Why Windows Wins | Linux Magazine
Windows Vista isn’t so much a new operating system as it is demand generation for new hardware. It’s a strategy that ultimately will prove successful because it enlists the support of everyone selling hardware.
I want to think it won’t “win” — but Linux Magazine makes a good point. If I am a hardware vendor, and Microsoft says to me: “Yes, we’re releasing a new OS. The hardware requirements are so high, over 80% of the market may need to buy a whole new PC to run it; want to work with us?” Will this interest me? What, does selling thousands and thousands of new PCs interest me? Let’s think about it-Yes!
I still don’t know if it is a strategy that will work — it certainly won’t endear Microsoft to the masses, but I don’t think that’s the object.
Why is everyone treating this like it’s somehow a new idea? _Every_ version of Windows, without fail, has required a certain tier of users to go out and replace their old hardware in order to upgrade. Granted, the size of that tier may be bigger, but this is not a new concept.
I suppose you’re right; for me, I’d say the scale was what made it seem worth commenting on. I don’t necessarily think that earlier versions required quite as much of an upgrade on the hardware side. XP was capable of running on a PII with 128MB of RAM — admittedly, performance would suffer, but if you had a PIII or equivalent and 256MB , you could probably have upgraded and be perfectly happy.
So, yes, it’s certainly not a “new” tactic — just a little bigger upgrade requirement.