Microsoft's Windows 7 gets a public beta release -- with good reviews originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft announces Windows 7 as Vista brand is killed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft's failure with Windows Vista may be only the beginning originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Intel Corporation today announced record first-quarter revenue of $9.7 billion, operating income of $2.1 billion, net income of $1.4 billion and earnings per share (EPS) of 25 cents.

Continue reading Intel Corp is all that AND a bag of nano-chips!

Intel Corp is all that AND a bag of nano-chips! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Apple's assault on Microsoft's core business

Apple's assault on Microsoft's core business originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple market share hard to overlook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft commits $300 million to consumer advertising 'blitz'

Microsoft commits $300 million to consumer advertising 'blitz' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft's Vista named #1 tech disapppointment of 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft issues first Windows Vista service pack

Microsoft issues first Windows Vista service pack originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Imagine a product that many people do not think works well but sells millions of copies. Well, that's Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)'s operating system, Windows Vista.

According to the FT, both business and personal computer users have tried to stick with older versions of the Microsoft OS, Windows XP, but adoption is still good enough to drive outstanding earnings for the world's largest software company. As the newspaper says: "None of this, however, has had any discernible impact on Microsoft's financial fortunes. Many companies buy their software from Microsoft under an arrangement called Software Assurance, which lets them upgrade to new software whenever they like in return for a fixed annual payment."

Perhaps that is what having a monopoly is all about. Even if products are not perfect, they are adopted. Even if companies normally would not make an investment, they are on an "automatic upgrade" program.

It might be nice to think that Linux or Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) new OS, Leopard, would get wider adoption, but based on most figures, the Mac has no more than 5% of the global PC market and no open-source desktop program has significant market penetration.

It's good to be king.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Microsoft Vista sells even if it doesn't work originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft may nudge Windows XP into 'One Laptop Per Child' project

Microsoft may nudge Windows XP into 'One Laptop Per Child' project originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft's (MSFT) first Windows Vista service pack a turning point? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dell (DELL) and Lenovo set up to crash through Windows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Windows Vista: My vote is in originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft disses Apple: No Windows Vista virtualization on the Mac originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Does Dell have any love for Windows Vista? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 31 May 2007 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Windows Vista supports millions of devices; customers cheer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 May 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gates: Windows Vista sells 40 million copies so far originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 May 2007 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft Corp.

Continue reading Windows Vista demo crashes at Best Buy -- and at home

Windows Vista demo crashes at Best Buy -- and at home originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 May 2007 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Although I think Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg sometimes misses the mark, he's right on the money when he complains about the software gunk that comes preloaded on almost every new Windows PC.

This is stuff the consumer never asked for that ends up slowing a new PC down while littering the menus and other areas with so much garbage that the average consumer ends up pulling their virtual hair out.

Why does so much software come pre-installed on that new, shiny PC? Well, part of the cost of that PC is likely being subsidized by those software makers that pay to have their products installed on the machine. The hope is that a new PC owner will buy the "full version" of that software.

This makes the cost of the PC go down a bit, but as Walt says, it also makes the informed computer buyer become a "digital maintenance man wading through annoying and confusing chores" in order to get all that stuff uninstalled or out of the way. You know, so you can actually enjoy using that new computer without a plethora of roadblocks.

The first thing I do when purchasing a new Windows PC is start uninstalling all of the preloaded software. Not only does this free up valuable hard drive space, it gets the "muck" out of the way and allows the machine -- which I paid for -- to be the way I want it. Ideally, I'd love to buy a Windows PC and have nothing installed but the Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) software.

That is virtually impossible these days, so I'll spend about an hour getting rid of all the trial software (virus scanners, online services, photo programs, etc.) to get my machine to as close to bare as possible. Then, I make it all mine (they way I want it). Have similar experiences? Tell me about them.

[Via techdirt]

PC makers loading up computers with too much junk originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.