Acer: PC industry 'disappointed' with Vista
Poor OS means poor sales, says Acer boss
By Matthew Broersma | Techworld | Published: 14:09, 23 July 2007
Acer president Gianfranco Lanci became the first major PC manufacturer to openly attack Microsoft over the Windows Vista operating system in the Financial Times Deutschland on Monday.
Lanci said the operating system was riddled with problems and gave users and businesses no reason to buy a new PC, according to the report. Taiwan-based Acer is the world's fourth-largest PC manufacturer, after HP, Dell and Lenovo.
"The whole industry is disappointed with Windows Vista," Lanci said.
Despite the long wait between Windows XP and Vista, the latest operating system still lacks maturity, he said. "Stability is certainly a problem," he said.
Users are voting with their feet, Lanci said, so that the Vista launch has had the smallest impact on PC sales of any version of Windows in the history of PC manufacturing. He added the situation didn't look likely to change in the next six months.
Many business customers have specifically asked for Windows XP to be installed on their new machines, Lanci noted.
While industry pundits have detailed user problems with Vista over the past few months, including sluggishness, the expense of acquiring hardware powerful enough to run the OS and lack of support for many critical applications, PC makers have so far looked on the brighter side.
HP, Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba have continued offering XP-equipped machines, but these are generally aimed at consumers or small businesses, not large corporate clients.
Microsoft itself says Vista has been a smashing successs, saying it had already sold 20 million Vista licences by March.
Last week the company said its quarterly income was $13.4 billion ($6.5 billion), up 13 percent from the same quarter last year, growth it said was partly due to strong Vista sales.
The company has said most Vista users are satisfied and that nearly all software and hardware is compatible.
On the other hand, the company recently told analysts it expects Windows XP to make up a significantly larger part of sales than it had previously expected, at Vista's expense.
Chief financial officer Chris Liddell has told analysts that he expects XP to make up 22 percent of sales in Microsoft's new fiscal year, up from the previous estimate of 15 percent. Vista would make up the remaining 78 percent of Windows sales. Windows XP sales will, in other words, be nearly 50 percent higher in the next 12 months than Microsoft had estimated earlier.
Michael Cherry, analyst with Directions at Microsoft, said part of the problem is that users prefer lower-cost machines that might not work well with Vista.
"Most of the machines I see pitched in catalogues are in the $700 range, certainly under $1,000," said Cherry. "Computers with that amount of hardware are a better fit for XP. With Vista's requirements, people may be thinking about sticking with XP, and putting less money into the hardware."
It's possible, Cherry added, that Microsoft might find itself forced to recognise more reality in the future. "At some point, they might have to consider limiting the availability of XP," to push people to Vista.
The software developer has made at least one move in that direction already. In mid-April, it announced it would terminate sales of Windows XP to resellers and retail after January 2008. User reactions were almost unanimously negative.
Gregg Keizer of Computerworld contributed to this report.
Comments
Cheap Computers said: nothing compared to linux
Just a nix user... said: Ive been using different windows os for my 10 years experience as an IT ME and Vista dont really make it work for me I would prefer using win98 than using vista Vista uses a lot of HDD space almost 3-4 times higher than win xp Its security is too much for home use and annoying Now I am using win xp dual boot with linux and it works fine and I am satisfied
max stirner said: go linux
Jay Swift said: I find it funny that I have no real ploblems with Vista on desktopan old 24ghz machine with only 500mhz of ramThen on my laptop with a duo core and 30ghz of ram i fight all day with vistaI dont know if its because I upgraded from XP Pro on my to Vista Ult on my desktop and my laptop came with Vista Premium then I upgraded to it to UltimateI think whats missing from Vistas source code is still in my desktop because of the previously installed XP
tomj23 said: Im an IT guy with 6 servers and 90 desktops and have been a loyal MS shop for years After 2 weeks of trying to get Vista Ive given up for now There is no way its going to run adequately on 50 of my workstations plus there are just too many changes both from the user and netadmin standpoint Nope Ill just continue to buy XP for now perhaps the MacIntel is the way to go well see
corey said: hmm i get a 53 base rating and i got 55 CPU 58 on RAM 59 on gfx 58 on gaming gfx and 53 for hddWHY DO I GET SO LOW FPS IN VISTA COMPAIRED TO XP i got a 58 rating on gaming on vista i get like 20 fps in FEAR on xp i get like 130 fps without vsync on at 1440x900 resolution i havent tested my brand new 1900x1200 monitor yet on fear since i re install windows like 2 times a week or it seems like it so who can help me find out why this 400 operating system is such trash for gaming it makes no sense at all
mr x said: i hate vista but i have 2 computers with it and im getting one more
El Cee said: You really have to look at the Microcrew power play here This is going to come and bite them in the ass really Xp was Microrews underdog for decent looks and ok until the hood still Lets call this how it is people Microcrew not listening to its customers and to boot there bullying Hardware companys while there at it Who really wants to bust out another 2K on a system to Run Aero Lol its called linux semi decent video card a few hundred bucks for the system Compiz amp Beryl and you have a better then Aero UI Sorry when Microcrew EOLs End of Lifes Xp and Xp product line support they are going to loose me and probably alot more customer to there Pro-Vista campaign
Rich3800 said: Remember the days where you bought internet access and you would get a computer Maybe the day will come where buying Windows will get you a new computer because Windows will be so pricey that the hardware wont matter Ah business models
shieldw0lf said: Vista is garbage It isnt trustworthy Its worse than useless I wouldnt even steal it I wouldnt take it as a giftIt doesnt matter how good the meal is when its been poisoned
Einar Lindahl said: As an end user the benefits of a new OS might be tempting However in many cases a new OS also requires a hardware upgrade ie an entirely new machine to which many of the applications already in use must be moved sometimes also involving a move of certain hardware Even if the machine need no hardware updates it might require a restructuring of disk partitions which may call for a clean install of the new OS This is a frustrating experience that costs a lot of time and efforts If on top of that there is a risk the new OS will add to the worries I prefer to stick to an OS that is known and that works sufficiently well to my expectations Microsoft does not understand that it seems As a minimum they could sell Vista licenses including a license to use for example XP at the discretion of the buyer including of course proper distribution of the old OS
ChrystenG said: Continually recycle continually re-invent a golden install image to make sure that all the software plays nice with each other continually Gee I think not If you wish to use the automotive analogy it is more appropriate to compare an OS to the FUEL you put in your car NOT to the car If Exxon changes its gasoline formulation and then tells you that you need a new car for the new formulation are you really going to go out an buy a new car I think not Can you say monopolisticAnd by the by even venerable W2Ksp4 does every single business and personal app needed This includes hi-edit video editing for clients etc etcYes we run LinuxUnix for our servers and 12 the desktops WHY you ask Because darn it all we have to reboot the once a year whether it needs it or not just for maintenance Try that Redmond with ANY versionrelease