Microsoft takes heat for double talk on Windows 7

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October 23, 2008, 12:40 PM —  CIO.com — 

Microsoft's announcement last week that Windows 7 would be the official name for the next big OS after Vista was met with a curious combination of confusion and yawns.

Some of the confusion can be blamed on Windows VP Mike Nash's disjointed explanation for how Microsoft mathematically arrived at 7. The yawns came from the announcement being so casual (especially by Microsoft standards) and from the name being just a number.

But the yawns soon died down, and the simplicity of the name has created some complicated image problems for Microsoft. There have been accusations in the blogosphere that naming the operating system 7 gives the appearance of an upgrade, even though 7 code shares the same version number as Vista (6), which allows Microsoft to quietly reassure developers nervous about Vista-like application and device-driver compatibility headaches.

Microsoft has had some trouble explaining these alleged contradictions; with, for example, Nash calling Windows 7 both a "significant" and "evolutionary" advancement. Then Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer declared at Gartner's annual Symposium ITxpo in Orlando, Fla., that, "Windows 7 is Windows Vista with cleanup in user interface [and] improvements in performance."

Meanwhile, Microsoft has been pushing hard for Vista upgrades, even as Ballmer recommends skipping it.

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New Windows 7

Great thanks alot Microsoft... I saved for 2 years to buy a new computer. Went to the computer store and EVERY computer I wanted was loaded with the Vista Operarting System. I heard about some many problems ahead of time, but was reassured by the Sales people that Vista works great. So I put out over 2000.00 on the new computer and have had so many problems that I sometimes just go to the library and use their system.

So now we hear from Microsoft that they are unveiling a new Better version of Vista called Windows 7. Great awesome news so what about us suckers stuck with your crappy Vista System? What are we to do, Oh I get it pay another $149.00 for your new system which will fix all the problems on my 2000 system. Great so I guess I can save for another 6 months or so in this lousy economy so I can get a new system that might work better then the crappy one you made me buy. I get it, so forget about your loyal customers, forget about those of us you forced to buy a system that didn't work the way it was supposed to or advertised too. It's our fault the consumers fault, so now we have to put out even more money because of your systems failure. I get it now, thanks alot Microsoft. Glad to know the economy is great in your part of the woods.
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Sidekick: The Good News & the Bad News
Either way you look at it Microsoft Data Center management did not follow standards or best practices in this failure. In which case it makes me wonder more about the outsourcing of corporate data much less personal data.
- mburton325

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