Analyst sees Windows 7 done by summer
Although slumping PC sales will certainly hurt Microsoft, the software maker's year could be better than expected, according to one financial analyst.
In a research note on Monday, Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal projected that Microsoft will finalize the code for Windows 7 by June or July and also suggested that a search deal with Yahoo is likely to happen sooner rather than later. And, although it won't be here this year, Aggarwal said that the next version of Office, code-named Office 14, should come early next year.
Brokerage Collins Stewart said on Monday that it expects Windows 7, now in beta, to be finalized by June or July.
(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET )Officially, Microsoft has said only that it will have Windows 7 on the market by next January, the three-year anniversary of Windows Vista's mainstream launch. However, the company has been aiming to have it out in time to be on PCs that ship during this year's holiday shopping season. PC industry sources told CNET News last month that Microsoft continues to push toward that goal.
The release of Windows 7 should allow Microsoft to make $1.5 billion in additional revenue, Aggarwal said, with nearly $1 billion coming from the upgrade market and as much as $680 million possible if Microsoft is able to increase the number of premium versions of Windows being used on Netbooks.
Even with a sluggish PC market, that makes the company's shares a good investment, Aggarwal wrote in the note. "We are recommending Microsoft as our top large cap pick because at the current level risk-reward appears to be very compelling," Aggarwal said.
Clearly not all is rosy, Aggarwal noted. "There is no doubt that the trends with PC shipments and Netbooks will get worse for at least the next 2 (quarters) but both of these concerns are now largely reflected in the stock price," he said.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
As we saw from the Vista release, vendors were able to install the new OS on all their hardware between the time retail stores closed one day and reopened the next .
-Adam
I test Windows 7 Beta and is crap. Confess that looks better than Vista, but is crap anyway. Windows is a OS good for sheep's who are afraid to try something new. I will not change my OS Ubuntu Linux 8.10 / 8.04 from my work laptop and desktop. With Wine or Crossover for linux, everybody can use the windows applications in Linux, if you do not found equal application for linux (hardly to happen), I begin to believe since I use Ubuntu as my main Desktop OS, that I will never return to Windows, except for gaming. :-)
Maybe if you stop dicking around with 500 different OSes and just use the computer to do some real work, you will not "waist money".
Your statement is in contrast to most people's comments, which say that Win 7 is working just fine and it is a good OS.
If you don't like it, don't use it.
The main question is why to use boot camp or Crossover to run programs, when you just can simply run Wnodws nativly?
I guess that the "sheep" (as you call most consumers) just want their life to be simple, and for their OS to work with everything they want.
I think that's where your argument imploded.
Does this mean you feel that Ubuntu is not stable or worth of spending money on? Why do you feel it is a waste of money to buy OS X for a Macintosh?
Your comments are contradictory and tend to suggest that you have not actually tested Windows on anything at all. The lack of consistency in your comments mark mark you as a troll until you are able to clear this up and present a clear and simple statement.
You call yourself IT engineer and yet you cant grasp what productivity is? In the future you really shoulf think before posting to a MS blog. Really you have nothing relevant to add to this conversation.
I almost shot my sip of coffee out my nose. You're kidding yourself.
Also, Mac's have 15% of the virus vulnrabilities while Vista only has 5%. That throws away any argument that Mac's are more secure.
Those statistics were from a CNET article a while back. The only reason that people say that Macs don't get any viruses is because so few people use a Mac. If there is a large percentage using Windows PC's and a small percentage using Mac's, which would a virus writter attack? Of course the PC's. So, therefore, Macs aren't any more secure than Windows PC's.
Regarding the line "Windows is a OS good for sheep's who are afraid to try something new", I tried OSX, infact my first computer was a Mac (Lisa) but the new one Mac does not work for me as it is tooooooo weak. People have needs that the Mac cannot fulfill. Others just are too lazy to try something new. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean that everyone has to change because of you. I have to use my own custom built desktop with Windows because it is more stable on it. The new Mac just keeps freezing and crashing with the types of apps that i use and the work environment i am in. I use 64 GB of Fully buffered server grade RAM. No Apple computer (I haven't tried OSX server) can use this much on a regular machine. No my desktop isn't a server. I use 2 Quad core processors, can you use 2 processors in a Mac. That's what i thought.
You should be careful when you cite your opinions. You could have written the same thing but by wording it differently. WIndows or Apple or Linux bashing isn't a good thing on any forum. All of them have some things that the others don't.
About using Wine in linux. It works okay but it can't execute heavy apps. It slows down everything and is eeven worse than windows at times.
If you don't like Windows 7 or think it's the same as Vista then be happily on your way. Nobody will make you use it.
Perhaps you may want to stay with your 'lunix'.
BTW....becoz Microsoft released Vista in a hurry and it wasn't ready, they took some time to get things right and are now revealing all of the features they had planned to release earlier with this release.
Windows 7 is codenamed Vienna which I wouldn't argue is the sister to Vista. But tell me something are every brother and sister the same? Are you and your brother/sister the same? Sure there are some similarities. There has always been some similarities with every version of windows to the next.
AAPL continues to slide as MSFT was up again today. Got 7 ? New ad slogan !
I am tired of AAPL lovers and haters mentioning anything about the stock in relation to bad news. MSFT has no buyers themselves... MSFT is also down. But again who cares, their VOLUME is below their daily average... AND it's all manipulated.
Anyway, Windows 7 seems to be a nice upgrade... people here are too close minded. I happily use Windows & Macs.
Your point is that you're excited to use Windows 7. Fine... And their new ads finally make sense... i still wonder about '7's' security.
it is the best OS ever
if mac user = majority of users then ur statement might hold true, but dude =.= count....
That'd run counter to logic, now, wouldn't it?
First get me figures, graph charts what ever kind of data you can.
SO what you mean is that people who use windows are unpatriotic because they voted for Obama. People who use Mac are more patriotic because they voted for McCain.....LOL
Its people like you who keep comedy in forums and make other people's day.
Not True. Microsoft will do anything in its power to push the new OS, and you won't have a choice. It will be pre-installed on all machines. It'll be the only MS OS sold in stores. Older versions will be "unsupported". If you prefer an older MS operating system, you are out of luck.
"Windows 7 Ultimate Downgrade XP pre-installed"
If your applications did not work with vista as is. Do you know how much the cost is to redevelop your proprietory software for your company again.
"Not True. Microsoft will do anything in its power to push the new OS, and you won't have a choice. It will be pre-installed on all machines. It'll be the only MS OS sold in stores. Older versions will be "unsupported". If you prefer an older MS operating system, you are out of luck."
1. If you buy a Mac how will MS force you to put windows on it?
2. If you buy a PC/laptop without windows installed (look for machines with Linux pre-installed on Dell.com for example) how will MS force you to put windows on it?
3. If you continue to use your existing computer, how will MS force you to install Windows 7 on it?
4. If you assemble your own PC how will MS force you to install Windows on it?
5. Windows XP will be supported until 2014.
6. Windows Vista will be supported well beyond that date (can't remember the exact date now).
And lastly - either go troll elsewhere or at least try to post something insightful or original or at least something less blinded by hate if you're not going to be original.
The company that I work for was smart enough to make everything web based from the start. However that is a reason why people would not want windows seven. An example of this would be subway. They are forced to continue to use xp or lower for their cash registers, because the software will not run on vista because of changes to the location of system files, changes to private api, and uac. Just the licensing fee's to rewrite the software would cost multiple millions of dollars, which will not happen in this economy.
Here is a nice long article about them that gets into much detail.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199100836
And who cares about Subway cash registers? For something that specialized, they should just stick to what works. Some CNC machinery I used to work on still runs on DOS. If the software vendor hasn't upgraded in a decade, I don't see how that's MS's fault.
Microsoft has had several failed products recently, the Zune isn't doing well, is losing in the search market, is constantly dancing around a merger of some kind with yahoo!, just laid off 5000 workers, etc etc and their new OS "might" be out early and therefore they are a good investment. Even if I thought Microsoft was awesome and Apple sucked as an investor Apple still looks more attractive. I don't get it. I guess I'm just not that bright.
It really is that bad.
A significant number of users have downgraded to XP (NT-5.2).
An insignifcant number have switched to Apple or Linux.
Lot's of people are attempting to skip Vista (NT-6.0)
If 7 (NT-7.0) isn't all hype . . . it should sell like hotcakes.
Apple doesn't have a new OS that will potentially sell billions of copies (thousands - maybe).
Apple OS users still don't get that they are an incredibly small minority - even Linux has bigger share.
First, Steve Jobs' health woes. The last time Jobs left the company, Apple went into the tank (John Scully & Gil Amelio, anyone?). Jobs seems to be the key visionary for the company. If he goes/leaves, that really hurts Apple going forward.
Second, the current economy. Apple's gear, nice though it is, carries premium-pricing. Most folks aren't willing to spend $2000-3000 on a nice PowerBook when then can get a pretty decently performing PC-compatible for half that.
I'm not an industry guru, etc., but that's my take on what's going on.
Yep, could be just a service pack applied to Vista.
But you don't get money for a service pack . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJObWmN-x9I
(in short - you're fine; the analysts are full of ****)
When it comes to Apple stock in particular, I think what's happened is that the current price had factored in many years of continued growth at the same rate that Apple experienced from 2000 to 2008, and now it's looking like that might not be the case, so the stock price is now reflecting that new reality.
Its ok to be a Windows Fan-boy but please be an objective one, don't just act like Windows 7 is the mother of all OS. I will see most of you complaining when it launches on this very site about something being wrong with the OS, count on it. On the Net-book side Windows 7 will only run a max of 3 applications at one time and this will hurt it because again most of you fan-boys will ***** about it. So if it such a great OS why the limitations? Ubuntu does not restrict anything and it comes loaded with all kinds of applications. And I read somewhere here about some Mp3 stuff not working, absolutely not true, Ubuntu can run all kinds of codecs and then some windows won't. As far as OSX it rocks it is a very solid OS compare to that other OS. The only issue with OSX is that it is a Monopoly just like Windows. The sad part about most of you is that you do not value your FREEDOM, you can't think for yourselves and won't think for yourselves. You have no sense of what Privacy means when a PC phones in to Big brother about what your doing and what your listening and viewing (DRM). But sure it is your FREEDOM not Mine.
Did you actually read any of the articles about W7?
Sheesh.
It sends home to verify your not pirating
Your life doesn't mean **** to MS for them to try and steal info from you this whole conspiracy crap is ridiculous.
Your comment is quite simply a lie. There is no way in the world that MS has already trained it's support staff on anything related to Windows 7. There is simply no way in the world they would resolve your issue with "wait for 7".
You get used to it after a while.
Every program, game, application, driver, etc that works on Windows Vista will work on Windows 7. Read that again slowly. The last three years developers spent updating all of their hardware with new Vista drivers, updating applications, updating games, etc will pay off because they will all be compatible DAY ONE on Windows 7.
I am holding myself even I am software developer (need new one) but no way with Vista..
Shame on you for calling everyone who uses Windows "sheep's who are afraid to try something new". I'm not afraid to try something new, I have an Ubuntu machine, Mac with OS X Leopard, and a Vista x64 machine. I primarily use my Windows machine because it has everything I need in one OS and it doesn't crash. I use my Mac when I need Photoshop because my license is on there. I spend most of my time writing code in Eclipse, and I really don't think running Ubuntu will make me 300% faster. You asked for the insult by being simple minded and arrogant.
Futhermore to not pretend to lecture, your opinion is duly noted and very biased toward Linux, we get that.
I question you again how you can be so closed to MSA and be on a MS blog. Seems like Don Quioxte to me.
And the one thing they have that Apple doesn't is a huge developer army. And I'm not talkinga bout their employees, but rather all the people who develop on the windows platform vs the Mac platform. More software out there for windows than for Macs. And lately Microsoft has gotten very open and very social in the developer industry. I've never seen it like this before. Us developers get to try the technology years before it comes out. Can't wait for .Net 4.0 and Silverlight 3 which is coming out later this year too.
- by Angmarr March 9, 2009 8:46 PM PDT
- CANT w8 ... this is gonna be good, and turn of the tide.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
-
- by reya276 March 10, 2009 7:53 AM PDT
- Turn of the tide? What tide is that? Because the last I recall windows has been the dominant OS on this planet or more like the U.S but if you mean the Linux tide then maybe or the OSX tide maybe but the Windows tide not so sure, there is nothing new about Windows 7, KDE 4.1-4.2 is exactly like the Windows 7 interface. I wonder where MS got it from? Also everything that windows does it can be done in Ubuntu now or OSX. So I just don't see that tide your talking about.
- Like this
-
- by Seaspray0 March 11, 2009 8:20 PM PDT
- Critical mass? The linux desktop (all linux distro's combined) is less than 1% market share. That's critical mass? I think it's a good OS, but I don't see critical mass yet. It still doesn't get the attention from developers that a good OS should. The GPL has not been kind to developers (who like to get paid).
- Like this
-
Showing 1 of 2 pages (102 Comments)I mean I wonder when people talk about quality software do they mean the eye candy or functionality. The last I recall I can't save any files in MS Office to a PDF format unless you have Adobe Acrobat install while Open Office does this just fine. Oh I know you you people meant, is the APA format that does it for you right, since you don't have to think or do anything on your part. I get it, is the thinking that bothers you not the software. I use OpenOffice all the time no issues at all. It is compatible with all MS office format except for that *.docx crap which 2007 has trouble with.
For graphics I use GIMP which works just fine and is pretty close to Photshop when use for web graphics. If for print stick to photoshop. Lets face it though how many home users use photoshop for commercial printing, huh not I. As far as media is concern again everything is there in Ubuntu. Even that Dorvak guy from PC mag says Ubuntu(linux) has hit critical mass. All of you guys are all "I love windows 7" ooh this "OS is so great" sounds a lot like when vista first showed its ugly head. So I look forward to seeing most of you complaining as usually about your PC was turned into a bot or you can't save a file because you get an IO error or can't connect your device because the driver that came with it just won't work. Oh boy here we go again!