MS Vista Sales Slump

So am I the only one who thinks that Vista is probably the beginning of the end for Microsoft? I'd always heard that the only things M$ makes money on is the OS and Office. Everything else is run at a loss. I don't have a specific source for that, though.

I think the main reason why nobody is switching to Vista is XP works just fine for them and Vista is expensive. I think people who use Windows just want something that works, they don't need a fancy pantsy interface like on Vista. The people who do want something with a fancy cover probably would get a mac because that's the cool thing to do.

I hope it's not the beginning of the end. Microsoft produces very good products and I don't want to have to switch to a OS or office suite I'm not used to. Microsoft is doing a pretty good job competing against companies (I use that term lightly) that give their stuff away. That's pretty hard to do.

Microsoft is nowhere near ending, as much as the Web hype would have you believe they are. Their share price is low, but overall they're still making stupid profits. Windows and Office are definitely their cash cows but the server division is also making good money. Found a recent report about it this that will show what I mean.

Vista is a rubbish, DRM-encumbered pile of toss. But most will be forced to use it when they buy a new machine.

Meanwhile their anti-competitive, borderline illegal activities help to maintain the monopoly.

So no, I doubt Microsoft will be disappearing soon.

Abhi wrote: I attended a talk by Peter Gutmann (noted in one of your links) recently

I should note that he's an NZ'er like Busy, Renegade and Abhishek here. Great people those NZ'ers!

I too have heard the IBM/Microsoft comparison, it's interesting that back then IBM were seen as being the old guard and behind the times and Microsoft were progressive. Now the situation has flipped, IBM is selling GNU/Linux and Microsoft are the old guard. Many people are even converting the old: 'No-one got fired for buying IBM' line into 'No-one got fired for buying Microsoft'. Overall the comparison is a good one, in my opinion.

Abhi wrote: Pressure will instead have to come from hardware OEMs, upon whom Microsoft are beginning to place impossible demands

Not to mention the Dell petition and news they're finally going to start shipping home PC's with Linux pre-installed. A move that has no doubt sent chairs flying in Redmond.

rtroxel wrote: Interesting responses. Does this mean you aren't using MS products, but Linux instead?

Instead?! As far as I'm concerned Freedom is the only choice!

Don't worry, I'm writing that with a grin on my face! Fedora's quite good, they lack the community spirit of Ubuntu though. Knoppix is really a LiveCD for fixing broken computers, it can be used as a full desktop at a pinch. Ubuntu is the one you want to use, if you want the easy life that is. It's got a great community, and is definitely the most popular for GNU/Linux newbies (the wife and I both use it).

The next release is coming out on 19th of this month, I'm excited! Megan already has it on her laptop and I just built a server on it.

Tim wrote: Maybe a more distributed market share for OS's will be the kick in the pants that M$ really needs.

Well they are trying to destroy GNU/Linux by releasing a competing format to Flash, no doubt they'll be leveraging their dominance in the browser and OS markets to gain market share for this new format. It works on Windows and Mac but not GNU/Linux (unsuprisingly), what's annoying is that knowing Microsoft they're doing this with the sole purpose of shutting GNU/Linux out. They've also released a lot of new products recently, some that are gaining serious traction.

rtroxel wrote: I have a DVD of version 6.06. I stopped playing with it because I couldn't get my Linksys wireless card to work with it. Do you know of a good card for Ubuntu?

There's a page all about Wifi for Ubuntu. Complete with link to a list of supported network cards, with Amazon links. Unfortunately there are a number of prominent manufacturers who refuse to make drivers for GNU/Linux.

As for version 6.06, that's the LTS (long term support) release. It's stable and solid, but doesn't contain the latest stuff (things in the FLOSS world move fast), I advise you to get the latest version when it comes out tomorrow. Hopefully it'll fix your wireless issue too.

Abhi wrote: Should Silverlight catch on, I'd expect a free client close behind.

Then expect more FUD and extortion of money by Microsoft! No doubt competing will come with the price of infringing upon Microsoft 'Intellectual Property' some more.

Anyway this is about GNU/Linux for the masses and they expect stuff like this to 'just work'. This is what Microsoft are banking on I expect. Typically trying to compete by crushing the competition instead of actually doing anything new or innovative.

rtroxel wrote: Isn't this what SCO tried to do a few years ago? You don't hear too much from them anymore.

Oh those cases are still very much alive. Although SCOs share price is below a dollar and they're risking being delisted from the stock exchange. They still haven't produced any evidence of their code being in Linux. Think you're right in one sense though: the whole debacle has become pretty much irrelevant.

Interestingly the attack on GNU/Linux is from Microsoft, using SCO as a proxy. The two attacks differ in their methods, SCO lawsuits are based on alleged copyright infringement. Microsoft allegations are based on software idea patent infringement. Software idea patents are so stupidly wide ranging that it's impossibe to write any software without infringing on other peoples patents. It's pretty certain that--maybe not 'Linux' itself (i.e. the kernel) but some of the software that runs on it--infringes on Microsoft patents (especially Samba, Mono and any other tools for that allow GNU/Linux systems to work with Windows).

Also SCO went for a direct attack whereas Microsoft is going for the extortion, protection racket style approach. I've heard rumours of companies being frightened of buying software from small FLOSS vendors because of all the FUD flying around (granted it was just some comment on Slashdot, but still). It's the old: 'no-one got fired for buying Microsoft' saying.

So overall: we seem (remember this is just my opinion, I would advise you to draw your own conclusions) to be seeing two different types of attack from the same company.

Anyone know how well Google Apps is doing?

Tried Vista and at the moment i think it's too different for everyone in the office to use without a lot of support. In fact, just got 2 laptops and downgraded to XP.

Quote: Most sales are pre-installed versions in PCs.

Quote: In fact, just got 2 laptops and downgraded to XP.

I wonder how accurate those pre-installed sales even are because I often hear of people buying their computer, throwing Vista to the side, and installing XP.

That's a good idea for an Ubuntu campaign: Make XP your last Microsoft OS ever!

I hope it will be for me as well (hoping I won't be forced to use it again at work!)

yes I admit I like the Aero translucent theme but an os is about operating not looking!