Looks like Vista will be joining the ranks of past Microsoft OSes such as Windows ME as a short-lived and much reviled release as word from the Big Man himself says that Windows 7 will be out next year:
MIAMI—Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates on Friday indicated that Windows 7, the next major version of Windows, could come within the next year, far ahead of the development schedule previously indicated by the software maker.
In response to a question about Windows Vista, Gates, speaking before the Inter-American Development Bank here, said: “Sometime in the next year or so we will have a new version.” Referring to Windows 7, the code name for the next full release of Windows client software, Gates said: “I’m super-enthused about what it will do in lots of ways.”
[...] Unclear is whether Gates was referring to early testing of Windows 7 coming within the year, as opposed to a widespread release or debut. An early test geared toward developers would be conceivable. The company has repeatedly said that it will accelerate the development of new Windows versions, largely as a response to Vista’s roughly five year gestation period.
Of course Windows 7 will be using Vista as its base to begin with so it’s not like Vista is really going away, but this news may be enough for a lot of folks to skip right over Vista as it currently stands in hopes that the next version of Windows fixes a lot of the perceived flaws. It’ll be particularly interesting to see how businesses react to this news considering that last week Microsoft started pushing harder for businesses to adopt Vista.
And yet at the same time, XP gets a reprieve for ultra low cost PC’s, to ensure they play the entire spread…must really be concerned about Linux distros to move so quickly on Win7 and string along XP on life support.
God I hope they get rid of that !*#&@(&!(!!!!()##)_#_@@@@$()*#(!!)@)@@@@ UAC !@(!*@**%^$$&@!!
I still haven’t so much as touched a Vista system.
Of course, given that Vista slipped … how many scheduled releases over how many years? … I wouldn’t bet a plug nickel that we’ll see Win7 next year. Not unless that’s what they choose to label the next SP for Vista.
I forced myself to use it at work in case I would have to support it there or at some future job. Looks like I won’t have to worry too much about that.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to see a RC for Windows 7. I doubt they will have a full blow OS.
If Windows 7.0 does improve over Windows 6.0(Vista) and is proven to be the better product, allows me to run alot of my old PC games, then I’m up for buying a new computer with that in it.
Otherwise, I’ll stick to XP and/or buy a new computer with Linux in it.
If they can make an OS that will do that, it will be very popular.
Is Vista really that bad? I’ve only used it a few times but it seemed fine to me. Is it really as horrendous as ME?
It would be a welcome change if it doesn’t suck, but blows.
Julian, I don’t think Vista is as bad as it’s perceived to be, but then there are some folks out there who will tell you the same was true of Windows ME:
Personally I like Vista a lot, but it does take a beefer machine to run it. I’ve been running it with 1 gigabyte of RAM and for most uses that’s enough, but being a gamer I really need at least 2 gigs to smooth things out a bit. Something I intend to fix. My wife loves Vista and is upset that we had to move her back to XP for the same reason of not having enough RAM on her machine.
To state the obvious, there are non-technical reasons to reject Vista and Micro$oft products and services in general.
Or maybe both? Gee, are we silly…
It would be nice if Micro$oft would limit itself to the company’s core competency—building mice and keyboards. The thought of Micro$oft adult toys is perhaps too much too bear.
But think about the possible features- automatic updates, tracking of preferences in an international database, commercial intercourse with strangers…
Holy Major Stupidity Batman!
That version of Windows was released a long ago.
You’re not referring to Windows 3.0, the last stable OS from Microsoft, are you, elwed?
Viagra – the only solution for Micro-Soft
I’m not putting my junk in anything built by a company who brought us “The Blue Screen of Death.”
I’ll bet Win7 will be a Vista upgrade. Most of us should be able to afford the hardware to run it by then, and Daniel_K can get more drivers written for it.