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While Microsoft’s inability to sell Vista to consumers is well-documented, businesses are starting to come forward with their reasons for refusing to upgrade. The troubled operating system was released in an elaborate roll-out in January of 2007. Since that time, revenues in the desktop Windows group have fallen by 2%. While Microsoft continues to promote Vista to business users, big businesses have gone public in rejecting the OS and their reasons are diverse.

In a recent BusinessWeek article, General Motors joined the ranks of those who are looking for future software releases from Microsoft. Chief systems and technology officer Fred Killeen said, “We’re considering bypassing Vista and going straight to Windows 7.” The automaker has conducted preliminary testing on Vista which has not gone smoothly. Like many big companies, a software upgrade on the scale of Vista could be a disaster of huge proportions. Any disruption to vendors and customers could add to the beleaguered company’s woes.

Alaksa Airlines is another company which has vowed not to upgrade. Because they buy Dell PCs, they do purchase computers with Vista installed, but they then “downgrade” to XP to avoid problems. CIO Robert Reeder tells BusinessWeek, “There’s no business value in us continuing to chase that upgrade cycle.” Vista has little to offer companies like Alaska Airlines, since they are moving towards web-based software. Reeder also said, “”We don’t get any competitive advantage out of what we run on the desktop.”

Many users have complained that Vista works only on the newest, most powerful PCs, as it requires a fast processor and a lot of memory. Many have also run into compatibility issues with other software. This YouTube video, which has received over 2 million hits, highlights some of these issues, as well as showcases the frustration of some users. It seems for some, the only place Vista belongs is in a shredder. No wonder businesses are hesitating.

The light at the end of the tunnel, for both Microsoft and PC users, is Windows 7, the top secret follow up to Vista due out in late 2009. Not much is known about this new OS, largely because Microsoft is trying to keep it hush hush. In a recent blog post, Windows 7 team member Chris Flores writes, “With Windows 7, we’re trying to more carefully plan how we share information with our customers and partners. This means sharing the right level of information at the right time depending on the needs of the audience.” One recently revealed tidbit, however, is that Windows 7 may be used on Microsoft Surface, a multi-touch device marketed to businesses.

One of the keys to any corporate software upgrade is the promised time savings that a new system will bring. A new database might help workers find inventory faster. A new CRM system can reduce call times by letting phone representatives see past issues or future needs. A new operating system, in theory, should give businesses the ability to run programs without errors and maximize the time spent on projects. Vista has failed businesses in this regard. Any system that meets basic usability standards should save us time, not take up our time with needless messages or confirmations. Many who unwittingly upgraded are not only out the money spent on licenses, but also the man hours they spent trying to make the upgrade go smoothly. Vista is not yet usable for businesses, and those who were first to upgrade may never recover their investment.

Monday, June 16th, 2008 You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

By Haley January Eckels