I wouldn't say Windows 7 is doomed to be forgotten because it's adoption rate is so low at this point. You have to remember to take into consideration the difference between Mac and PC users.
Mac users tend to be more technologically savvy consumers who will go out of their way to upgrade, whereas many Windows users are just run of the mill folk that really don't give two shits about what OS they're on. They upgrade when they buy a new computer. As time goes on we'll see the numbers grow as people buy new machines with 7 preinstalled.
As far as Windows XP though, that will probably continue to be high with all the netbooks out there. #osmarketshare
@Benguin: I disagree. I think the heading of the article was spot on: REALITY CHECK. These Apple Fanboys have been bouncing off the walls about how they have 30%+ of the OS market share and how windows is going downhill. Well, knock knock? Who's there? 92%. 92% who? Well, allow me to reintroduce myslef---my name is HOV, nigga*, H-to-the-O-V. #osmarketshare
@Benguin: I whole heartedly agree. Coming from working for apple tech support I can tell you that most mac users are up to date on their systems and know what's coming out and when it's coming out.
Microsoft as a whole is much much larger than apple, and thus the sheer amount of computers to compare could be completely throwing off the comparison. #osmarketshare
@MANCREEP: I don't think I've ever heard anybody ever claim that OS X had anything even close to 30%. I'm glad you're so proud of your OS's market share though.
@Bs Baldwin: But what percentage of Windows users are coders and programmers? Definitely not the majority. I never said all Mac users or all Windows users, but by and large in my experience it's the Mac users who have been more aware of the state of tech. #osmarketshare
Yesterday I spent quite a few hours in Windows 7 testing all of my apps, custom-built programs, and other things. It was nice, and surprisingly fast. It "feels" faster than Snow Leopard, which is quite surprising to me. Though, I did have a few problems in Win 7; especially with connecting my Apple wireless keyboard, and having my display settings saved after a shut-down.
I'm no fanboy either way, but seeing the worldwide market share is interesting.
@Ryanrule: Oh believe me, if it was only a driver thing, that would have been simple. Getting the driver was the easy bit. Insert Bootcamp dvd and ... Boom! #osmarketshare
I honestly don't think the XP usage value is going to change much. Companies already bought their volume licenses for XP, and I don't think they'd want to shell out cash for a flashier OS.
Honestly, Vista and Windows 7 aren't really necessary in the business environment. They look and feel great, but they offer almost nothing "functional" as far as business is concerned. #osmarketshare
@Xagest: You are completely wrong about that. Windows Vista and 7 have much greater security and more importantly they have a greater ability for management. Using Group Policy you are able to lock down and control Windows Vista and 7 machines to a much greater level than you could with XP. There may not be anything specific to end users, but for IT they are significantly easier to manage.
@bradydoll001: I guess it depends on the work environment. In many companies, each employee owns 1 workstation (usually a laptop), so stuff like user groups isn't all that useful (only 1 user). Because XP is being pushed to netbooks and such, security patches are still strong.
@Xagest: What industry are you in that uses all laptops? Some small start ups might sport that happy situation but most big companies are still rocking the old school desktops.
I have 3 pcs (all running xp) a linux dev box and a mac pro under my poor crowded desk ... only place i use a lap top is in the lab
@Xagest: and @SSgtTEX: Ahh well thats really good to know ... i happen to currently work with the military, thus my situation. It's been a while since i worked for a purely civilian company so this is all good news to me! I will gladly make the switch to a laptop when they let me! #osmarketshare
This doesn't mean much since Mac users, especially in the design industry, which comprises a huge part of the base, jump onto the latest version the second its released.
And for the record, 10.5 is crap, especially compared to 10.4, unstable and performance isn't as good. So I expect people will eagerly jump to 10.6 #osmarketshare
Why didn't they include pre-OS X Mac operating systems? Did Steve Jobs order all OS 9 users burned alive or something? Pity. They were nice people. A little defensive, but still nice. #osmarketshare
@Monty: I believe it's the ? on the chart - but probably not.
I'm still an OS 9 user myself on an old iBook (the clamshell). It has a paltry 64 MB of RAM and runs 9.2.2 up-to-date for the most part.
It's connected to a speaker system in my bed and controlled via the Vine VNC server. Makes a nice little iTunes 2.0.4 box. Internet radio... and MP3s.
I had to set it back up last week - and downloading the updates made me cry a little bit. They have a 'tip' while you download the updates:
Tip: Mac OS 9 was a great operating system years ago, but there's so much you can do in Mac OS X that you can't do in Mac OS 9. Check out the Mac OS X Overview website for more information about all the cool features you'll find in Mac OS X. Every new Mac comes with Mac OS X—or you can purchase it at the online Apple Store or your local retail Apple Store.
@Mozoltov, motherfucker: I think it's much less flawed then Windows ME but I think it will be relegated the same desk drawer so to speak. They were both massively underwhelming and fatally flawed in both execution and perception. #osmarketshare
@Maori_Yelir: I don't know if ME was that bad. And Vista for that matter. I used ME on my first HP between 2000-2004 and it was my FPS gaming computer. I was in my late teens and barely knew much about computers. Yet it run perfectly fine, I was in a Counter-Strike clan and the only reason I stopped using it in 2004 was because I wanted a new computer and XP before I went to Uni.
Vista I got in late-2008 on a new Compaq. I had 0% issues...infact the networking between my Xbox 360/PS3 and my laptops was fantastic, it looked good and just seemed great. I upgraded the same computer to Windows 7 just last weekend just because I was curious.
@Aetius: YES! Another ME user! I had a Gateway from 2001 (came in June - just 4 months before the XP launch) with 128 MB of RAM and an AMD (tri)Athlon processor at 1.2 GHz.
Came with Windows ME and our favorite anti-virus - Norton Antivirus 2001.
The thing ran perfectly for months at a time - sure we needed to wipe it every 5-6 months but other than that it worked like a tank. Fast, reliable, smooth.
Although I also have a Vista computer currently - downgraded to XP. I can't stand the horrid OS at all and would rather be using ~300 MB of RAM when idle instead of 800. #osmarketshare
@Aetius: And I, also, used both without much complaint but that doesn't mean they were sterling examples of software. On new hardware, in both cases, they ran fine. On old hardware they ran like a fat kid missing a leg. The reason XP and Windows 7 are seen as good was because Microsoft went out of their way to support legacy hardware. XP was a redesign of Windows ME painted blue. Windows 7 in many ways has that relationship to Vista. The same base specs for Vista is roughly the same for Windows 7. It was the people using old hardware that earned them both their bad image and perception is everything. #osmarketshare
@dragon: ONE: Exactly! I used to totally abuse that HP ME computer. Download all sorts of demos and maps...the HD was a mess compared to my spartan-level controlled Vista/7 desktop now. But it ran juuust fine. And that was back in the bad old days of viruses and cookies before everyone became serious about those things. #osmarketshare
@Pinky882: Why would I be jealous? I am a big Star Wars and Leia fan. Sorry you missed the halloween pics, everyone else seemed to like them. #starwars
11/06/09
Mac users tend to be more technologically savvy consumers who will go out of their way to upgrade, whereas many Windows users are just run of the mill folk that really don't give two shits about what OS they're on. They upgrade when they buy a new computer. As time goes on we'll see the numbers grow as people buy new machines with 7 preinstalled.
As far as Windows XP though, that will probably continue to be high with all the netbooks out there. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
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11/06/09
Microsoft as a whole is much much larger than apple, and thus the sheer amount of computers to compare could be completely throwing off the comparison. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
@Bs Baldwin: But what percentage of Windows users are coders and programmers? Definitely not the majority. I never said all Mac users or all Windows users, but by and large in my experience it's the Mac users who have been more aware of the state of tech. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
11/06/09
I'm no fanboy either way, but seeing the worldwide market share is interesting.
11/06/09
Apple does not distribute this driver, because in their eyes, FUCK YOU! #osmarketshare
11/06/09
01:02 AM
11/06/09
Honestly, Vista and Windows 7 aren't really necessary in the business environment. They look and feel great, but they offer almost nothing "functional" as far as business is concerned. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
11/06/09
Ah well, we'll see how it pans out. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
I have 3 pcs (all running xp) a linux dev box and a mac pro under my poor crowded desk ... only place i use a lap top is in the lab
but hey ... that's just me #osmarketshare
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
That Windows has bits of corn in its shit that is bigger than OSX' install base. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
And for the record, 10.5 is crap, especially compared to 10.4, unstable and performance isn't as good. So I expect people will eagerly jump to 10.6 #osmarketshare
11/06/09
Wow 10.4 almost sounds like OSX Vista #osmarketshare
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
I'm still an OS 9 user myself on an old iBook (the clamshell). It has a paltry 64 MB of RAM and runs 9.2.2 up-to-date for the most part.
It's connected to a speaker system in my bed and controlled via the Vine VNC server. Makes a nice little iTunes 2.0.4 box. Internet radio... and MP3s.
I had to set it back up last week - and downloading the updates made me cry a little bit. They have a 'tip' while you download the updates:
Tip: Mac OS 9 was a great operating system years ago, but there's so much you can do in Mac OS X that you can't do in Mac OS 9. Check out the Mac OS X Overview website for more information about all the cool features you'll find in Mac OS X. Every new Mac comes with Mac OS X—or you can purchase it at the online Apple Store or your local retail Apple Store.
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
Vista I got in late-2008 on a new Compaq. I had 0% issues...infact the networking between my Xbox 360/PS3 and my laptops was fantastic, it looked good and just seemed great. I upgraded the same computer to Windows 7 just last weekend just because I was curious.
Both OS served me fine. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
Came with Windows ME and our favorite anti-virus - Norton Antivirus 2001.
The thing ran perfectly for months at a time - sure we needed to wipe it every 5-6 months but other than that it worked like a tank. Fast, reliable, smooth.
Although I also have a Vista computer currently - downgraded to XP. I can't stand the horrid OS at all and would rather be using ~300 MB of RAM when idle instead of 800. #osmarketshare
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/05/09
The Force was NOT strong with this one... #starwars
11/05/09
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11/05/09
11/05/09
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11/05/09
BTW,what happened to your halloween pics? #starwars
11/05/09
11/05/09
Exhibitionist, meet geek blog. Geek blog, meet exhibitionist. #starwars
11/05/09
OK, one person, and he isnt talking. :) #starwars
11/05/09
11/05/09
Ponies + not talk = does not compute.
;) #starwars