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ForumsPC makers will offer Windows 7 downgrade rights according to Microsoft.
“We will offer downgrade rights from Windows 7 to Windows XP in the same way we did with Windows Vista,” said a company spokesperson to Channelweb.com. “Volume licensing customers have always had the option of downgrading to a previous version of Windows,” he added.
A blog suggests that Windows 7 Pro PCs can downgrade to XP until April 30, 2010.
“Obviously, Microsoft recognizes that Windows Vista is never going to be accepted as much as they’d like, and realizes that a lot of customers are going to remain on XP until Windows 7 comes out,” said Todd Swank, the vice president of Nor-Tech.
Source: ChannelWeb
Although (in my opinion) XP is the best version of Windows ever made (…and I’m not talking about Server Editions here), since:
1) 32-bit support for hardware and software is going away and…
2) Most new computers (and many of those PCs that are only 1-2 years old) are 64 bit, the focus on updating programs old and new will be for the 64 bit version, not the 32 bit one…and…
3) Since Microsoft COULD technically keep XP going, update it, support it, etc indefinitely; chances are that they won’t do that because they have a standard 7 year life cycle. Also, since XP came in in 2001, it’s already overdue to be put to bed and retired forever from support.
I know people hate Vista (myself included), but once Windows 7 comes out, XP will be 2 generations back. Even Server 2003 is pushing the 6 year mark and the emphasis is going to be on Server 2008 as well.
I think a batter option that downgrading is simply upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows XP, is to simply upgrade from Windows to Linux.
Ron, I agree about switching for the majority of users. Most now spend most of their time on the net so Operating System is not important. At the same time I still see resistance to Open Office.
But security and virus resistance are what users need most.
Windows Defender in Windows 7 seems to be much improved over previous versions. I purposely downloaded a few questionable files just to see what kind of built-in security that 7 would ship with and it found security threats in all 5 or 6 files I downloaded.
It’s looking like there will be much greater protection for the average user this time around.
@zbeckerd
“Most now spend most of their time on the net so Operating System is not important.”
All the more reason to use Linux vs Windows. My point exactly.
Ron,
With the train going to 64-bit you are basically correct. BUT there are many, many well running 32-bit systems out there whose owners see no compelling reason at all to upgrade to 64-bit. When will the vast majority of applications beyond M$ Office be available in 64-bit?
I have the official M$ Win7 beta running on 2.8GHz P4 with 2GB and an older 40GB disk; runs subjectively MUCH better than Vista 32-bit on an Acer 64-bit dual CPU 2GB mini desktop with SATA HD.
I figure I will upgrade quite a few of my customers from XP to Win7.
Just my ideas.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I believe M$ WILL drop the hammer, that is support and updates on XP home users thus forcing them to either toss the computer or upgrade.
@eikelein says:
“Ron,
With the train going to 64-bit you are basically correct. BUT there are many, many well running 32-bit systems out there whose owners see no compelling reason at all to upgrade to 64-bit.”
Not to sound egotistical, but there is no “basically” about it. I am right because there will NOT be 32 bit support for Windows…and without that, there will NOT be any security updates, which means an unprotected system.
The 32-bit apps that run on top if it are therefore at risk because the OS, the core of the PC’s software, is at risk.
You can have a great 32-bit SQL Database and Server on a 32-bit system, but is that something you want to risk?
“When will the vast majority of applications beyond M$ Office be available in 64-bit?”
GOOD question!! Not soon enough in my opinion.
Any 3rd party software developer worth their salt should see this coming already and SHOULD be already beta testing their software on the publicly available downloadable 64-bit ISOs of Windows 7 and Server 2008.
“I have the official M$ Win7 beta running on 2.8GHz P4 with 2GB and an older 40GB disk; runs subjectively MUCH better than Vista 32-bit on an Acer 64-bit dual CPU 2GB mini desktop with SATA HD.”
Agreed. Win7 is MUCH better than Vista, but it isn’t XP – and THAT is something M$ will need to overcome.
“I figure I will upgrade quite a few of my customers from XP to Win7.
Just my ideas.”
Assuming the hardware can handle it, no risk to the data, no slowdown on the PC, yes, but I would test it extensively first. Remember how M$ shutdown the XP SP3 update because of certain CPU incompatibilities.
“I believe M$ WILL drop the hammer, that is support and updates on XP home users thus forcing them to either toss the computer or upgrade.”
Correct.
M$ will say that XP is 2 releases ago, 2 versions old, blah blah blah. Besides, I’ve see XP in 64-bit and it’s kinda tweeky about things.
@Atniz,
Like yourself and many others, I detest Vista. It’s the new Windows ME. I’ve tested Windows 7 and it is hands down, far and above and beyond, Vista. Like I said above though, it’s going to be a hurdle for M$ to get people to like Windows 7 over XP.
I just bought a new laptop with Windows 7 and I want my Windows XP back. I can’t use my WordPerfect9 in Windows 7.
Ron wrote: “I think a batter option that downgrading is simply upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows XP, is to simply upgrade from Windows to Linux.”
How difficult is the change from Windows to Linux? Do you have a good link to teaching someone who is not a programmer to do such a change? Or a link about what programs can work with Linux. If WordPerfect 9 will work with Linux then I would be happy to dump Windows 7.