14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Windows Vista looks nice, has some extended security and functionality over the previous versions of Windows, the very popular XP. The downside of Windows Vista is that it uses hardware resources like there would be no tomorrow, or in this case any other program running, quite high hardware needs and a prohibitive cost, to name just a few. Adding up all these negative sides of Windows Vista, one can easily see why customers are not hurrying to upgrade their software and hardware platforms.
On the other side of the fence, there are the Mac and the Linux users. I, for one, do not think that many Mac or Linux users will ever even consider switching to Windows Vista, as they are world-wide famous for their near fanatical operating system support. In an interview with silicon.com, cited later by ZDNet, the comments of Capital & Regional CIO Richard Snooks were that, given the cost of upgrading to Vista, Macs are now "smarter money".
The open source movement might benefit as well from the high cost of upgrading to Microsoft Windows Vista, as at least one Linux distribution, Ubuntu Linux and its forks, runs great even on older hardware and the native accelerated Compiz and Beryl desktop environments surpass the Vista Aero interface by far. Nicholas Bellenberg, IT director at publisher Hachette Filipacchi UK, said "What I would also expect is that there will also be more people trying out Ubuntu Linux and the like. If fellow CIOs haven't checked this out, they should do. Perhaps it's obvious but the quality of open source desktop software has come on no-end since I last reviewed it."
As most people already know, jumping from one software and hardware platform to a completely new one is very expensive on both time and money, even more so since the cost of Apple hardware and software is significantly greater than the cost of the PC platform. Even so there is a strong sentiment among IT managers that it is maybe time to look at other desktop options as well, as Alan Shrimpton, head of IS at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, said: "Many of our applications are mandated on us by existing national contracts and they are all based on a Windows desktop. However, from a personal perspective, if I didn't have that constraint then I would certainly want to look at all of my desktop options including Apple Macs."