December 10, 2006
Vista's Development Over the Semester
After more than 5 years in development, the next version of Microsoft’s operating system was finally released to business consumers on November 30, 2006 and is scheduled to be released to customers who intend to use the OS for personal use on January 30, 2007. Windows Vista is the follow-up to Windows XP, which is widely used for both business and personal use. To date, the development of this new operating system has cost Microsoft an estimated $7.5 billion to assemble. Given that a large portion of Microsoft’s revenues and operating profits are generated from the sale of their operating system, the success of Vista and the response of the public is crucial to the success of the company itself.
Over the past few months, the reviews about Vista that we have read have been mixed. For instance, some people are happy with some of the new features Vista offers, like improved security measures, new graphics, and more efficient power usage. However, many of the enthusiastic reviews seemed to come websites affiliated somehow with Microsoft. Despite some positive reviews, there are many skeptics who feel that what Vista offers is no different than those already offered by Apple or free alternatives, such as the Open Source operating system Linux.
At the beginning of the semester, most of the reviews we came across on the Internet were in response to the beta version of Vista, which used to be referred to as Longhorn. Both of the major beta versions, released before the semester began, generated a neutral response. The #1 concern seemed to be about security, although Microsoft claims that Vista is the most secure operating system available yet. Although viruses are a threat to any operating system, it does not reflect well upon Vista that hackers have already managed to create viruses that attack Vista before the OS has even been released to the public. For instance, just a few days ago, it was found that the “MelindaGates” virus allows users of the corporate version of Vista to circumvent the software's anti-piracy mechanisms Infoworld.com.
In addition to security concerns, compatibility is also a major concern to those deciding whether or not to adopt Vista. Since Vista was released to business at the end of November, there has been a lot of buzz amongst those considering buying the OS for personal use as to whether or not it’s really worth it. According to a statement one IT professional made on DNRonline.com:
If you want a basic setup of Vista you can probably use a fairly modern/current computer. If you want the full-blown visually “stunning” version you may need a lot more in the way of processor speed, memory, a higher-end video card and a couple of other additions. Notice the MS descriptions in the previous paragraphs using the terms, "capable" vs. "premium."
In short, what we have seen over the progression of the semester is that feedback on Vista has been extensive and that Microsoft has used this feedback to constantly adjust and improve the new operating system, as it moved from the beta versions onward. This development process leads us to conclude that although Vista might not currently be everything users hoped, Microsoft’s new operating system has evolved and will continue evolving in the future.
Posted by alathans at December 10, 2006 03:19 PM