Microsoft May Offer Free Update to Windows 7 for Vista Users

Now may be the time to buy that new computer with a pre-loaded version of Microsoft's Windows Vista

TechARP and Softpedia posted articles yesterday about a potential Microsoft Windows 7 update program. This program would provide users who purchased computers running a version of Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system with a comparable version of Windows 7. While Microsoft has not made an official statement about plans for an update program, making such a program available would be consistent with the company's Windows Vista launch strategy. When Windows Vista was released in January of 2007, Microsoft offered free updates to Vista for users who had purchased a computer running Windows XP within a specific window of time leading up to the launch. Microsoft's Windows 7 update plan would have similar restrictions. Specific limitations on the update program would include:

• This update is available only to personal users, not businesses.
• This update is available only to users who purchased a new computer with Windows Vista pre-loaded between certain months.
  

What does this mean to you? Given the abysmal launch of Windows Vista, you (like many others) may have been waiting to buy a new computer, with the thought that you can get everything done in Windows XP, and there's no compelling reason to switch. That may change with early reviews of the Windows 7 Beta release that indicate the new operating system is considerably better at handling real-world computing tasks than either Windows Vista or Windows XP.

While Windows 7 is still in beta it's generally accepted that software gets faster and more stable between the beta version and final release. This means that Windows 7 has the potential to be the most stable, best performing version of Microsoft's OS to date. If you've been waiting to upgrade your computer until Microsoft either "fixed" Windows Vista, or released a new version, now may be the time to purchase that Windows Vista computer so you can take advantage of the free update to Windows 7 when it is released.

For more information on the potential update program please see one of the links below:

• "The Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Program" on TechARP
• "Windows 7 Upgrade Program" on SoftPedia
• "Report: Microsoft Details Windows 7 Upgrade Program" on Technologizer

Dell No Longer Offering Windows XP on Computers

The last official day to purchase a new computer from Dell with Windows XP loaded was Wednesday, June 18th. Even so, the company is still making it possible to get a computer with Windows XP loaded, but customers will be expected to purchase a Vista license. the business and personal computing markets remain largely lukewarm in their reception of Windows Vista, Microsoft's much maligned upgrade to Windows. Nonetheless, the tides are changing, and Microsoft annoucned that it will cease retail sales of Windows XP as of June 30th. OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) will still be able pre-load computers with Windows XP. Support for Windows XP OEMs will continue through 2010.

Dell's offer allows them to take advantage of 'downgrade rights' built into Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate licenses. Essentially, this allows the party purchasing the computer to choose an installation of Windows XP Pro instead of the Vista OS, with the option of returning to Vista at a later date. Customers who take advantage of this offer will receive their computers with Windows XP pre-installed, but bundled with a Vista installation disc.

There's more. In order to take advantage of the downgrade option Dell's customers must first upgrade to one of the eligible versions of Vista (business or ultimate). In addition, this option comes free of charge only on Dell's 630 and 720 H2C desktops, and the M1730 laptop. There are extra fees to downgrade the Latitude, Optiplex, Precision, and Vostro lines. Finally, Dell's best-selling brand, the Inspiron, does not offer a pre-installed downgrade to XP. Customers purchasing these computers will have to manage the downgrade to XP themselves.

What does this mean for you? Essentially, Microsoft is phasing out Windows XP in favor of Windows Vista. The older operating system will be supported for a while yet (until 2014), but the time to make the switch is coming. Given the high hardware and software demands of Vista, it may be best to wait until you're ready to buy that new computer before making the switch.