Microsoft: Windows 7 Won't Save PC Recession
Windows 7 may be good, but it's not a miracle.
Despite Apple trying to rain on Microsoft’s parade during WWDC09, pointing out that Windows 7 is still built off of Vista roots, many are looking to the upcoming Windows release to be the one that gets it right, giving the sagging PC industry a much-needed shot in the arm. But Microsoft is cautious when it comes to suggestions that Windows 7 will be able to single-handedly turn around the recession in PC buying.
“History would tell us that generally as you ship a Windows release into the market... the bump is very modest," Microsoft senior vice president Bill Veghte said in a CNet story. "You will see a little bit, but it is modest."
While consumers are eagerly awaiting Windows 7--which is timed well with the holiday buying season--businesses aren’t so ready to spend IT dollars in upgrades. Microsoft doesn’t seem that worried, however, staying confident that the dollars will roll back in once the economy improves.
"It will get drowned by the macroeconomic environment," he said in the speech, which was Webcast on Microsoft's investor Web site. "As the macro environment comes back, people will have to buy new PCs. People aren't using PCs any less."
Dell hopes that Windows 7 will have a significant boosting effect on PC buying, as the computer-making giant saw its quarterly earnings fall by 63 percent. Michael Dell said that the company is preparing itself for a “powerful replacement cycle,” which could be referring to Windows 7 and new CPUs based off of Nehalem.
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Course it won't help the reccession, all markets need to recover before people start buying new consumer goods.
Either way I don't care, I love my new Intel i7 920/ASUS P6T Deluxe/OCZ 6GB RAM with XFX Geforce GX2 GPU machine and Windows 7 RC installed as my main Windows solution installed.
I've had it installed for almost a week now and I've had little to no issues with it, obviously some of the ASUS DVD drivers/software would install coz its for Vista and the same with the XFX drivers, but Windows 7 works fine "from the box". nVidia's beta drivers work without a hitch, even playing games, such as GTA IV, Sims 3, Need For Speed: Undercover and FIFA 09.
I've even plugged in my bluetooth dongle and Windows recognised it straight anyway, didn't need to install anything, just installed the Nokia PC Suite software and my phone was connected in minutes.
Compared to Vista, Windows 7 is what XP was to Windows 98/ME, I'm definitely gonna be buying myself a copy of 7 before the RC version runs out next June.
The PC market was flogged to death well before the recession and so it will remain for a very long time.
I think it’s only the likes of hardware addicts, those that need the latest and greatest CPU, Graphics and Ram in their machine that keep the market flowing to some degree.
Even so it’s much of a muchness, core speeds have remained sort of stagnant as heat issues plague this now ageing platform as scientists search for the next generation in core technology.
Basically, there is nothing new and we all know, when the breakthrough happens and faster more efficient and reliable hardware comes out there will be a burst in consumer purchase because as we all know but wont admit it, the computer comes first!
I'll be buying 7 right away, but, at the same time, I'm already planning to buy a new screen, keyboard, SSD, graphics cards, case and microphone.
So, I'm not exactly representative of what is going to occur, and if I am, I'll be skeptical of this "recession"'s affect on the tech industry.
I think alot of people see no real reason to upgrade hardware.
I have a three year old gaming system(680i,e8400,8800gtx,4 gigs ram)and theres not much this rig cant handle.Why spend $1000. to get games to go from say 75fps to 100fps,whats the point?Most games these days are console ports and not very demanding of hardware.
Outside of games and proffessional applications theres nothing an old socket 754 system cant do for petes sake.(got one running win 7 at work)
Wheres the new gee whiz pc games or killer apps that would motivate me to upgrade?
Even crytek is going the console route.I think this trend is harming hardware sales.Hell Crysis and FSX are the only games My pc struggels with and was going to upgrade just to run these with higher settings.
But now Ill just wait for crysis2(console game)and I read M/S wont be making anymore flight sims so...Ive kinda lost interest.
COME ON INDUSTRY..."WOW" ME ALREADY!
Win7 is great so far. I hope it helps sell new pcs.
I'll be buying Win7 on release day... first Windows I'll have bought since '98 (got XP free from my College's MSDN, got an upgrade to Vista from my uncle who got a 2nd copy of vista with his new PC).
Here's hoping it's not too expensive.