Time didn't stop when XP was released... I sometimes still purchase current hardware with XP installed, so it is a false assumption that a hardware upgrade is required for Win7.

The key really is: Will software purchased for XP be compatible with Win7?

Who would spend $50-$100 to upgrade to 7 and then go out and spend hundreds or perhaps thousands more purchasing "updated" versions of their existing software with the "Certified for Win7" sticker when their current setup is working just fine?

The problem is that XP finally reached a point of performance and stability that just works and that people are comfortable with and there was no compelling reason to upgrade to Vista nor is there a compelling reason to upgrade to Win7. What? People are going to drop that kind of cash for a flashier interface that by most experienced users' standards is significantly harder to use and navigate? After everything else... a learning curve?

Win 7 represents a significant improvement over Vista, but still no return on the investment. I predict XP will be the last OS jewel in Microsoft's crown and that their position will be gradually marginalized over the coming years, not unlike "Big Blue" before them. MS will always be around, but their days are numbered as king of the hill.

David Morris
http://www.g33k2.com

your right windows xp will be a long lived king ...

Actually , have tried Windows 7 beta.... and now the RC1 on my old laptop.
Has only a 2GHz Celeron and 768RAM ..runs XP and Windows 7 in dual boot.
....for me Windows 7 is alot faster then XP so far.

Didnt belve it would be, but for me..it is.
and mostly surprised because the hardw3are Im' running it on isnt that great.
even the "do you want windows to searcxh for drivers" features...it actually worked...first time ever for me.

Tried it in Windows 7, and 1 minute, the driver was found and installed and it was the correct driver..... so far I'm impressed.


...but you never know how bad they will mess up the end product

I think everyone is missing the point here. The problem is not about saving some money it is about saving time! I've been backing up my data for 2 weeks now and still have not completed the process. I have years of installed, registered, and setup applications that I downloaded from websites all over the internet. Trying to find all the downloads again, then reinstalling and setting up again will take months! I did not upgrade to Vista because of all the nightmare stories about Vista and knowing many of my apps would not run on Vista. I now have Windows 7 but will take months before I can install and use it. Just think if your in IT and have to do this on lots of computers! Since you can upgrade XP to Vista and Vista to Windows 7, Microsoft should let me enter my valid Windows 7 product key to download Vista so I can upgrade XP to Vista and then upgrade Vista to Windows 7. It is not XP users fault that Vista was so bad that we all waited for Windows 7, it is Microsoft's fault. By not making XP upgrade to Windows 7 is going to make Windows 7 a failure just like Vista was except for different reasons. I really just want my money back for Windows 7 so I can go buy my first MAC.

Quite frankly, your data should be off the system drive in the first place. If it was, it simply wouldn't be necessary to back it up, because it wouldn't matter which version of Windows was installed.

Any programs that you downloaded should have had the setup files burned to disc before there was any attempt made at installing them. Plus writing the product keys down and keeping multiple copies in multiple safe places.

Plan "B" would have involved buying an using a disc imaging program such as, Acronis "True Image". Oh yeah, and installing and using it.

And Vista will run XP programs, it will set the compatibility mode to XP automatically, or you can set it manually.

And BTW, Vista isn't that bad, it just isn't that good, there is a difference.

And good luck with that Mac Yo, especially with finding "software all over the internet" to run on it!

And I think that if we all, "missed the point", that you missed it right along with us.

Microsoft is a little more wise than in the past.
What is more, the economy is worser, so Microsoft has to string out some better incentives...
But not of that free stuff won't last long... As soon as the economy starts to move upward, we will be screwed by overpriced opeating systems once more.
It does appear that Windows 7 will be as good as Windows XP finally became after Service Pack 2.

IMO M$ had to see this coming and shot themselves in both feet with this one, and possibly once in the arm. XP hasnt been sold on a machine(natively) for what...4 years now, you have to actually ask for it. Then to make an OS that's less demanding than xp and not expect people(the average joe) with 8 year old computers to say "hmm, well if I get win7, my machine will perform even better." Oh but then to deny them of that upgrade.........oooh burn.

i'm pc and windows 7 with no upgrade path from XP was my idea !

LOL who want's to be intelligent when you can be stupid and still earn money ?

That M$ is in it for the money is a given. However, in their defense, have they ever offered a multiple jump OS update?

Win 7 is basically Vista with better press. However, it seems that they have retreated from "superfetch", back to memory utilization more akin to XP.

I recently purchased Win 7 for a new computer. As advertised, it is fairly fool proof, nay almost imbecile proof, with respect to installing. The bad news that with respect to things such as the "run" command and managing startup programs, they've made it somewhat "experienced user proof" as well.

I'm more than a little bemused at public perception between Vista and Windows 7. It seems that the opinion is that Windows 7 is entirely new and revolutionary, when in fact it is nothing more than Vista with the major blunders removed.