paul thurrott posted an interesting article on winsupersite today about windows 7
Here’s what we do know. Windows 7 can and should be considered Vista Release 2 (R2). In fact, I think Microsoft should market the business versions of the OS under that very name. Beginning with the release of Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008, Microsoft no longer forks its Windows code tree for new releases. So the next versions of Windows client (7), Windows Server (2008 R2), and Windows Home Server (WHS) will all be based from exactly the same code. Microsoft will simply combine the right components to create the Windows version it wants and ship it. It’s a much simpler system than before.
windows 7, a.k.a. windows vista release 2
i generally agree with paul’s opinions but think that a branded ‘business’ version of windows might well be the way to go in order to distance corporate buyers from the commonly held perception that vista is a high gloss, entertainment-focused operating system
it’s been obvious for some time now (and has been proved with microsoft’s own mojave experiment) that a simple ‘re-brand, re-launch’ is what microsoft vista needs more than anything else. windows 7 is clearly that re-launch, and it’s no bad thing. i’ve posted a lot about cloud computing recently. with windows 7 and the expansion of their ‘live’ services microsoft’s position in the fight for cloud supremacy looks healthier
i applaud microsoft for their efforts to develop windows 7 as a component-based operating system. the idea that different versions of windows can be built by simply picking which of the many components ship is undoubtedly a good technical and strategic move. the best example of this ‘pick-and-mix’ architecture in my mind is windows server 2008 which can be set up to run without a gui if need be. if microsoft were to provide a ‘windows core/win min’ build that included enough to run the windows gui, core services like the network stack, file management etc i think they would be onto a real winner with it, especially in the emerging market of ultra portable laptops and mobile devices. there seems little point in them continuing to sell xp licences to the likes of asus for use in their eeepc laptops when a slimmed down version of windows 7 would do the same thing, and likely do it better as well
here’s hoping microsoft have more luck with windows 7, if only to keep their ever advancing competitors playing catch-up, something they haven’t had to do in a while
Dont forget Microsoft have the largest share of the online email market at the minute with Hotmail. It will be easy for them to put ‘Email’ links on Windows 7 desktop to direct people to it. They can do this for claender, shared folder (mesh etc). They can use their desktop market to leverage people towards their online ‘cloud’ solutions – this is something everyone else will have to do – drag new customer accross – MS just have to direct theirs… then again they dont have much at the minute to direct to – but it’s coming.
You state that the only thing that Vista needs is to be re-branded. I think it needs to be fixed. The Apple ads are right on the money, it is wholely unreliable, slow, cumbersome, and for the life of me I haven’t been able to find anything redeeming about it. I’ve been in this business since the 70s and have dealt with some pretty awful operating systems and Vista is right up there with the worst of them. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t have major issues. I just wish I could switch but I’m stuck with this dog.
On the contrary I’ve been running on Vista for just over a year now using normal office applications, visual studio 2005, 2008 etc SQL server 2000, 2005 fairly complicated stuff but have yet to find an issue.
Firefox crashes daily and I’ve had a few instances where apps have been restarted due to internal faults, but certainly not to a level I find would constitute a problem. The crashed app re-appears as it was in the state it was before the crash, surely this is better than a BSOD?
I’ll admit I wouldn’t spend money on upgrading my XP setup at home to vista as – yup I don’t see a heap of benefits in doing that. My home PC is largely used for gaming, vista is not yet a pre-req for most games. But I’m sure the apple ads don’t make out that vista is slow, cumbersome or whatever – I think Sir (preplan) you may be watching through the apple shaped window!