Vista stumbles through one-year milestone
Published: 30 Nov 2007 12:37 GMT
One year after Microsoft officially launched its Vista operating system to businesses, it's fair to say that it hasn't been a smooth ride for the software giant.
Announced with the usual marketing razzmatazz that accompanies a new addition to the Windows family, there were high hopes that Microsoft could prove its detractors wrong with a product release which showed that innovation and risk taking were back on the agenda for a company that appeared to be stuck in a rut.
That didn't happen. While Vista can be seen as an evolution from Windows XP, not even Microsoft can claim it's a giant step forward. Some critics argue that Vista was hamstrung before it even hit the streets, after Microsoft decided to pull some of its most innovative features, such as the beefed-up filing system known as "WinFS", to get the product out the door.
The improvements over XP that were included appeared to some users to be mostly cosmetic — like the Aero user interface, with its 3D approach to sorting through windows. It's flashy but not really a killer reason to upgrade — and something that Mac fans have argued was standard in OS X for years.
Performance has also been a factor, with Vista branded by some industry researchers as the most processor-hungry operating system to ever come out of Redmond — something that jars with the current industry drive towards energy efficiency and green IT.
Windows Vista turns one year old
Twelve months on from Vista's release to the business community, ZDNet.co.uk examines the operating system's place in the desktop market [30 Nov 2007]
Microsoft in high spirits about Vista adoption
The software giant is feeling 'quite good' about deployment of the new Windows operating system, claiming it has been the most rapidly adopted OS in history [29 Nov 2007]
The tech they promised... and what we got
From Microsoft's Vista to Web 2.0, technology often falls short of the grand visions spun by marketeers [29 Nov 2007]
Businesses have 'no appetite for Vista'
Uptake of Microsoft's latest OS is slow due to compatibility issues and a lack of benefits over XP, but it will soon accelerate, say analysts [29 Nov 2007]
Tube staff get huge discount on Office 2007
The London Underground maintenance company Tube Lines is familiarising its staff with Office 2007 ahead of a Vista migration by giving them the package for £17 [28 Nov 2007]
Lawyers: Vista branding confused even Microsoft
Even the company's marketing manager has suffered confusion over what 'Vista capable' means, say lawyers pursuing a class action over the phrase [28 Nov 2007]
Windows XP outshines Vista in benchmarking test
In a recent test, XP with the beta Service Pack 3 performed two times faster than Vista with the beta Service Pack 1 [27 Nov 2007]
Surveys show Vista struggling one year on
Almost a year on from Microsoft's release of Vista, a small minority of companies expect to move all desktops to it, as Linux adoption continues to gather pace [23 Nov 2007]
McAfee: Businesses 'leery' of Vista
The security vendor has said companies are reluctant to move to Vista as the security case doesn't justify the hardware upgrade, while analysts say most will move only when Microsoft ceases XP support [19 Nov 2007]
Becta takes Microsoft to the OFT
Open-source advocates say the government schools IT agency's complaint will only increase Microsoft's visibility [19 Oct 2007]
Photos: installing Vista SP1 beta
We've downloaded the standalone installer for Windows Vista SP1 build 6001.16659 and installed it on a few systems. Here are some of the most significant changes. [02 Oct 2007]
Microsoft allows XP to stay a little longer
Customers, not quite ready for Vista, persuade the company to allow PC makers to keep selling XP for an additional five months [28 Sep 2007]
Antitrust concerns prompt Vista search changes
The software maker agreed in June to make alterations to to the way desktop search operates in response to concerns from rivals, particularly Google [13 Sep 2007]
App compatibility testing for Vista deployment
Windows Vista isn't as backward compatible with applications as are older versions of Windows. How can you tell if an application will work in Vista in a corporate setting? That's where the Application Compatibility Tester comes in [30 Aug 2007]
10 ways to increase Vista's performance
Windows Vista has some great new security and functionality features, as well as a host of graphical tricks. However, if you find Vista's performance lagging, take heart: here's how to make Vista run faster. [08 Aug 2007]
Video: Vista forces unwanted reboots
A reboot feature in Microsoft's operating system only gives a short warning before users' computers are reset [06 Aug 2007]
Microsoft blocks Vista driver 'hack' tool
The software giant has blocked a signed third-party driver due to it having the 'characteristics of potentially unwanted software' [03 Aug 2007]
Microsoft keeps quiet on Vista figures
Software giant declines to confirm uptake numbers from its chief operating officer, indicating sales of its latest operating system are flat [30 Jul 2007]
Vista in the enterprise
Things move slowly in the enterprise market, so Windows Vista is currently a rare sight on the corporate desktop. But will Vista's undoubted benefits eventually unblock the upgrade path? [12 Jul 2007]
Microsoft ending Vista family discount
Company says in blog posting that multicomputer software upgrade program, designed to attract early adopters, will 'sunset' on Saturday [29 Jun 2007]
Microsoft goes on green Vista offensive
After being widely criticised by green campaigners, Microsoft has released a report designed to prove the sustainability of its latest operating system [22 Mar 2007]
How green was my Vista?
Using Vista to underpin a new generation of green PCs is like building a hybrid car out of a Humvee [28 Feb 2007]
Greens: Vista means more dead PCs
Hardware requirements of Microsoft's successor to XP could force thousands of older PCs to be scrapped, campaigners claim [29 Jan 2007]
BCS warns of environmental impact of Vista upgrade
Companies should look to IT charities such as Computer Aid to dispose of their old machines safely when planning upgrades or migrations [07 Dec 2006]
Today's Vista launch is just the beginning
Microsoft's long-awaited operating system is finally here, but migration to Vista will be a long-haul operation [30 Nov 2006]
Vista PCs will nod off to save power
Microsoft plans to put machines to sleep when inactive, helping businesses tackle the problem of power wastage [17 Oct 2006]
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