On June 30, 2008, the last PCs with Windows XP were sold (theoretically) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) went hard on Vista, its less than celebrated operating system. I was one of the hold outs, opting to buy my laptop with Windows XP last year even though Vista was being touted as the latest and greatest system. Today, I am sure the remaining XP devices are going for a premium.What does this mean for the future of PC sales? I think there will be some measure of reduced PC sales in the short run just because the economy is already suffering and consumers and businesses are looking to stretch their devalued dollars.
It also means that some people that do not want the burdensome Vista system and all the baggage that goes along with it will be opting for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Macs. There are many people like me who have been weighing the switch to a Mac for a while. The rest of my household has made the switch (4 Macs, 1 PC) and I did consider this prior to my last purchase. I may swing the other way next time.
For other PC users who remain satisfied with XP, they may not only think to stretch their dollars, but try and hang onto their PCs longer until the value proposition for Vista becomes more convincing. I can always add more memory or speed to my existing computer.
I do not know what the trade-off is for Microsoft. It would make money selling the XP system as well as the Vista system. Any slowdown of PC sales or continued movement toward Apple products has to hurt revenue a little?
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-07-2008 @ 3:21PM
RobertaZimmerman said...
No problem, Microsoft. I switched to Ubuntu earlier this year and, frankly, I'll never go back. I'll be switching our three other home PCs to it as well during the summer.
I had dumped all of Microsoft's Office suite years ago and didn't regret it for a nano-second. As of September 1, 2008, this home will be a Microsoft-free zone!
7-07-2008 @ 3:59PM
Chilla said...
I am a "Vista Victim" and I am sorry I allowed Microsoft to force this ill-conceived, cumbersome, bloated mess of an operating system on me. Well, NEVER AGAIN! I will by a Mac and never look back.
7-07-2008 @ 4:10PM
Nick said...
I have one new vista machine. There will not be a second. If MS can give up customers with 30 to 40 machines so quickly, I am doing business with the wrong folks. I wonder how the big guys will deal with productivity loss due to vista?
7-07-2008 @ 4:18PM
gumbo koontz said...
Microsoft will end up buying Logitech, HP or Dell, AMD? for graphics, etc. so to be similiar to Apple with everything under one roof, well almost. Anybody stupid enough to buy competitor's periphals would be in hunt for drivers forever! Microsoft is lifting the moat door up now to keep marauders (hackers) out! you happy now?
7-07-2008 @ 4:24PM
Sheldon L said...
They will not buy a hardware company. MSFT does not even produce its own hardware now.
7-07-2008 @ 4:53PM
marcel said...
Had no choice and bought a laptop with vista.
Total total disaster.
What the hell was microsoft thinking about?
Ready to go back to mac.
The extra cost will be worth it.
7-09-2008 @ 7:25AM
Rick said...
Oh please, please go to Mac you will love it.
It only takes 2.8 hours to hack into it compared to the 8.5 days it did to hack into vista. Oh my what a joke, you ever wonder why if Mac is so good it is only in 9% of the computers worldwide and Windows is in the other 91%...LOL
Remember XP had more problems then Vista in it's 1st 3 months then Vista has had in it's lifetime so far. Of all the hundreds of people I have helped on forums with Vista problems, they all except 3 came down to the user not the OS. You people just don't like to read the screen, you just expect to push the power button and poof your work is done.LOL