this post
Indeed. I would like a reduced price at least.
Posted by Pokeh on Wed 29 October, 2008 5:40 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
Hi I Hve been running vista for several years with no probs.why do everyone wants hand holding.you learn dont you.Have any one used a pda with side show,awesome controls every thing no remote nesessary.
Posted by Anonymous on Wed 29 October, 2008 6:28 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
Vista has only been out for over a year, so how could you have been using it for several?
Posted by Mike Davies on Thu 30 October, 2008 12:35 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
I don't think that the amount of time that they've been using Vista was their point. And besides, it's nearly been out for 2 years. Stop nitpicking.
Posted by Pokeh on Thu 30 October, 2008 7:16 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
It seems like several years because Vista's such a chore to use. ZING!
Posted by Richard Trenholm on Fri 31 October, 2008 4:26 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
It's clear that you haven't actually watched PDC to write at least an informed opinion of Windows 7. What was delivered to testers, and therefore what you see in the screenshots, didn't have half the improvements that were actually demonstrated as "things-to-come", which make the product so much more exciting.
Posted by Robin on Sat 1 November, 2008 6:31 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
I've heard a lot of good things about Windows 7, Can I make a suggestion, go at this with an open mind. Just because the skin is Vista, doesn't mean the file system is...remember Windows ME, skin of 2000 with Fat32 internals..then Win2K came out...hard as heck to blue screen...stable os running NTFS file system. I'm just saying why not wait to past judgement until final release.
Posted by Anonymous on Mon 3 November, 2008 9:46 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
not sure about the technological advancements in windows 7 yet, but so far apple's snow leopard also seems to have the same skin as leopard, at least for the time being. i think what microsoft needs to keep in mind is that snow leopard will almost certainly be out on the shelf before windows 7, with gpu acceleration and near full 64-bit architecture. so far windows 7 will not be supporting gpu as stated a few days back. if microsoft really wants to stay in the game and keep their relevance, they ought to work really hard to play catch-up and sort things out. btw the latest "i wear @-@" ad is so crap that i just have to change channel every time i see it!
Posted by abrli on Fri 7 November, 2008 12:41 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
"The Windows product team seems to have forgotten that it's in a war with Apple" I found this a baffaling comment. If you ask me they have taken a leaf out of Apples book. Apple continue to make money by releasing new a OS every year, despite improvements made often being of service pack level with a few graphical touches. Microsoft have obviously just realised that if Mac users are stupid enough to regularily pay for what are essentially updates then Windows users are to.
Posted by Pete on Tue 18 November, 2008 12:40 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
"Then I realised this isn't a service pack at all, but an entirely new version of the operating system." What? Judging by the looks of the operating system now eh. Some new features? Correction, a lot more features and guess what, it's as fast as XP. That's a major change.
Posted by Colin on Sun 23 November, 2008 11:41 AM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
It's the type of comments in this thread that help Microsoft keep their heads buried deep in the sand. People need to be scathing them, letting them know that the products they are releasing are substandard. Because only then will they wake up and create something more than what the fan boys will accept; But something people like me will come back to. I use OSX with Paralells Desktop running Vista, XP, Ubuntu. I've no intention of using an MS OS for quite a while. XP was an exciting release and SP2 even better. I hope 7 delivers the same. Regards, An unbiased multi boxer
Posted by Emmett on Mon 5 January, 2009 7:57 AM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
The MS operating system peaked with Windows 2000, I started playing with linux years ago and have used it as my main OS for the last 3 years, if I have to run a windows program I use virtual box or Paralells to use it within Ubuntu. I am amazed that people pay time and time again for another windows OS whose main claim is to fix the problems that should not have even been in the previous OS they made that you paid for. I am not sure to laugh of cry, I am sure the people at Redmond are in hysterics.
Posted by Anonymous on Wed 11 March, 2009 9:32 AM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
Microsoft should be releasing a fix for vista and its compatability problem not a new version.. vista is new and has major problems.. a fix was in order not another new version we have to buy.. If you dont get that then u work for MS. And windows 7 is already behind the times with its technology per apple. They need to service what they put out.. and stop generateing income from new versions they arent even ready to release. I just bought vista within a year waiting for a fix and now i have to buy an already lagging new version full price lol you do the math.
Posted by Tony on Wed 21 October, 2009 7:11 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
Microsoft should be releasing a fix for vista and its compatability problem not a new version.. vista is new and has major problems.. a fix was in order not another new version we have to buy.. If you dont get that then u work for MS. And windows 7 is already behind the times with its technology per apple. They need to service what they put out.. and stop generateing income from new versions they arent even ready to release. I just bought vista within a year waiting for a fix and now i have to buy an already lagging new version full price lol you do the math.
Posted by Tony on Wed 21 October, 2009 7:21 PM
Offensive? Inappropriate? Report this comment
Articles by Jason Jenkins
Help us find the most reliable games console and win £200 of gadgets!
Crave Fill out a short survey and tell us whether your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Wii is alive or dead, and you could win £200 worth of gadgets
Apple music event September '09: As it happened
Crave We pumped our trusty reporters brimfull of coffee and sent them down to Apple's event, tasked with the mission of bringing you the latest news via a live blog
Vexia Econav 435 and 355 tested: Saving you petrol, in theory at least
Crave Vexia is poised to release a new wave of Econavs, the 435 UK, 435 Europe, 355 UK and 355 Europe. We test its claims that it'll save you up to 30 per cent on your fuel bill
Compare mobile phone deals with CNET UK's handy new service
Crave Cheap mobile phone deals can be yours with CNET UK's new section that compares mobile tariffs from all the major networks
Best touchscreen phones
Round-up Ever since Apple wowed us with its nifty iPhone, everyone is gagging for a screen they can touch. Here are four of our favourite sensitive handsets, including the iPhone 3GS, plus models from HTC and Samsung
Give CNET UK's new site search a whirl
Crave The months of number crunching are over and we're ready to reveal our brand-new site search to the world. Why don't you have a read to see what's new and give it a go?
CNET UK Editors' Choice winners June 2009
Crave Here's the best products we reviewed in June, earning our monthly awards. Kit from Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Acer feature, along with a certain Apple product. Can you guess which?
Crave photo galleries re-vamp
Crave We've made some small tweaks to the way photo galleries are displayed in Crave. Find out exactly what's changed in this rather spiffing article
