Comments by Steve Ballmer at a press conference in Europe on Thursday have
led to speculation that Microsoft is reconsidering its June 30 deadline to stop
selling most new Windows XP licenses. A spokeswoman from Microsoft's public
relations firm said Thursday that there is no plan for a change in deadline,
however.

"Our plan for Windows XP availability is unchanged. We're confident that's
the right thing to do based on the feedback we've heard from our customers and
partners," the spokeswoman said, reading from a Microsoft statement.

Ballmer's
comments at a press conference at Louvain-la-Neuve University in Belgium
led to a flurry of reports on Thursday that Microsoft may be considering an
extension of its deadline.

"If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter, but right
now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments," Ballmer said,
according to Reuters. Microsoft did not have a transcript of the event, but
the spokeswoman from Waggener Edstrom said the comments seem accurate.

The spokeswoman said Microsoft is aware that some customers are pushing for
an extension to the deadline -- more than 160,000 people have signed a "Save
XP" petition launched by Infoworld magazine, for example. But the company
has also done its own research among partners and customers, and feels that
"the dates are right," she said, speaking on behalf of Microsoft.

"We feel we've made the right accommodations for customers in certain
segments who may need more time to transition to Windows Vista," she said.
"But as Steve noted, we maintain a constant stance of listening to our
customers and our partners. That's what is guiding our plan, and will continue
to guide us going forward."

The "accommodations" refer to several exceptions that Microsoft has
made to the June 30 deadline. For example, companies that make volume purchases
of Vista Business or Vista Ultimate can ask their vendor to "downgrade"
their license to Windows XP. Microsoft has also made exceptions for the emerging
class of small, ultra-low-cost
PCs, and it will continue to provide Windows XP Starter Edition for PCs
sold
in emerging markets.

Retailers and PC vendors can also continue to sell any backlog of Windows XP
licenses that they bought before the June 30 deadline. Beyond those exceptions,
most new Windows licenses purchased after June 30 will be for Windows Vista.

The owner of a PC support center near Boston questioned which users Microsoft
had been gathering feedback from.

"I'd love to know exactly what, and how many 'customers' Microsoft claims
to be getting this feedback from," David Bookbinder, owner of Total
PC Support, said via e-mail. "My guess, and it's an educated one, is
that it's more likely stockholder feedback."

Total PC Support provides service to home and small-business users in eastern
Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

"I service over 600 clients and have yet to find ONE speak highly of Vista,
or wish XP to end," he wrote. "And that goes from the biggest novice
on up."

IDG News Service

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine