Ms Delays Vista Release Again

[handplane]

FYI

Microsoft Delays New Windows Release

Associated Press

3-21-06

(AP) Microsoft Corp. will delay the consumer release of its new Windows operating system until January 2007, missing the holiday sales season and throwing some PC makers and retailers into turmoil.

The delay in Windows Vista — caused by Microsoft needing more time to enhance security and other functions — will come as a blow to Microsoft partners who were looking forward to a new operating system to boost holiday sales.

Windows Vista is Microsoft's first major update to the company's flagship operating system since Windows XP was released in late 2001.

"It's not the optimal situation, to be launching the next-generation version of Windows right after the big holiday sales season," said analyst Joe Wilcox with Jupiter Research.

The company will release some versions of the new operating system for big businesses by November as planned, but the consumer version will be postponed until January, said Jim Allchin, co-president of the Microsoft division that includes Windows.

He said the decision to delay the release came after Microsoft realized that Vista would be completed several weeks later than originally planned, largely because of efforts to improve security in the new system.

That delay was enough for some retailers, computer makers and other corporate partners to say they would have trouble preparing for the holiday season.

"The fact is that we wanted everybody in the industry to be ready for this," Allchin told journalists and analysts in a conference call.

Edited March 22, 2006 by handplane

[JDoors]

A delay from Microsoft is news?

If people weren't so anxious to rag on Microsoft over every imperfection they'd have it so much easier.

[CurlingSteve]

I don't see any benefit to upgrade to Vista yet, whenever they release it.

I expect to stay with my "stable" XP systems for a few years.

[blim]

Hip-Hip-Hooray! *jumps for joy and does a little happy dance*

Good possibility that Son might need a computer for college in the fall--and I was hoping we could stick with XP! After reading about the hardware requirements for Vista, we didn't want to spend a ton of money.

Best news I've heard all day! Thank you, Handplane!

Liz

[Bubba Bob]

Im with CurlingSteve and Bilm. THe longer they delay it, the longer we don't have to shell out big bucks to upgrade.

[fubz]

I was kind of rootin for it to come, so that I can finally upgrade my PC. Its getting about that time and now im stuck between a rock and a hard place. Stay with what I got, Upgrade a bit and end up wasitng all that money, or just painfully wait it out...

Im opting for the painful wait, im sure i can do it, just not gonna be fun

[baker7]

I will have to agree with those that are agreeable to the wait for Windows Vista.

I don't really see any need, want or desire right now, to upgrade XP to anything other then professional on Emmanuel, so that 2KPro can talk to XP Pro - Emmanuel running Home is kinda hard, because there are things I wish I could do with it that I cant right now - Why the heck is MS trying so darn hard to release an OS that 90% of computers running today cannot take advantage of without a major overhaul? Stupid if you ask me, the only reason to release Vista now would have been because of MS wanting people to purchase brand new machines with Vista installed.

I am staying with my OS's on Defiant and Emmanuel - My machines CAN'T RUN vista anyway - I agree with those who say it is a waste of money - stay with XP for awhile - hell SP2 made XP more stable then any OS I saw so far

Brian

[JDoors]

Almost every new OS either barely runs on most computers or requires upgrades. My Windows 2.0 computer (first computer with Windows) needed more memory to run 3.1, and wouldn't run '98 at all. My '98 computer may just be able to run XP, but it would be better to upgrade it. I'm sure they're more worried about including the latest and greatest features than whether or not older computers are still capable of running it.

What was the timetable for dropping XP support? And as long as I'm too lazy to visit the MS site I'll ask another question: What are the requirments for Vista? And, if different, the "recommended" specs?

[Bubba Bob]

Official Winderz Vista Requirements

•

"Designed for Windows XP" 32-bit PC systems with Windows XP OS, or

•

"Designed for Windows XP x64 Edition" 64-bit PC systems with Windows XP x64 Edition OS

with

•

A modern processor (CPU)

•

512MB or more of system memory (RAM), and

•

A DirectX 9 class graphics processor unit (GPU)

"Modern" CPUs being defined as:

INTEL:

* Intel® Xeon® processor (Dual-Core)

* Intel® Pentium® processor Extreme Edition (Dual-Core)

* Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with HT Technology Extreme Edition

* Intel® Pentium® D processor (Dual-Core)

* Intel® Pentium® 4 processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology

* Intel® Celeron® D processor

AMD:

Desktop AMD Athlon™ 64 FX Processor

AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor

AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor

AMD Sempron™ Processor

Mobile AMD Turion™ 64 Mobile Technology

Mobile AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor

Mobile AMD Sempron™ Processor

Workstation Single and Dual-Core AMD Opteron™ Processors

So, minimum requirements would be an AMD Sempron/Intel Celeron, 512MB ram, and a Direct x9 video card.

So, even the cheapo, bottom of the shelf, Dells will be able to run Vista.

Edited March 25, 2006 by Bubba Bob

[Dragon]

If I recall correclty the EOL for XP support is slated for 1 year after Vista is released currently

[JSKY]

So far the biggie I see with Vista needing all the power is for the eye-candy it comes with.

Tho it is loaded with some nice new features. (Media Player 11 to name one). The more power you will have, the better it will run.

But there will be versions for a less powerful system.

Pick the OS that will match your system and everything should run great. But unless you really have the system and need the utilities for a corporate environment. Don't plan on getting Vista Ultimate. Stick with the basic or pro versions. The ultimate package will really tax your system, and is overloaded with networking and security options. (for a large corporate network environment).

And I read that support for XP will run for two years because of the delay of Vista. (now to find where I read that at.)

Edited March 26, 2006 by JSKY

[TheTerrorist_75]

From what I understand XP Home support is supposed to run out in 2007 and XP Pro in 2011. XP's SP3 is to be released after Vista.

[jcl]

So, minimum requirements would be an AMD Sempron/Intel Celeron, 512MB ram, and a Direct x9 video card.

You should be able to go even lower than that. The CPU lists only includes processors in production today and I think the DX9 video card requirement assumes you're using Aero.

[JSKY]

I'm using a GeForce 5200 with 256MB cache. The Aero desktop works great. So far the only problem is trying to watch a DVD video at full screen. If you keep the size at 2X there is no problem. But full screen starts to hesitate.

If you use the classic desktop everything runs smooth at full screen.

I'm running a 2Gig AMD processor with a Gig of ram and the GeForce 5200 right now. And Vista 5308 Beta Ultimate build is rating my system at a #2 rating. I would like to see how Vista Pro without all the added Networking gives me. Has to be allot better.

[Honda_Boy]

I stuck with 98se till january 05 and I think i'll hang on to XP for a little while too. Unless I run into a crap load of cash then that might be different.

I bet Vista could easily runn on my Old Compaq with an Athlon XP 2600+, 512MB PC2100, and a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra. My Main System I'm sure could certainly run it fine. (Athlon XP 3000+, 1GB Dual Channel PC3200, GeForce 6600GT).

I don't think Microsoft needs to make an OS that needs that much power. Just think of the toll it's gonna take on other programs. I'm usre if I upgraded my main system to Vista it'd slow my games down wouldn't it.