XP is extended as Vista concerns mount

Is Microsoft really worried about Vista? Many experts think so, and the fact that the company has extended the availability of Windows XP only reinforces their theory. Hear all the details, plus how AutoPatcher could make a comeback sooner than you think.

Highlights:

(0:25) Microsoft extends XP availability

(2:00) Four critical patches coming in October

(2:27) AutoPatcher: The second coming

(3:45) Microsoft, Google discuss SaaS strategies

(6:12) Brad Anderson opens up about Configuration Manager 2007

Other news this week:
Russinovich finds his place at Microsoft
How to design monitoring controls to manage mistakes

 

 XP is extended as Vista concerns mount [8:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (38)

Posted: October 5th, 2007 under Software as a Service, Windows Vista, Patch Updates, Windows Desktop.

6 Comments »

1. Experts? Talk about history repeating itself. I recall similar discussions and naysayers during the W2k to XP transition era. Vary rarely have I seen such a large piece of software be released glitch free - Vista is no different. XP has had 5 years of customer exposure to have the kinks worked out (as best they can be). Vista will I’m sure in time.

   Comment by Dave — October 6, 2007 @ 9:50 am

2. Ture - a large rollout may introduce many problems. And software/hardware vendors that don’t get on board well in advance of the software release create a lot of problems as well. But to date, I dont see any compelling reason to use it, the resource requirements are very high and I wonder how mac - with a much smaller organisation, manage to roll out regular updates without so many problems. Vista - I can wait.

   Comment by Gordon Harriott — October 6, 2007 @ 5:56 pm

3. Ditto. It’s a pity that such talented and perceptive folks as your “Experts” seem unable to direct their obviously superior intellects toward creating something instead of sitting on their squats and trying to bring down the efforts of others. Of course Vista isn’t perfect, but at present it’s far closer than anything else in this area has ever been. OK, I know, but I don’t believe that Jobs actually walks on water either.

   Comment by Neil Wright — October 6, 2007 @ 9:46 pm

4. Does this mean MS will allow me to downgrade me new system that had VISTA installed to XP for free? I have already had to purchase a copy of XP to replace VISTA on a laptop. Could I now get a free license for the XP install. Could MS be in hot water for requiring all new PC’s to come with VISTA, and now admitting that glitches require an extension of product life for XP?

   Comment by clifford cuellar — October 7, 2007 @ 12:40 am

5. As someone who prefers to use Macs, but does network support for Windows servers and workstations, I would like to say that *I* don’t believe Jobs walks on water (but it’s amazing how many people use this line to auto-excuse whatever complaint is being discussed about MS/Windows), my problem with MS is their cheap tactics to try and force people to upgrade to Vista by making XP unavailable, especially when they know they have a history of releasing OS’s with huge security/functionality problems. I have tried Vista, and I don’t like what they’ve done with it. I imagine in a year or two they may have fixed the issues to the point where I don’t mind it any more, but I have been advising all my clients strongly against migrating to it yet.
   An OS isn’t like a software release where your main upgrade issue is whether you want the new features, and potential compatibility issues with people who do upgrade; you need it to make your computer work at all, and for all of your applications that actually help you do the work you want to perform with the computer. Forcing customers to upgrade to a new platform that still has major functionality and security issues is unethical and inexcusable.

   Comment by Geofry Glenn — October 8, 2007 @ 11:01 am

6. I am not concerned about MAC vs Windows. Vista is being rejected by the masses because Microsoft fails to understand that the PC industry is maturing. No longer can they get away with what I call fad releasing and panic buying for the latest and greatest. People are far more discerning about , what they want and what they will pay for. VISTA took many of the nice and easy to understand interface features away , hid them deep in the new O/S and over-designed the security , making it far more complex and frustrating to learn. On that score people have not got the time , energy or resources in a busy world to be re-learning things over and over and paying $700 bucks every couple of years for features they will NEVER use.i.e who really cares about Widgets. VISTA has become a disabling technology not an enabling technology and that is predominantly why it is failing - Personal Computers existed so that people could actually do things themselves .. cheaply , quickly without too much learning or effort and also without big brother watching their every move.

   Like many others I continue to warn my clients about VISTA and steer them back to XP for a easy to use , straight forward , low cost O/S. Vista is currently no threat to XP and hardware vendors have complained bitterly to MS that they cannot sell product whilst VISTA is being forcibly attached to the hardware.I see MS complying with that as a tacit admission that VISTA is not going well at all despite what is stated elsewhere by Microsoft.

   Even the so called VISTA SP1 is facing a stern review and not receiving much favourable press so clearly MS are struggling with the product . If they actually started listening to users it might be a good thing for them.

   Comment by Ken McAvoy — October 9, 2007 @ 2:01 pm

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