We do not know exactly what persuaded Microsoft to put back the launch of Windows Vista. Perhaps it's force of habit: by some accounts, it's getting on for three years late. It's also unclear why the business versions will be exempt from the extra testing that the consumer variant needs, or who'll be buying them.
There is no doubt that a lot of people will be hurt by this decision. The big consumer upgrade dates are the start of the school term and Christmas, and Vista will miss both of these. Many people will put off the upgrade at least until Vista is ready and probably until late 2007: retailers, hardware suppliers and other software companies will not be toasting Jim Allchin, the Vista project leader who's had to delay his own retirement until the thing ships.
That much is easy to predict. What's harder to understand is the failure of the market to punish Microsoft itself. Apple should do well, even more so if it finishes its transition to Intel ahead of schedule, but there's little sign of a move to Linux in the retail channel.
With the new Intel Core architecture processors due to hit by the autumn, Linux will be the most modern and well-developed operating system available to take advantage of their new features. Distributions like Ubuntu look attractive and are easy to use, and there's a plethora of books, software and online resources to support even the rawest of newbies. Given the more than attractive cost of the operating system, it should be a profitable and obvious sell – especially with the competition in disarray.
So where is it? The usual response to a company failing to deliver is a loss of market share – and the history of IT is littered with the corpses of those who delayed too long. Yet XP is years into extra time, and Microsoft can still afford to delay longer with no particular expectation of losing users.
Despite all the court cases, fines and remedies, Microsoft remains in a unique position of power, a monopoly that has exempted itself from normal market forces. It is a valid to ask how that is affecting the retail channel and how normal operations can be resumed. Retailers and consumers alike should be prepared to consider alternatives; if Microsoft can't be bothered to deliver, we should return the compliment with interest.
Talkback
I don't think that the nation (or its political leaders) really wants to find out exactly why resellers (and the rest of the back-end) are so forgiving towards Microsoft delays and other broken promises.
Because it's more then likely that one will find answers that will have consequences. Because why else isn't the obvious happening?
I know your place is to criticize, but I'm sure you know you would hammer Microsoft if they shipped Vista and it wasn't ready - yet you also complain if they delay? Is there a place in journalism for consistency?
Having said that, I know the article is about the puzzle of users not switching. Lets split that into 2 groups - consumer and business. Consumers don't switch because Linux doesn't support games. It's that simple, though your writers consistently ignore that very fact, even though you covered the competition to get XP booting on Intel Macs - and the reason given by Mac users and developers that this was important - so they could run games.
A lot of businesses are still running Windows 2000 - so the non-availability of Vista to businesses who are not even completely migrated to XP is a complete non-issue, and again, you cover Gartner reports that recommend not moving to Vista until a year after it ships, yet you fail to spot that as a reason?
Left hand / righ hand not communicating anyone?
The previous post said Linux doesn't support games, how untrue!
The reality is games are understandably written for the most common operating system - in these unfortunate times that means windows.
When Linux overtakes windows as the OS of choice (if you follow my meaning) then games will be written for that platform.
Now here is an idea - sell a game, but include with it the OS to run it on - only possible with Open Source type licensing - Microsoft will never be able to do this.
Better yet, build the game directly on top of the Linux platform so you can provide it on 1 dvd or downloadable file. There will be those who say that cannot be done - but they are simply the ones who have not thought of a way of doing it yet.
Sorry, Matt.. I worded it badly. Linux of course support games - what I meant was that current games do not run on Linux. As you pointed out, they are released for the prevalent platform, which is Windows. I stand corrected. :)