There's more bad news for Microsoft regarding Vista, if you can believe that.
This week, a company called Devil Mountain Software that tracks such things
said that 35 percent of PCs
end
up with "downgrades"
from Vista to XP.
Downgrade, of course, is a relative term in this case. But for Microsoft -- and,
to a lesser extent, its partners -- the failure of Vista to catch on with
users represents a break in a rock-solid business model that has helped Redmond
rocket to the top of the software world in recent decades.
More
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/20/20088 comments
We're contractually obligated -- OK, we don't have contracts here at RCPU,
but if we did we'd be obligated -- to mention the Olympics this time of year,
so here you go: Microsoft's Office Open XML format, for which we
previously
used a sports metaphor
to discuss, finally got its gold medal late last
week, sweeping away the last few desperate appeals and becoming -- for sure,
this time -- an
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Posted by Lee Pender on 08/19/20082 comments
Microsoft would really love for you to buy Vista and all...but, hey, if you're
really into Windows, the next version
has
its own blog
. We've heard partners tell us that Microsoft's promotion of
Windows 7 has hurt Vista's prospects for becoming the next XP. And we do sense
a real mixed message from Microsoft here: On one hand, Steve Ballmer and company
really pushed the forlorn OS at the Worldwide Partner Conference...but, on the
other hand, Windows 7 sure is getting a lot of advance publicity from Redmond.
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Posted by Lee Pender on 08/19/20083 comments
It's a week for apologies, and VMware is so
sorry
about a botched update
that left some of its wares lifeless. Somewhere,
Diane Greene must be having a bit of a chuckle.
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/14/20080 comments
Vista is eating up U.K. market share -- or, more specifically, taking it away
from XP -- not because customers like it but because
they
can't avoid it
.
By the way, we're still taking e-mails on whether you're going to try to stretch
XP until Windows 7 arrives. We'll run your responses next week. Sound off at
[email protected]
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/14/20080 comments
Business Objects, now part of SAP, has a
new
tool
that lets presentation builders plug Excel info directly into the dreaded
slide software.
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/13/20080 comments
As
Virtualization Review
Editor Keith Ward
reported
some time ago
, Microsoft will indeed hold a
big
virtualization launch event
on Sept. 8. What, exactly, will get launched
is still up for speculation.
By the way, there's no good reason why Microsoft shouldn't be calling this
event "V-Day." We won't even take credit for the name.
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/13/20080 comments
This
article
simply fell into the too-interesting-not-to-run category. It might
not be classic RCPU material, but it's worth a read.
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/13/20080 comments
It's not easy to write an entry on green technology and not use the hackneyed
Kermit the Frog phrase, "It's not easy being green"...and, indeed,
we've just failed to do it ourselves. But whether being green is easy or not
as far as technology is concerned, it can have its benefits, as
RCP
told
you
More
Posted by Lee Pender on 08/13/20080 comments