Survey Finds Few Intend to Upgrade to Vista

thefickler writes "A recent Harris Poll has found that while most online computers users are aware of Microsoft's Windows Vista, few are intending to switch over to the new operating system anytime soon. The Harris Poll of 2223 US online adults in early March found that 87% were aware of Vista. Unfortunately for Microsoft, only 12% of Vista-aware respondents were intending to upgrade to Vista in the next 12 months."

Early Adoptor == Burned

[ackthpt]

Alas, where I work we will be enthusiastically embracing Vista. My supervisor was very upbeat when she
told me I would be getting a new computer loaded with Vista and that I needed to familiarise myself with it
because everyone else would be getting Vista, too.

I'm an old school computer guy. I don't "upgrade" until I have to or there is sufficient benefit to be
gained. I learned this from a crafty old fellow who felt so, after being burned several times.

As to why, I see Vista as little more than a ploy to hold market share and gain some profits, as the existing
XP profit cycle has likely flattened. There will be a few bells and whistles, but the security aspect tells me they know
less about writing operating systems than their predecessors of 30 years ago. I think they still just don't get it. I also feel it's been rushed.

After all these years Windows is still a big mysterious black box, wherein things happen of which we know little and therefore
have little say in behaviour of or control over.

Besides, I've always been a fan of having the actual code at my finger tips. ;-)

According to the survey

[Anonymous Coward]

Only 12% were aware of what DRM is.

In other news

[Lithdren]

People dont like to spend money on things that are not clearly better. Whats more, they dont want to replace computers they bought a few years ago, to buy something they already have only is more expensive!

News at 11.

What is is

[Anonymous Coward]

What I wanted:

A lean and mean OS that ran in 64 bits, had good driver support, could make DVD movies, supported Directx 10, and NO DAMN PRODUCT ACTIVATION!

What it is:

A bloated and ponderous mess that still can't make DVD movies, tries to support more of Microsoft's proprietary formats, focuses more on eye candy than performance, and has even worse DRM and activation rules. Maybe when Halo 2 comes out we'll rush out and buy Vista just so we can play a game that's been on consoles for over a year....or just buy a console.

Re:ORLY?

[rackhamh]

To clarify... the article says:

The poll revealed that 39% of those intending to move over to Vista planned to upgrade their existing computer so it would meet Vista requirements, 35% planned to buy a new computer with Vista preinstalled, 17% planned to purchase a new "Vista-ready" computer, and 8% said that they would install Vista on their existing computer without any upgrade.

But the meaning of these numbers depends a lot on how the questions were asked. If you ask these questions:

1) Do you plan to upgrade to Vista?
2) If so, how do you plan to upgrade? ... then you'll get very different answers from the following:

1) Do you plan to buy a new computer?
2) If so, which manufacturer do you plan to buy from?

The phrasing of the article (focusing on "Vista-aware respondents") indicates that the numbers aren't a good indication of how many people will actually be upgrading. Tons of people who don't know about Vista will definitely be upgrading, whether they plan to or not.

Survey says

[DogDude]

I just heard! There's a new survey out, that says that while 90% of people know it's possible, only 1% of all car owners are planning on replacing their existing engine in their existing car! New car engines are a failure, and nobody's buying them... right?

Re:Hardware upgrades will push Vista

[Anonymous Coward]

Then again there are people like me. I just bought a new pc in the last week that came with vista premium preinstalled. I didn't even boot into vista once before wiping the drive and installing xp. I'll hold onto the vista install disk, so I can use it later if vista eventually has some feature I need that xp doesn't offer. Not that I'm going to hold my breath on that anytime soon.

You know microsoft did a great job with R&D when their newest OS is preinstalled on a machine, and the first thing a user does is downgrade to an older version.

Re:ORLY?

[Clever7Devil]

I had a short conversation today with a customer service rep from Dell regarding buying a new laptop.

System Initial Question/Comment: Is it possible to get a laptop with XP or no OS?
System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
System Connected with ATG Anibal
ATG Anibal Thank you for contacting the Dell Employee and Student Purchase Program. My name is Anibal, I will be your personal assistant today. I will be glad to assist you with your questions.
ATG Anibal To be sure that I can further assist you, may I have the name of the company or institution that you work for?
Me ::Deleted my company name for obvious reasons::
ATG Anibal Yes , those are latitude notebooks. Those are the ones that will give you xp as an option
Me Alright... can I get no OS?
ATG Anibal No, is not an option.
Me So, just so I understand what you're saying. If I want to buy a Dell Laptop I also must buy Windows with it?
ATG Anibal That is correct
Me And if I want to buy an Inspiron laptop, I also must buy Vista?
ATG Anibal That is correct, unless you go with latitude notebooks
Me Thank you for your help.

"Is not an option" was my favorite part. YA RLY

Re:Luckily I have a sane boss

[igb]

Oracle Collaboration Server for calendering, plus Cyrus IMAP for mail. Provides a full service to Outlook users, other IMAP client users (with either a web client or a native OSX/Linux/Solaris/Windows client for the calendaring). Pretty cheap, certainly as compared to Exchange. We like it.

Re:Really. Take it for what it's worth.

[dedazo]

Hi twitter [slashdot.org]. Back to using the sockpuppet account?

The point remains, the vast majority of users don't want Vista.

Is that a fact or did you imagine it just now? So what you're saying is that you have the pulse of several hundreds of millions of Windows users. Correct? And they don't want Vista. Correct? Can you show us some data to back this up?

When they find out they can only get a new computer with Vista, the likely result is to not buy a new computer.

How do you figure? I'm a little fuzzy on how this happens... How is this the "likely result"?

Re:I just switched... BACK

[krotkruton]

I've never been a big fan of upgrading Windows either. I've still got 2 computers running 2000 because it's always worked best for me. My University gave Vista away for free to all engineering majors, so I thought I'd give it a try on my best comp. Long story short, Vista works for everyday tasks and video and what not, but I frequently have to restart because of some network problem that keeps happening, my graphics shear and distort randomly, and the driver problems prevent me from playing games and doing certain other extra tasks. I'll live with Vista until the end of the semester because I don't want to bother going through the trouble until I'm done, but then I'll be making the switch to an older version. There's really no need for me to be using Vista, as so many other people seem to say.

...but wait. Vista does make me more productive! Since I can't play any games or visit certain websites, I get bored and focus on my studies more. Wow, thanks Vista!

I was an XP early adopter

[xx01dk]

Because nearly everything I read at the time told me that it would be great for gaming in general. At that point I knew a lot about Windows 98; I knew how to install it and then strip everything out that I didn't need. I was able to bend it to my will, and my upgrade to XP was sort of a culture shock because I didn't know where everything was or how to tweak it just hte way I wanted. I remembered that I wavered between the two for about a month and then just dove all the way in and made myself use the (then) new OS from Redmond. It turned out to be quite an improvement over the Win98SE2 once I figured my way around.

Nowadays I'm still a heavy gamer, and while the thought of having all of my games organized sounds nice, all of the benchmarks I've seen show an actual reduction in framerates and an increase in overhead from Vista. This is also the reason I won't be using a Linux distro as my main OS--I can get some but not all of my games to run on it. Plus I'm now finally running SLI with two 7900GT's, and I can't and don't want to buy a DX10 card at the moment.

I'm moderately skilled and the problems others have had with Vista's install and driver support don't really faze me all that much; but the bottom line for me is that until my favorite games perform better on Vista, I'll be sticking with XP.

Re:What does it offer?

[Anonymous Coward]

Give Beryl a try.

Re:the great philosopher asked...

[zappepcs]

except in this case, the Monopoly is generated by the fact that just about anyone that buys a new computer will have that product installed on it by default. The fact that its incredibly difficult to get a new big name pc without Windows pre-installed is in itself wrong.

I hope that this current situation actually does translate to lower new pc sales for the big name manufacturers, giving them pause to think about shipping with GNU/Linux or no OS at all, and do so at an equitable cost structure. Equitable cost structure is one where computers are cheaper without software pre-installed. Yes, I know that this is problematic because of the licensing deals the manufacturers are currently stuck with in order to even supply Windows at a good price.

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[kypper]

...and you think Microsoft forcing us to have Vista verses XP on OEM computers is honest?

If someone buys a complete package machine, they should be able to choose what operating system it runs. Forcing them to pay for something they don't want justifies the piracy, IMHO. Give them the option, then come riding in on your high horse. Otherwise, quit bitching; you got your money.

Re: Exchange/Outlook alternative

[twasserman]

Not knowing much about your specific situation, all I can say is that it's worth taking a look at Zimbra. It's beginning to get some enterprise adoption, and they have several million mailboxes for an unknown number of customers.

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[Charcharodon]

I think you are buying far too much into the negative hype around Vista. The only way you'll be having problems with your Vista laptop is if you plan on buying a bargan basement no frills machine that has minimal hardware specs. Even Xp would be hard pressed to run properly on it as well. That or if your son has a full range of periphrials that are 3-4 years old (printers/scanners etc.). Alot of companies are still dragging their feet on driver support for old gear, but that is nothing new.

If the university doesn't support Vista, then they must not support XP either, since at the basic level they have the same requirements as far as network connectivity. So far the only problems running software I've run into are very minor. Simple things like the fact that Vista can't tell the difference between me closing Winamp down and the program crashing (the program has yet to lock up under Vista) and a few admin authorization issues with installing programs like Flash (unchecked a check box for the fix after a google search). There are a few companies that don't have updates for their software yet, but I find most them no longer needed, such as DVD burning software since it is finally included in the OS. The only place I can see there being a problem is some sort of specialized software or the lack of support for the latest version of Explorer, which if you updated on XP you'd be having the same problem anyway.

The only big quirk that I've found, that is annoying the piss out of me is I rip my DVD's to harddrives for storage and playback. For some odd reason the player has decided anything that is on an external drive is not of the correct region code (US). My fault really. When I did the install I told it I was in England (I live here at the moment) thinking it was for time zone setting, but it was for DVD playback. I switched it back to the States. It works fine for any internal drives, but still have the same problem with the external ones. I think it's going to take a full blown reinstall. The reinstall process is super easy, takes all of 30 minutes to get it back up and running, but I'm being lazy since the movies play fine off of the internal drives. The install process of Vista pretty much shines. It has never been easier (again as long as you are not dealing with antique hardware (4+ year old stuff)

The last of the big problems have been with particular games and the latest Nvidia video cards, which aren't offered in laptops anyway, and that has nothing to do with Vista and everything to do with Nvidia dropping the ball on release date support.

All in all I don't know what you are worried about. If you buy a cheapo computer you are going to get a cheapo experience reguardless of what whether it be XP, Vista, or OSX. If not then you really don't have much to worry about.

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[Suhas]

Why would I want to upgrade to Vista? I upgraded my work PC from 2000 to XP a few months after it came out and felt cheated. Like the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. No Sir, I will keep using XP on my work PC and will upgrade to fiesty fawn at home.

Re:ORLY?

[ozmanjusri]

Windows is finally becoming like Office - a mature product that already does what 99% of its users need, and where updates offer only increasingly trivial features and/or specialized features for niche markets.

No, Windows has become a product that 99% of its users have no expectation of improvement. There are plenty of visionary computer users who are frustrated with the sluggishness of OS (and office) innovation, but are powerless in the face of the MS monopoly.

The lack of interest in Vista reflects stagnation, not satisfaction.

It's actually quite easy

[Lord Grey]

The fact that its incredibly difficult to get a new big name pc without Windows pre-installed is in itself wrong.

It is not difficult. I had a rather easy time of it.

I bought a Macintosh.

I know some russians that wont be upgrading soon

[bl8n8r]

like ever even...

"Russian schools in the area are so scared about being shipped
off to a Siberian Gulag, that they are buying Linux gear instead."

http://www.secguru.com/link/russian_schools_to_swi tch_to_linux_after_microsoft_piracy_case [secguru.com]

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[MightyYar]

Well, I won't pay Microsoft any money until they stop treating their customers like criminals. And because as a practical matter one has to use Microsoft products due to the monopoly, that makes me turn to copyright infringement. Perversely, this in turn seems to encourage them to further treat their paying customers like criminals. I find this whole circle hilarious, and can't believe you honest folks keep giving MS money for making it easier to be a pirate than a paying customer. Frankly, I see YOU as the problem. I simply won't pay to be treated like the asshole that I am... same reason that I won't give money to the RIAA or buy DRM encrusted turds from the iTunes Store.

I'm known to over-pay for Apple stuff, so I'm not just being cheap, though I do also happen to be cheap. It's worth noting that I've never had to so much as enter a disk key into an Apple software product except to enable Quicktime Pro.

Re:Drivers

[Charcharodon]

Yep that is exactly how it's played out. Even Apple pisses on it's customers with the same upgrade or Fuck Off attitude with it's software/hardware. It sucks, but unfortunately that's the reality of it all. My suggestion is stay off the bleeding edge of hardware and stick with the middle ground with regular inexpensive upgrades every couple of years. That way you are not paying the premium for the latest and the greatest, nor are you getting caught in the situation where suddenly your whole computer system is obsolete.

There is a ray of hope though. In conversations past with other computer enthusiasts we talked much about how fast computers really needed to get before people just wouldn't excited anymore about new technology. I think we are rapidly approaching that point on several major components in the system with a few more just a few more years away. Sound cards are becoming harder and hard to justify. Basic 3d Video cards cost absolutely nothing now. High end graphics cards are supper computers in their own right and are dropping fast in price. Physic cards were exciting for all of six months and now they are being run on other hardware much more cheaply. Flash memory is finally getting cheap and fast, harddrives are moving right up to rediculous for the amount they can hold and CPU prices are tanking even as they get faster and more cores. RAM is being stubborn, but new types should up the competition and put a dent in the price.

I give it only a few more years where the entire computer on a single card becomes not only possible, but the norm and "Opperating systems" are nothing more than various User Interfaces layered over which every kind software that works the best.

switching

[falconwolf]

Well, I won't pay Microsoft any money until they stop treating their customers like criminals

I am a Windows user however for this reason, Microsoft treating it's customers like criminals, I am switching. For my desktop I got a PC with Linux preinstalled and for a laptop I plan on getting a Macbook Pro. Not unless and until MS gets rid of Activation and WGA/WPA will I willingly buy either a PC with Windows installed or Windows on disk in a box. I see no reason I should even need Windows again, other than what I am already using, but if there's any software I need but for which there are not versions for Linux and/or Macs, I looked and found none that does not run on either, then I will use Crossover/WINE to run them in.

Falcon

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[DrSomebody]

I bought Vista. Installed with major difficulties. Then, everyday about 3:00pm Vista comes up with a box containing the words "This is not a valid copy of Vista." THEN, anything I chose to do from the start menu would not work. That hurt, when you consider that I parted with $300 for the upgrade from XP.

I called Microsoft support about this problem and after 6 different calls and 6 different approaches to solving the issue, the last guy kind of washed his hands of the problem.

I wiped my hard drive clean and installed Ubuntu. I had several little hassles but nothing too major and I have everything (my peripherals) working. Operating System -- as solid as a rock. Recommend Ubuntu 6.10 to anyone. I have found a number of things I could not do with Vista so am really satisfied.

Re:Early Adoptor == Burned

[janrinok]

To convert .pst for linux, try this: http://outport.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net] (sourceforge.net)