____/ Ramon F Herrera on Monday 28 April 2008 01:25 : \____
>
> "Facing a June 30 deadline to stop selling PCs with Windows XP, the
> world's largest computer makers are getting creative.
>
> Taking advantage of the "downgrade rights" offered as part of the
> Windows Vista license agreement, Hewlett-Packard and Dell both plan to
> offer machines loaded with XP well beyond June.
>
> Technically, the computers will be Vista Business or Vista Ultimate
> machines that have been factory downgraded to XP at the customer's
> request. In practice, they are more like XP machines that come with an
> already paid-for upgrade to Vista when and if the customer chooses to
> do so. "
>
> [...]
>
> http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9929405-56.html
Windows sales were down 24% in the last quarter. If Microsoft does not do
something quickly, that trend won't be reversed.
Microsoft has actually been doing the right thing and it began by re-offering
XP for low-cost laptops. It is not good news, however, because Windows will
stay stuck in the past (2001) whilst OS X and GNU/Linux fly ahead. It's
already looking a bit embarrassing when Compix-Fusion runs nicely on the Eee
PC and Windows XP is... well, just boring XP with almost no applications other
than Wordpad, IE and Solitaire.
In years to come, expect a lot of vapourware tactic.
Microsoft Clears Gates-Induced Confusion about Windows 7
,----[ Quote ]
| This statement created widespread confusion as most people understood that
| the final version of Windows 7 would be released next year, much earlier than
| expected. However, since this was Gates talking, and with all the fuss
| concerning Vista's failure on the market, people started wondering whether
| Microsoft changed its plans and wants to speed up the release of Windows 7,
| the next operating system from the Redmond company, due to replace Vista.
|
| However, a Microsoft spokesman told CNN that in fact the industry veteran was
| talking about alpha or beta versions, as it usually happens, and not the
| final product.
`----
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Microsoft_Clears_Gates_Induced_Confusion_about_Windows_7_16026.html
,----[ Quote ]
| From nathanm Mon Oct 01 11:42:05 1990
| To: billg; bradsi;
| Subject: SPARC, MIPS & Compaq
| DateL Tue Oct 02, 22:57:14 1990
|
| [...]
|
| The purpose of announcing early like this is to freeze the market at the
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| OEM and ISV level. In this respect it is JUST like the original Windows
| announcement ..
|
| One might worry that this will help Sun because we will just have
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| vaporware, that people will stop buying 486 machines, that we will have
| ^^^^^^^^^
| endorsed RISC but not delivered .. So, Scott, do you really think you
| can fight that avalanche?
`----
http://edge-op.org/iowa/www.iowaconsumercase.org/010807/PLEX_0411_A.pdf
Microsoft also talks about vapourware tactics here:
http://www.groklaw.net/pdf/Comes-3096.pdf
[find the bits about "The Slog" and version+1 in the face of "intense
competition"]
--
~~ Best of wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | $> wget -r -erobots=off http://www.*
http://Schestowitz.com | GNU is Not UNIX | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
http://iuron.com - proposing a non-profit search engine
|
|
