Q: How bad is it for Microsoft that Intel has decided not to upgrade the computers of its own 80,000 employees to Vista?
| posted by Fast Company staff
It's something for Microsoft developers to keep in mind before releasing Windows 7 next year. Vista was not user-friendly, and the abundance of pop-up security requests slowdown productivity, especially for those using PCs at work. XP was by far Microsoft's best OS so far, and Microsoft should learn if something isn't broken, don't completely revamp it. Fix the bug that exist, tweek the design, but keep the core system in tact.
I just switched to a MacBook Pro after growing up with DOS/WIN 3.1/95/98/XP and it simply blows MSFT's operating system away. If I were an engineer/designer at MSFT I would be ashamed that there is a machine out there that is as powerful and easy to use as a Mac.
What's worse for MSFT than the Intel decision are the leaked internal memos from top management detailing how poor and unready for market the new OS was. That is embarrassing.
Seems to me that if a major chip-maker decides it doesn't want to "upgrade" its own computers to a given software, it is saying "there's something(s) we don't like about this software", and that doesn't bode well for either the software's sales or the software manufacturer's bottom line. "How bad" is this? Seems like "pretty bad" from where I sit.
It reinforces the luke warm reaction to Vista in the market.
That broader reaction should be a call to action for Microsoft to get busy making Vista worth buying.
The cost for an upgrade for 80,000 employees when XP SP3 runs great. Microsoft should get a good kick in the butt learing experience from this. All Intel needs to do is install Ubuntu on a few and see what happens!
It is not basically "bad" for Microsoft -altough it "looks bad"- but it is rather one more serious warning. MSFT must think twice before launching such OS as Vista and it must seriously review its business model given the rise of cloud computing.
If it was that bad, we would have all heard about MSFT struggling (maybe even collapsing?) from a wave defections (because Intel is not the first one doing so).
Yeah, it's bad. But, whether it's bad or not, Microsoft isn't going to collapse over it. They're too rich and too entrenched -- they have income from too many sources, for that to happen. Even if they lost 50% DT OS marketshare, they wouldn't collapse. Maybe they would if they were a smaller company, without any business savvy. It might make them somewhat less relevant in the desktop operating system market -- but, that could actually be a good thing. The 800 pound gorilla could stand to lose some weight. It's become fat and lazy.
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10 Total
June 27, 2008 at 9:19am
Rachel KingIt's something for Microsoft developers to keep in mind before releasing Windows 7 next year. Vista was not user-friendly, and the abundance of pop-up security requests slowdown productivity, especially for those using PCs at work. XP was by far Microsoft's best OS so far, and Microsoft should learn if something isn't broken, don't completely revamp it. Fix the bug that exist, tweek the design, but keep the core system in tact.
June 27, 2008 at 10:08am
Alex HammondHA!
I mean, yeah that's bad.
June 27, 2008 at 11:19am
Alexander CalfeeI just switched to a MacBook Pro after growing up with DOS/WIN 3.1/95/98/XP and it simply blows MSFT's operating system away. If I were an engineer/designer at MSFT I would be ashamed that there is a machine out there that is as powerful and easy to use as a Mac.
What's worse for MSFT than the Intel decision are the leaked internal memos from top management detailing how poor and unready for market the new OS was. That is embarrassing.
June 27, 2008 at 11:21am
Carel Two-EagleSeems to me that if a major chip-maker decides it doesn't want to "upgrade" its own computers to a given software, it is saying "there's something(s) we don't like about this software", and that doesn't bode well for either the software's sales or the software manufacturer's bottom line. "How bad" is this? Seems like "pretty bad" from where I sit.
June 27, 2008 at 1:39pm
David-Henry OliverIt reinforces the luke warm reaction to Vista in the market.
That broader reaction should be a call to action for Microsoft to get busy making Vista worth buying.
June 27, 2008 at 3:02pm
Richard KaneThe cost for an upgrade for 80,000 employees when XP SP3 runs great. Microsoft should get a good kick in the butt learing experience from this. All Intel needs to do is install Ubuntu on a few and see what happens!
June 27, 2008 at 10:35pm
Fred KuzIt is not basically "bad" for Microsoft -altough it "looks bad"- but it is rather one more serious warning. MSFT must think twice before launching such OS as Vista and it must seriously review its business model given the rise of cloud computing.
If it was that bad, we would have all heard about MSFT struggling (maybe even collapsing?) from a wave defections (because Intel is not the first one doing so).
June 28, 2008 at 12:31am
Reagan CardwellYeah, it's bad. But, whether it's bad or not, Microsoft isn't going to collapse over it. They're too rich and too entrenched -- they have income from too many sources, for that to happen. Even if they lost 50% DT OS marketshare, they wouldn't collapse. Maybe they would if they were a smaller company, without any business savvy. It might make them somewhat less relevant in the desktop operating system market -- but, that could actually be a good thing. The 800 pound gorilla could stand to lose some weight. It's become fat and lazy.
June 28, 2008 at 9:38am
Bill WilsonThey probably decided not to do it because they realize it'll be more work afterwards to make all the other programs run correctly.
June 28, 2008 at 10:23am
Thomas CastleberryMicrosoft has the stupidious business plan imaginable. You buy there product it doesn't work then you have to "pay them" to fix there own product.
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