If Microsoft isn’t listening to bloggers, what kind of example 
does that set for other organisations?
I’m referring to the vast number of Microsoft’s Windows XP fans, who have voiced huge disappointment on blog posts and also started petitions to save the six–year–old operating system which is due to be pulled off the shelves in June. These users believe XP is far superior to Windows Vista, Microsoft’s latest PC operating system, they want it to remain.
Technology journalist Galen Gruman started a Save XP Web petition, and since January he has gathered more than 100,000 signatures and thousands of comments, mostly from die–hard XP users who want Microsoft to keep selling it until the next version of Windows is released, currently targeted for 2010.
The story on Bulldog Reporter‘s site mentions how on the petition site’s comments section, some users stated they would downgrade from Vista to XP — an option available in the past to businesses, but now open for the first time to consumers who buy Vista Ultimate or Business editions — if they need to buy a new computer after XP goes off the market. That surely sends a very clear message to Microsoft.
Microsoft has already extended the XP deadline once, but it shows no signs it will do so again. The company has declined to meet with Gruman to consider the petition. Microsoft is aware of the petition, and has said it "will continue to be guided by feedback we hear from partners and customers 
about what makes sense based on their needs."
Does its actions prove this is the case, should it be doing more to demonstrate that it values their feedback? Do they have grounds for complaint? It seems to me their views are being ignored.
I still rely on using XP on my old laptop because I find it downloads YouTube video posts much better than Vista, which is on my new desktop, because for some reason I lose three-quarters of the picture by using Vista. I need to download some other software, but haven’t been able to do so. I wrote about my difficulties here.
Microsoft was one of the first organisations to use bloggers, and I remember reading they had 200 staff who were active bloggers, including Robert Scoble, who has been credited with helping to humanise Microsoft and shift its stance "from arrogant and aloof to one that is more inclusive and accepting of criticism". He has since left.
Is that how they are working now?
And if Microsoft isn’t listening and communicating with its customers, who is?
I refused to install vista on my recent desktop, laptop and notebook and have XP instead. XP is a stable platform (relatively for microsoft) and stuff just works. I have no need or inclination for an upgrade.
Of course, if they cannot sell bright, shiny, (potentially) better new OSs part of their business model starts to fail.
Great post Ellee… and as you know we had to take vista off my laptop as it was just about un usuable ….now with xp its a dream.
I also believe alot of people are buying mac’s to aviod having vista.
Sally, Funny how some computers have more problems than others. David has a new laptop and hasn’t mentioned any problems – yet. I just had the one issue with YouTube downloads. I think it was quite common because I googled the problem and others had reported it too after switching to Vista.
I didn’t know about this. Thanks for the vital info Ellee.
Now Ellee you got that back to front XP is most definitely an upgrade to Vista 😉
My Vist a woes are here.
Link seems not to work… will try again
Vista Woes.
If it still doesn’t work, just search for Microsoft on my blog 😉
I’ll be switching to Linux once XP is no longer supported.
Ubuntu is suitable for most people to use with little or no experience and running the live cd proved that my system is happy to run it without any problems.
I am so glad I got my laptop just before Vista was released. The problem is when you buy a machine Vista just comes with it and if you did not have XP before too bad. You would think by now they would have the kinks worked out of it.
Elle, Microsoft are going to continue XP for longer, but not because of any petition. There is a growing trend for cheap laptops based on cheaper components ( smaller screen, older processor, cheap memory etc ). Some companies have been using Linux as the operating system as when your selling at the low end of the market the cost of a operating system is significant and Vista requires too high a speciofication to produce a cheap machine.
This worries Microsoft as they don’t want people getting used to using other products – hence they are extending the life of XP for these type of machines ( and I assume dropping the price also ).
The bad news is there is no escape from Vista. Even though rumours abound that the next Microsoft operating system will be ready maybe even in 2009 it will have to be backwards compatible with Vista and that will mean no end to the driver and software compatibility nightmare that users suffer right now.
The options are:
1) Buy Vista – get new kit / software and get on with life. [ Microsoft will have learnt a lot of leasons about not repeating this sort of upgrade mess again so you should only have to do this once ].
2) Go with Linux or Apple’s OSX.
What’s really interesting is if anyone is really taking up Office 2007 and its user interface ? Or will they revert to a familiar form with the new version ?
It is also worth comparing the cost of many software products in the US and UK – say with Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk – where you’ll see prices in the UK are vastly higher than the US. Odd the Labour government never complains ….
Microsoft know that the more they force people on Vista, the more money they can make. Abandoning XP is a purely economic decision and while I hate Vista and like XP, there is a certain sense of inevitability about this.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
I’ve recently been forced to purchase a new laptop and agree, give me back my old XP any day..
I prefer Vista to XP. I have both.
I just bought an Apple Mac with Leopard. It just works…
I got fed up with Microsoft crashing/virus/ blah blah…
I has taken me a bit to get used to it s I run through the Microsoft stuff “automatically” but I prefer the Mac now…
The answer is, as Morning Star above says, Ubuntu which is a Linux distribution.
It’s free, it works, it’s updated regularly at no charge. What more could anybody want?
I keep a token copy of XP for only one reason and that is to use my voice dictation software.
If I had shares in M$, I would be very worried.
Aah Marketing, Marketing
Vinyl was said to be superior, but nowdays we all love our CDs or DVDs – and they’ll be redundant soon.
Will I miss analogue TV. I don’t know
But I won’t be getting any TV soon unless I go digital.
Progress (or rather change) is relentless. Mind you I’d love to get hold of one of those Adnam’s village pubs. If you know anyone from Adnam’s Brewery, tell them I’d love to run a village pub – and I reckon I could maje it pay.
A not particularly confidence-filling comment by Steve Ballmer of Microsoft:-
http://www.timalmond.com/2008/04/20/vista-woes/
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