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It’s been a long time since we’ve had a version of Windows that will actually run better (than the previous version) on the hardware that most customers have.
Mike Nash • Microsoft’s vice president of the Windows product management group. MS appears to be ready to give up on the unpopular OS. Vista may stop shipping with new computers as soon as Windows 7 shows up, according to a company-wide memo. But … but … what would Lauren say? • source

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From Windows 95 to Vista, the history is long and depressing for Microsoft’s cash cow. BSODs ahoy! source

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Vista today, post-Service Pack 2, which is now in the marketplace, is the safest, most reliable OS we’ve ever built. It’s also the most secure OS on the planet, including Linux and open source and Apple Leopard. It’s the safest and most secure OS on the planet today.
Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner • Who just claimed Vista was the most reliable operating system on the market. Yeah, sure. It’s that kind of talk that makes our dreams of a real relationship with Lauren near-impossible. • source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 8 Comments • Permalink

Mainstream support of XP ends next week. Microsoft owns a hefty chunk of the PC market, sure, but they own it on a seven-year-old operating system. 63% of all Internet users – not just Windows users, but the overall market – use XP, and it’s still sold with new computers. They’ll still provide security fixes, but bug fixes are done after this week. MS officials say that since the platform is so mature it shouldn’t be a problem, but this still seems kind of sketchy. Meanwhile, Vista cries in the corner, all gussied up for the school dance but without a date. source

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MS has a change of heart. After being seen as heartless by sending letters like these to former employees, the Windows maker has changed its mind about asking for that severance money back. In case you’re wondering, MS, nobody will complain if you decide to take back Vista. Or Songsmith. source

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Putting players in place Yesterday, MS named David Porter, a former Wal-Mart and Dreamworks Animation exec, as vice president of its retail stores. Taking a cue from Apple, the stores would sell computers with Microsoft software on them, as well as non-PC products like Zunes and Xboxes. Since starting their stores, Apple has made out like gangbusters and cut into MS’ market share.
What we imagine We think this could perhaps be the ninth layer of hell if done wrong. Just imagine – stores with Songsmith karaoke bars, walls lined with numerous versions of Windows, and repeated showings of those terrible Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates commercials on giant TV screens. And honestly, we’d be afraid of getting locked in the store overnight by a blue screen of death.
Bad timing?Yeah, nothing against the idea or anything, guys, but you realize we’re in a recession, right? You guys laid off people recently, too, so it’s not exactly like you should be unaware of this fact. And on top of that, one of your biggest retail outlets, Circuit City, bit the big one. Not to tell you not to do this, guys, but is this really the best use of your time? source

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Windows 7 Beta, out Friday. Steve Ballmer announced the news at his less-notable keynote speech at CES yesterday. It may be an attempt to clear the veins of the company’s much maligned current version of Windows, Vista. Personally, as Mac fans, we thought they were universally maligned. source

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07 Nov 2009 14:21