Friday, December 7th 2007

Microsoft Watch Compiles Top Ten Reasons Why Vista Flopped

While Microsoft is putting their PR people to work showing the superiority of Vista to XP, Microsoft Watch is doing their part in educating the public on the other side of things. According to Microsoft Watch, you should not be listening to Microsoft, and know that Vista didn't too very well this year. Here are their reasons why, in order from most to least important. Please follow the source link for the reasons in greater detail.
  • Windows XP stayed in the market too long; everything was built for XP and not ready for Vista.
  • No compelling reason to upgrade from XP
  • User Interface changes made Vista seem overly complex
  • Bad timing; most sales occur between Thanksgiving and Christmas of any given year
  • Too many people were in charge of designing Vista
  • People were not ready for Vista
  • Advertising campaign was confusing, and stopped as abruptly as it started.
  • No obvious link between Office 2007 and Windows Vista
  • Legal issues with the US Department of Justice and the EU.
  • Way too many versions.
Source: Microsoft Watch
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70 Comments on Microsoft Watch Compiles Top Ten Reasons Why Vista Flopped

#1
cooler
no vista gaming edition
Posted on Reply
#2
ktr
that is pretty much a spot on list.
Posted on Reply
#3
Darkrealms
I don't think they quite covered the bloatware problem or the fact that it takes a third of most peoples hard drives that would consider upgrading (not forum techies normal people, they DO exist!).
They also kinda dodged the driver support issues.
Posted on Reply
#4
Disparia
Yup.

Though I think people were ready for Vista, it just didn't contain many compelling reasons to upgrade from XP.
Posted on Reply
#5
effmaster
DarkrealmsI don't think they quite covered the bloatware problem or the fact that it takes a third of most peoples hard drives that would consider upgrading (not forum techies normal people, they DO exist!).
They also kinda dodged the driver support issues.
Driver support issues are always hard to do. Its also helpful if the third party companies were to also issue driver support for their products more often and to not leave it all up to Microsoft to handle it. (Smacks the third party companies that are guilty of very few drivers: Creative: :slap: EA::slap: Everyone else: :slap:)

Just ask Solaris about how he managed to make his first version of Vista run better its a little buried under some menus but it really helps to make your Vista computer to run much faster:)
Posted on Reply
#6
[I.R.A]_FBi
Solaris? dont say di word vista next to him, worse if u next word is SP1 rofl
Posted on Reply
#7
erocker
*
Microsoft just needs to make a version of Vista, kind of like Basic, but geared more towards the enthusiast/performance market. An O/S that isn't riddled with processes with performance on par with XP, that supports DX10. I can't make it any more simple than that. Why not call it Vista Professional Ed.?
Posted on Reply
#8
Eric3988
They forgot to mention it is trash, digital garbage!!!
Posted on Reply
#9
AddSub
What about the most serious one? One that is pretty obvious to me at least, since I have experience with various versions of Vista across half a dozen systems. I'm talking about serious issues with stability (when it comes to OC-ing), compatibility (lack of drivers, or better said, lack of mature drivers a year after RTM), and serious performance penalties (vs. WinXP/Win2k).

Most of the reasons on their list are of marketing nature, which is something MS reps themselves have been using (misleadingly at that) as an excuse to deflect from other more obvious issues.
Advertising campaign was confusing, and stopped as abruptly as it started.
Pure, unfiltered guano. Microsoft’s Vista advertising campaign never stopped. In fact, it’s still going on, albeit with a different spin. If Microsoft spent half the cash on R&D they spent on marketing, they would have a better OS to begin with.
Posted on Reply
#10
[I.R.A]_FBi
erockerMicrosoft just needs to make a version of Vista, kind of like Basic, but geared more towards the enthusiast/performance market. An O/S that isn't riddled with processes with performance on par with XP, that supports DX10. I can't make it any more simple than that. Why not call it Vista Professional Ed.?
coolerno vista gaming edition
?
Posted on Reply
#11
erocker
*
[I.R.A]_FBi?
Whatever. I hope you got the point.
Posted on Reply
#12
[I.R.A]_FBi
erockerWhatever. I hope you got the point.
i agree with you .. i new core without the burden of all this visual stuff .. my xp looks like win2k ...
Posted on Reply
#14
Ravenas
coolerno vista gaming edition
I have to agree this would have been a very smart move. MS should have made a Vista OS geared towards gamers, just like they made a Vista OS geared towards business. I'm sure they already thought of that though.
Posted on Reply
#15
effmaster
RavenasI have to agree this would have been a very smart move. MS should have made a Vista OS geared towards gamers, just like they made a Vista OS geared towards business. I'm sure they already thought of that though.
Another Vista OS would only creat further confusion than the 4 formats already out there:laugh:
Posted on Reply
#16
panchoman
Sold my stars!
so they actually admit that vista flopped? wow, thats new for ms..
Posted on Reply
#17
AddSub
Wait, wait, yes... yes... I got it! Perfect marketing tactic: Vista: WoW Edition. I'm sure Blizzard/Vivendi would jump at the chance. Of course, it would mean death of Windows as a choice for professionals, and I would personally burn every windows disc/floppy I have out of sheer embarrassment of having anything "Microsoft Windows" belonging to me.

Vista marketing issues are the least of it.
Posted on Reply
#18
Ravenas
effmasterAnother Vista OS would only creat further confusion than the 4 formats already out there:laugh:
True but it would be a great selling point to a certain aspect of the Apple/PC community.
Posted on Reply
#19
3991vhtes
Microsoft Watch is probably an Anti Microsoft site. So what's the point of even listening to them? I could start an Anti-Linux site, and say random opinionated crap, and people would believe it.
Posted on Reply
#20
EastCoasthandle
ktrthat is pretty much a spot on list.
I have to agree, its spot on and explains why people don't like it/won't buy it.
Posted on Reply
#21
EastCoasthandle
3991vhtesMicrosoft Watch is probably an Anti Microsoft site. So what's the point of even listening to them? I could start an Anti-Linux site, and say random opinionated crap, and people would believe it.
Actually I find that hard to believe, those point were well thought out, proven facts. Not only did it give you a time line before Vista was released but what happen when it was released and the results after. It's obvious you didn't read the article as points laid out are not just random opinions.
Posted on Reply
#22
b1lk1
Totally laughable. Second PC I have owned running Vista with no speed issues, driver issues or ANY issues. Vista is not outselling XP because of people's unwillingness to learn anything new. If anything, Vista is just a big bad monster that makes you all afraid of the dark...........
Posted on Reply
#23
corwin155
old pcs

forgot one vistas needs higher end pc to run best
put on an old pc and youll kill the pc and winV as old pcs cant even come close to running vista
also have to say yeah to first comment , no gaming version which again comes down to performance hit vista has on pcs
Posted on Reply
#24
Judas
b1lk1Totally laughable. Second PC I have owned running Vista with no speed issues, driver issues or ANY issues. Vista is not outselling XP because of people's unwillingness to learn anything new. If anything, Vista is just a big bad monster that makes you all afraid of the dark...........
Yes this is very true
Posted on Reply
#25
Ravenas
b1lk1Totally laughable. Second PC I have owned running Vista with no speed issues, driver issues or ANY issues. Vista is not outselling XP because of people's unwillingness to learn anything new. If anything, Vista is just a big bad monster that makes you all afraid of the dark...........
Every man his own. Just because YOU haven't had any problems doesn't mean others aren't. I had some major problems with Vista, and still am. The fact is I'm having to turn off tons of options just to play games normally like I did on XP. I've had to install custom drivers to mess around with sound channels, simply because my sound wasn't working right in a particular game. Countless other things I could talk about. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Vista is the worst thing that has ever been released in the software community, but it's certainly not the best.
Posted on Reply
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