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June 4, 2008 10:28 AM PDT

Microsoft to businesses: Now is the time to switch to Vista

Microsoft has already made its case for consumer adoption of Vista. Now, it's aiming its PR offensive at business customers.

The company on Wednesday released a white paper paper targeted at the many businesses that have chosen to stick with Windows XP instead of moving to Vista. Microsoft argues that Vista is more secure, reliable, and can save companies money when it comes to management and deployment.

"We have tried to close gaps for consumers, and we're doing the same for enterprises," Mike Nash, vice president of Windows Client Product Management at Microsoft, told CNET News.com.

Why should businesses deploy now? Nash says the release of Vista Service Pack 1 has improved Windows security, improved driver support, and minimized application compatibility issues, for starters.

Compared with Windows XP, Vista has had fewer vulnerabilities (45 for Vista versus 56 for XP); fewer critical vulnerabilities (17 as opposed to 35); and 60 percent fewer malicious software infections than XP SP2, Nash said.

Microsoft's Mike Nash

(Credit: Microsoft)

The big bonus for companies may come in cost savings versus XP when it comes to deployment and management of Vista across multiple machines, Nash said.

Tom Norton, the worldwide Microsoft services practice lead for Hewlett-Packard, said that a majority of HP's top 500 customers globally "are looking at this (Vista) as a way to save money on support of client environments."

As for application compatibility, the move from Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 7 was more traumatic than the Windows upgrade, said Norton.

Still, despite the statistics and reassurances, initial impressions tend to last. And the initial Vista experience for many people was less than stellar, a point which Microsoft concedes. Nash says that, yes, the company made a lot of changes with Vista that have taken time for customers to get used to, and initial driver and application support was lacking. But, "there is a huge gap between what is possible with Vista and the perception that is out there," he said.

Nash, who will soon celebrate his 17th anniversary with Microsoft, said that he has seen similar customer trepidation in the past when it comes to new Windows releases. "There has always been a version of Windows that is new that people don't know what to do with; there has always been the incumbent version; and there is always a new version on the horizon. It's not a new phenomenon," Nash said.

This time around, the X factor is Windows 7. Microsoft has said precious little about the planned Windows release, except that it will come in 2009 and will include a touch interface. Still, with companies just getting around to Vista deployment, does it make sense to wait for 7?

"I have heard that with every release (of Windows)," Nash said. "What I will say: back when I worked on security at Microsoft, a lot of customers said they would never deploy XP. Initially they were waiting for better security, then they were waiting for XP SP2. Then they were waiting for Longhorn (the code name used during Vista's development)."

Microsoft's message to customers is that Vista introduced a fair amount of new code in the operating system kernel and in device-level software. Sure, it's been a rough transition from XP to Vista. But Vista and Windows 7 will be largely compatible in those areas, according to the white paper release on Wednesday, meaning that customers will eventually need to bite the bullet and make the switch.

"There is always some level of evaluation that customers will want to go through. Five minutes for some; 12 to 18 months for others. The question is: what is the right time for you as a customer?" Nash said.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 56 comments (Showing first 20 comments)
by MyRightEye June 4, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
And the reply for a growing number will be, "No, now is the time to switch to OS X"
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by UN4GIVEN-3 June 4, 2008 10:55 AM PDT
With everything going on in os market. I think I'll keep my xp until the end. At which time I'll convert everything over to mac.
Reply to this comment View all 3 replies
by HomerSmi June 4, 2008 10:58 AM PDT
As far as I can tell businesses didn't switch to Vista because of lack of application compatibility. I'm not sure that a switch to OS X is going to address that.
Reply to this comment View reply
by epr_epr June 4, 2008 11:14 AM PDT
HomerSmi,

remember you are talking to Jobs fanboys.....
Reply to this comment
by wjcunning June 4, 2008 11:17 AM PDT
My business simply can't run on Vista. We telecommute a lot, and our Vista clients have serious problems handling routine VPN duties, not to mention problems interfacing Microsoft's own Outlook Web Access services. Vista is so bad that our vendor flatly refuses to do Vista installs for fear of liability.....they fear guys like me that will eye poke them if Vista breaks my business processes. Hey sports fans, with gas prices soaring, telecommuting looms LARGE in my company's future, we're squandering tons of money on commuting fuel costs, and it has to stop......until Vista lears to telecommute, we're solidly in the XP camp.
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by NWLB June 4, 2008 11:18 AM PDT
Microsoft to business: It still sucks, by it anyway, we want to get our money before we replace it with Windows 7 two years hence.

Morons.

I play LOTRO, which supports DirectX, and I am not going to upgrade my perfectly good 5 year old system until early 2009, so I can get a decent Nehalem CPU that can run XP and Vista in a dual boot setup. If I have to buy Vista to run my game, so be it, but I'll be darned if I use it for anything else.

The day they start porting native versions of games to Mac, I'm taking my aged copies of XP, and leaving Microsoft forever, and I know I won't be alone.
Reply to this comment View all 2 replies
by sniperdoc June 4, 2008 12:09 PM PDT
The problem is that Microsoft is trying to buy the corporate IT world's approval of Vista. I myself was approached by Dell and CDW about "incentives" to get all of our desktops switched to Vista. Here's why I can't and won't:

1. Our accounting software does not work with IE7 under Vista. There's a patch for IE7 under XP though.
2. We still have some Dell Optiplex L150r's and Inspiron 2500's if that rings a bell for people. (Sub-128MB of RAM and 800MHz CPU's, no dedicated GPU)
3. Poor business practice on Microsoft's part by "buying" the corporate world to inflate their figures for who in the corporate world uses Vista.

The ONLY reason they show a large use of Vista is because their numbers being terribly inflated due to OEM's pushing Vista out, but not having figures on how many users replace the OS with XP.

They say there's a lower cost? How so? Training of staff on a entirely new confusing interface? Training of support staff in troubleshooting new Vista "issues"? Productivity lost during the "adjustment phase" to the new operating system?

What a farce. Problem is nothing old supports Vista. I would have to buy entirely new hardware AND software just to keep the shop going beyond that... and with a staff of TWO I.T. guys supporting 14 offices in remote locations in FL and MI... no way.

Pardon my french but Fu@# Vista AND Microsoft.
Reply to this comment View all 4 replies
by fokkwp June 4, 2008 12:12 PM PDT
Maybe these Microsoft VP types would be more believable if they didn't so closely resemble CIA operatives - big, bulky, seeming to frown even when they are "smiling" as if it is an alien experience for them . . .
Reply to this comment
by fokkwp June 4, 2008 12:15 PM PDT
So, the message seems to be: when XP came out you guys thought you'd just wait for Longhorn, but look what a basket case *it* is, so don't even think about waiting around for 7.
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by Michichael June 4, 2008 12:34 PM PDT
The problem is that deploying a new OS with this high of hardware requirements would BANKRUPT many businesses. Vista won't be phased in until every last machine has at least 2 GB of RAM, and justifiably, what the hell does a desktop user need that much RAM for? The OS?!

I'm a systems administrator for a fairly large company. Microsoft stopped selling XP licenses. We have over 800 Vista licenses and 0 Vista installs - we purchased down-grade rights and reimaged the machines. How much time and money could you save over my 20 minute reimage of an OS everyone of our employees knows how to use?

You couldn't PAY me to push Vista out on our users, and I love it at home. It just would not work in a business environment. The hardware reqs are far too high.
Reply to this comment
by hetzbh June 4, 2008 12:40 PM PDT
'We have tried to close gaps for consumers, and we're doing the same for enterprises,"
Translation: We made it absolutely DAMN hard to buy a PC/Notebook with XP for consumers. You want XP on your PC? buy a business class machine!
Now they try doing the same on enterprise, only this time it's gonna be harder.. way harder! saving? whats wrong with Pentium 4/onboard graphics/80GB disk with XP + apps that works perfectly well? where's the saving if I need to buy a WHOLE new machine to do the EXACT same job for the same person with the same work at my company? none, no savings!
Reply to this comment
by sanjayb June 4, 2008 12:53 PM PDT
I work @ a major Canadian bank. Vista probably won't be in our world for at least another 2 years. Most of our machines would need to be upgrade and we have alot of software that are not compatible with Vista.
Reply to this comment
by fgsdfgdsfgdsfg June 4, 2008 1:40 PM PDT
as a systems admin for a medimum sized business i can say i agree with Michichael. we purchase vista licenses with software assurance and employ downgrade rights and deploy XP on the machines. (i know microsoft is counting this as a vista license sold even though we aren;t running vista)
vista just doesn't work w/ many of the apps we run. IE7 in vista doesn't display many web pages correctly for our web based apps. (IE7 in XP works fine)
i have to run XP in a virtual machine so i can log into my sonicwall appliances because IE7 in vista doesn't display the pages.

vista is also much slower. i run a machine w/ a 10,000 RPM raptor hard disk and 4 gigs of ram running vista 64 bit. my co-worker running half the ram on a 7,200 RPM hard drive runs circles around me. when i type a unc path such as \\server\share it takes vista almost a full half minute to bring it up. XP is less then 1 second.

and why is IPv6 enabled by default. no one will ever use IPv6 for an internal private network. IPv4 will always be sufficent. IPv6 will only be used for public addresses on the internet (IE the public ip of your firewall or router). businesses will always still use IPv4 for their private LANs. The only time IPv6 would be used by vista is when someone plugs directly into the internet. even your average home user is behind a router most times?
Still microsoft insists on flooding your network with un-needed IPv6 broadcast traffic.
i don't get it.
Reply to this comment
by tekwiz4u June 4, 2008 2:08 PM PDT
Question is WHY UPGRADE?!!! Don't feed us "Its better because its more secure", or "it will save you money" crap. Nash will probably be saying the same thing when Windows 7 comes out, and the next version after that. The primary focus for the company is revenue turnover, but its at the expense of aggravating everyone else.
Reply to this comment
by bugm3n0t June 4, 2008 2:14 PM PDT
Earth to Redmond, Earth to Redmond....
Whoever is running the show over there, business doesn't want Vista. Repeat, business doesn't want Vista. Should we send someone to hit you on the head with a hammer or did you hear us the first time? With Windows 7 (great name, i know it's just code but did we fire the vice president in charge of code names?) around the corner (I'll believe that when I see it), business has every incentive to wait. Move on, light speed to Windows 7.
Reply to this comment
by craigbuyer June 4, 2008 3:21 PM PDT
I used windows 98 till the year 2006. Then I switched to Windows XP since windows 98 does not support large disk beyond 127GB. As a home user I just need internet explorer and MS office, Acrobat reader, VLC player. For running these applications, I dont need windows Vista. I am hoping Windows XP takes my for another 10 years before I will think another version of Windows.
Reply to this comment
by AppleRocks1963 June 4, 2008 4:33 PM PDT
Microsoft to its consumers: "eat our crap, it's all we've got to offer."
Reply to this comment
by ppgreat June 4, 2008 5:03 PM PDT
Any IT department worth its salt should be investigating alternatives to MS right now. Not waiting for Windows 7 vapor or whatever. The time has never been better.
Reply to this comment
by mhatter13 June 4, 2008 5:19 PM PDT
Oh please, MS. No one believe this stuff anymore. I asked my pal at the Gates Foundation, in downtown Seattle no less, what OS they are using there. The answer? Windows XP. If Gates' own foundation doesn't need / want to 'upgrade,' why should the rest of us...
Reply to this comment
by Mergatroid Mania June 4, 2008 6:39 PM PDT
For me the issue is the DRM that has been built in. I've heard horror stories of people almost losing operability of all their movies and music because of a problem with Vista.

I honestly don't believe my computers operating system should be policing me, nor keeping track of what I have purchased.

Obviously MS cares more about the movie studios and record companies than they do about their customers or they wouldn't build crap like this into the os.

And, considering the cost, no I don't think I'll be buying it. I think the most expensive piece of my computer should be hardware, not the os.

Oh ya, will Mike Nash come to my home or business and pay to resolve any issues we have if we did switch? Pay to replace any software that doesn't work? I doubt it...
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