Windows Vista was introduced at a time when Windows XP is a monolithic presence on the operating system market. Accounting for over 85% of the market, Windows XP has a momentum
that will carry on for the years to come. Windows Vista will not dislocate its predecessor from the dominant position over the market until 2009. And even then, the status quo will be a parity between the two operating systems, but with Windows Vista moving ahead.
The fact of the matter is that Microsoft has permitted this with the 5-year gap between Windows XP and Vista. Although the Redmond Company has not been dormant these years, it did allow for Windows XP to dig in its roots. And Vista will have problems at digging them out, due to the fact that this is pretty much about user's perception. And the users have made up their minds after using XP extensively for five years.
Microsoft released Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition before Vista. Recently, the company has announced extended support for XP Home Edition and Media Center Edition.
This context does little to help shift the users' perception that Windows XP is simply good enough. Microsoft's strategy does not tackle Vista's predecessor directly. Windows XP is simply left in the background as Vista has taken the stage, but this does not mean that it will not endure.
The fact that there is still a consistent number of Windows 98, 2000 and ME out there even at the start of 2007, and even though Microsoft no longer supports these operating systems is a clear indication of XP's own survivability.
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