So it looks as if Microsoft it battling bad Vista PR with the same resource it usually does in bad times – MONEY! They are throwing lots of money at the problem in hopes that they can fix the “Vista perception” in the public eye. Personally, I think that they should just spend that money to speed along the new version of Windows more quickly. Oh wait – it was reported this week that Microsoft is pulling Windows 7 ahead early – possibly up to June ’09!

Even though big company CIO’s are planning on skipping Vista altogether, Microsoft is working hard to get consumers to not want to downgrade to XP! The recent ads of the “Mojave” expirement are a joke – where MS shows consumers “Vista” but tells them it’s the new version of Windows called “Mojave” and they “love” it until they are told it’s Vista. You read new articles all the time like “Will Vista be the death of Microsoft that question whether or not a new operating system could become popular or not, and (in that article) the rumour is HP is working on one.

You still occasionally find the odd-person-out that says Windows Vista is not so bad. And there are still tips here and there available, like how to unlock Vista’s hidden boot screen. The ability to customize and remove certain features in Vista must be lacking, or at best difficult, give many companies have enabled groups of experts to help customers remove them.

Until next time – that’s what’s new in Vista in the News!

WTF is going on Microsoft? In my last post I talked about “Vista’s Second Life, and how the confirmed release date of Windows 7 is Jan 2010. OEM’s can sell XP Professional until Jan 2009, so that leaves people screwed for about a year if they buy a new PC – doesn’t it?

Well, just a couple days about Microsoft officially ended sales of Windows XP – you can’t just walk into Office Max and pickup a copy anymore. As previously mentioned, you can still get it from OEM computer builders until Jan 2009, but after that they can’t even get it from Microsoft.

So, the really screwy thing I just read about was that Dell was now offer it’s new Windows Vista Bonus Program for only $99. What’s the bonus?? You get a computer with Windows XP Professional installed on it, and a disc with Vista on it. WTF Microsoft – and WTF dell?!? Now we have to PAY AN EXTRA HUNDRED BUCKS to not get Vista? F*CK YOU!

US $49.95 End Date: Monday Aug-02-2010 12:37:06 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $49.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

US $3.95 End Date: Friday Aug-06-2010 10:09:19 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $3.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Aug-07-2010 13:33:33 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

PC World has reported that Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or SP1 will be officially available to everyone on February 15th, 2008! Or will it? That date has been reported by Taiwanese news agency, and some sources close to Microsoft say that’s a “target date”, but Microsoft won’t comment. Some believe that SP1 will bring a new wave of adoption to Vista, espcially businesses. I just want my “blackout screen glitch” to go away everytime I log in. I read last year that this (among other video drivers fixes) should be fixed by installing SP1.

As many look for SP1 to make their Vista experience better, IBM is preying on the fact that so many people are having difficulty with Vista and businesses that are dragging their feet to upgrade from Windows XP. The are starting to swing the Linux hammer in an attempt to get people out of “Vista Hell”. They announced that they will offer an “Open Collaboration Client Solution with support for Ubuntu”. What is Ubuntu? Ubuntu is the most mainstream version of Linux I’ve ever seen, and IBM touts it as “personal computing software that is based on open standards, providing businesses with a cost-effective and security-rich alternative to Microsoft desktops”.

The timing is good for IBM, because Vista has a poor reputation among many. Can they re-brand themselves? I don’t know, being an IT person myself I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, anyone support open source standards and Ubuntu has got my attention. But we all know IBM is self-serving, and the proof in the pudding is that their “Open Collaboration Client” software manifest nothing but proprietary IBM apps based on Lotus Notes and Websphere. When you first read “Ubuntu” you expect to see things like “Open Office” on the list.

If you were doubtful about the fact that not only does Windows Vista have a poor reputation – but that Microsoft knows it and is worried about it, read this article announcing that Windows 7 may be released next year. Windows 7 is the next version of Windows, and Microsoft now has on it’s roadmap a release date in mid-2009. What will an early (3 year) release of Windows do to their 5 year release cycle? Will it make people angry (having to upgrade so soon), or will it placate all those who Vista pissed off? It’s a real catch-22 for business who may have been putting off a Vista upgrade, and now many surely put off until Windows 7. The only thing we can be sure of are Microsoft’s claims that Windows 7 will be the last 32 bit version of Windows. From that point forward, all versions of Windows will be 64 bit. What does that mean? It means that millions and millions of old PC’s will live on for years and years on Linux once older versions of Microsoft are no longer supported. It means (in my opinion) that Ubuntu will become even more popular among those with older or dontated hardware.

Looks like Microsoft is having a bad week when it comes to the United States Government. First the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a formal ban on Windows Vista, Internet Explorer 7, and Office 2007.

In a memo to his staff, the DOT’s CIO Daniel Mintz says he has placed “an indefinite moratorium” on the upgrades as “there appears to be no compelling technical or business case for upgrading to these new Microsoft software products. Furthermore, there appears to be specific reasons not to upgrade.”

Then the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces it may ditch Windows Vista for Google Apps and Linux Desktops from Dell.

In an interview, FAA chief information officer David Bowen said he’s taking a close look at the Premier Edition of Google Apps as he mulls replacements for the agency’s Windows XP-based desktop computers and laptops. Bowen cited several reasons why he finds Google Apps attractive. “It’s a different sort of computing strategy,” he said. “It takes the desktop out of the way so you’re running a very thin client. From a security and management standpoint that would have some advantages.”

Microsoft should be concerned, in fact they should be very concerned.? There have been lots of stories over the last few years about governments of foreign countries switching (or considering switching) from Windows based PC’s to Linux desktop environments.? They have been state and federal agencies in the United States that have researched the possibility of moving off the Windows platform to open source software.? It always seemed like it just “wasn’t ready for prime time”.

But Google apps may just be the missing link.? At only $50 per user per year (for Enterprise use) the cost is sooooo much less than any other Office suite AND that includes support!!? Think about it…google apps could be used in a company with any desktop – linux, apple, or even older Windows based pc’s (as they are phased out)…basically anything with web access.? Since google apps is a web based toolset, you wouldn’t need so much local storage, or crazy virus protection, or even local email and calendering servers (since email and calendar comes with the google apps suite).

If there is no compelling business reason or functionality to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista – there’s no reason for a company to upgrade, especially if you factor in the cost of new hardware.? You need at least a gig of ram, a healthy processor, and (to run the graphics enhancements) additional video hardware to fully run Windows Vista.? But I still run a 1Ghz machine with 512MB of RAM at home with Ubuntu Linux 6.06 – and the system is pretty darn snappy (and now 5+ years old).

If you were an IT director of a government agency and you could:

• save money on email infrastructure
• save money on office suite licensing
• save money on help desk support
• save money on hardware upgrades
• save money on OS licensing costs

…how could you possibly justify upgrading to Windows Vista (in your company)??