On the General Availability deadline of Windows 7, Microsoft has stopped selling Windows Vista altogether via its online store. Microsoft Store offers exclusively Windows 7 editions under the Windows section, and Vista is nowhere to be found. The Redmond company has been mum as far as banishing Vista from the Microsoft Online Store is concerned. It has also kept silent when it comes down to the overhauling that it has introduced to its online ecommerce hotspot. In all fairness, the software giant did provide a small heads up that it was revamping the online version of the Microsoft Store, but failed to comment or to offer details, while it has undertaken quite a large step. Specifically, the Microsoft Online Store is now offering not only the company’s own software and hardware products, but also computers from third-party original equipment manufacturers.

“Online Store Refresh Oct. 22 - Microsoft’s online store will be refreshed today to complement and extend the new in-store experience. For the first time, it will sell Windows 7 computers, third-party software titles and a wide selection of computing accessories,” reads the only information provided by the Redmond giant.

It is an understandable move that Microsoft wants consumers to focus on Windows 7 rather than Vista, still, cutting supply of the old OS altogether is a rather strong move. But I am sure that customers will not miss Vista and will certainly not go to the lengths they went to in order to keep Windows XP alive. Certainly not with Windows 7 available.

But by offering OEM machines through Microsoft Store, the Redmond company is making yet another step in its race to get closer to Apple and the Cupertino hardware vendor’s physical and online stores. Microsoft is selling laptops, netbooks, desktops and PC accessories from a range of OEMs including: Acer, Asus, Alienware, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba.