Windows Vista About to Run Over MacIntel - Linux already Roadkill

Windows Vista has hit the shelves on January 30, 2007. Since then, Linux has long been left in the dust, nothing more than road kill and Windows Vista is breathing down MacIntel's neck, being about to run it over. Furthermore, after the first two months of commercial availability, Windows Vista has taken its toll on Mac OS by causing it to lose market share.

Microsoft has applauded at the end of March 20 million sold Windows Vista licenses worldwide in the month of its commercial launch. This figures place the Vista firmly ahead of Windows XP in terms of market performance in the first month of availability with more than double the volume of sales compared to its predecessor. And the sales are also reflected on the operating system market.

Windows Vista has increased its share from 0.93% in February 2007 over the 2% milestone to 2.04% in March. According to data made public by Marker Share by Net Applications, Windows Vista has also experienced a jump in its rate of adoption, accelerating from a 0.75% growth in February to a 1.11% increase in March.

By comparison, MacIntel has lost momentum, and decelerated, jumping from 2.09% in February to only 2.14% in March 2007. Between January-February, MacIntel increased its market share from 1.88% to 2.09%, but the release of Windows Vista has contributed to slowing down the adoption of MacIntel's growth.

Additionally, Windows Vista has also impacted the market share of Mac OS. In March 20007, Mac OS has lost a consistent amount of market share, and it is down to 3.94% from 4.29% in February. The March share loss only adds to a similar drop in February 2007, from 4.34% to 4.29%.

Linux has been on an ascendant trend since January 2007and has even managed to increase its market share beyond the August 2006 apex of 0.47%. In March 2007, Linux accounted for a share of 0.57%, three times less than that of Windows Vista in just two months.

Windows XP also continued to lose market share, dropping from 85.02% in January to 84.33% in February and further down to 83.57% in March 2007, but this share loss is understandable in the context of Windows Vista.