Dell, HP keeping Windows XP alive

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The latest twist of HP and Dell deciding to sell machines that have Vista rights but contain XP pre-installed beyond June 30 in a way reflects what the consumer is actually demanding.

The pre-downgraded PC option is just the latest way that PC makers have responded to stronger-than-expected demand. After shifting largely to Vista after its January 2007 mainstream launch, Dell and others quickly began adding more XP options in response to customer requests.

For some time now, computer makers have been selling machines with an XP recovery disc as a downgrade option like Lenovo which plans to keep offering an XP recovery disc with some Vista models through January 2009.

A spokeswoman from Waggener Edstrom said Microsoft is aware that some customers are pushing for an extension to the deadline.

XP is being phased out in favor of Windows Vista which has, so far, got a lukewarm welcome from many firms.

The owner of a PC support center questioned which users Microsoft had been gathering feedback from.

"I'd love to know exactly what and how many 'customers' Microsoft claims to be getting this feedback from," David Bookbinder, owner of Total PC Support said. "My guess, and it's an educated one, is that it's more likely stockholder feedback." Total PC Support provides service to home and small-business users in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

"I service over 600 clients and have yet to find ONE speak highly of Vista, or wish XP to end. And that goes from the biggest novice on up," he affirmed.

Microsoft itself reported that its third quarter results were down by 11 percent largely due to a fall in sales in its Windows software division. Still Microsoft maintains that its sales of Vista licenses stood at 140 million, a figure that is in line with its predictions over-ruling the fact that a major chunk comprises of the "downgraded" PCs since even a XP downgraded computer with Vista as core OS is logged as a Vista sale.

The argument remains - why is Microsoft phasing something which people 'want' and giving them what they are facing issues with-

If Microsoft is looking for feedback then why are they ignoring the 1,80,000 plus signatures collected by InfoWorld magazine for their "Save XP" campaign- Consumers have voiced their "disappointment" with Vista citing varied reasons and some have now started discussing and putting up blog-posts to support XP.

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