‘The Most Significant Product Launch in Microsoft's History'. So ran Microsoft's hype: rammed into every media outlet in the known universe by The Most Capslock-Heavy PR Machine in History, on the occasion of Windows Vista's 2006 birth. Significant... how exactly?
Make such a claim, and you're a hostage to fortune. Short of doing your ironing and cooking your tea, Vista could never match its billing. But significant Vista's launch truly was.
To discover why, I invite you to consider the computing world BV (before Vista), and then today.
In late 2006, you'd hardly choose a laptop to replace a desktop PC. For an OS, Microsoft was the only real option.
Netbook? Whatbook?
To make Vista a 'must-have buy', Microsoft simply threw features its way - it had worked in the past, after all.
Fast forward to 2009, and you choose hard- and software according to need. Want a cheap, portable workstation? Linux netbook it is. Going gaming? Vista desktop, sir. And if you're running an office from home, but travel to clients, you'll want a Vista laptop. Or a MacBook. Or a BlackBerry for the road and a desktop at home. And an iPhone.
Look, it's your computer, you decide.
With the explosion in mobile computing, and laptops running OSes from Linux to Windows to Google Android, this diaspora of choice is unlikely to shrink. Vista's heavy featureset and sys reqs arrived just in time to seem bloated and unecessary. Hence the perceived failure, and the thirst for change.
So by representing the zenith of big-feature, Windows-only desktop computing, perhaps Vista really did change the world.
Compatiblity issues, so prevelant in 2006, have now been brushed aside by the unifying force of the web as an OS. Third-party apps work online, not on Windows.
And unlike the big brash launch of Vista, Windows 7 arrives stable, solid and good to its mother. It will be the best option for PC users, but no more. The Windows PC is no longer the only game in town, and for that we can thank Vista. Significant indeed.
Comments
Matt Egan said: Im not sure Linux netbooks will be a thing of the past although it is critical to Microsoft that Windows 7 works as a netbook OS - so it will As I say win7 will be successful but the terms of that success have now changed Third party apps work online not on windows - let me introduce you to for instance the iPhone App store Theres a billion third-party apps right there that have nothing to do with Windows Throw in Googles contribution and those of RIM Palm et al and youll see that communications and productivity no longer start and end with Microsoft
Matt Galvin said: So why did you state that laptops are running google androidThird party apps work online not on windows What There may be a small concentrated market of online apps but the bulk still run on your PCIt will be the best option for PC users but no more I will quite happily predict the opposite with the release of Windows 7 before christmas and just as the world is coming out of recession the OS will be such a huge success that competitive OSes will struggle to compete I would suggest that this time next year linux on netbooks will be a thing of the pastMatt
Matt Galvin said: So why did you state that laptops are running google androidThird party apps work online not on windows What There may be a small concentrated market of online apps but the bulk still run on your PCIt will be the best option for PC users but no more I will quite happily predict the opposite with the release of Windows 7 before christmas and just as the world is coming out of recession the OS will be such a huge success that competitive OSes will struggle to compete I would suggest that this time next year linux on netbooks will be a thing of the pastMatt
Matt Egan said: Dells building a laptop that runs Android - not available yet probably later this year And it wont be the only one No valid points Thats your opinion My opinion is that Vistas over-hyped launch and the underwhelming reaction of the public will be seen as a watershed in Microsofts development cycle and the way the world relies upon itMatt
Matt Galvin said: What laptop runs Googles Android exactly This is an atrocious article Contains no valid points whatsoever
theDarkness said: i agree the significance of its newest release will be alot less Unless they manage to mess things up with the new one in its usability Its a shame with Vista switching off its annoying user account control it had superb backwards compatibility and seemed so unchanged from xp but then thats why people felt little need to move from xp as a result I was going to say that microsoft would need to come up with something visually appealing as well in their new windows release but now that some mac windows magazines and websites are stating the system looks like a direct apple rip off you would think microsoft had run out of ideas They have enhanced the vista introduced user account control which is also now in 7 but possibly little else hence the new look as a cover up They will have to cross their fingers and hope 7 is a success as it will not look good if a fair portion opt to choose vista instead-because they prefer the old skool menus-but time will tell