Windows 7 Soon To Become The Most Common OS (Finally)

When I read anything like that article, I wonder what method that a "prophet" of that sort uses to see the future? If businesses have drug their feet to this point, why should they now magically jump on the bandwagon all at once? I can accept that the market share of new Windows computers might have a percentage similar to that quoted, but why are all those businesses now going to buy new computers, when they could just install the OS on what they now have? Somehow it just doesn't correlate. Reading something like this gives me the feeling that it is just a promotion tool.

A Guy said:

Gartner: 94 Percent of New PCs Will Ship with Windows 7 in 2011

The Apple Mac is steadily grabbing market share, but Windows-based systems continue to dominate the worldwide personal computer market, according to a new Gartner study.

The report is good news for Microsoft, which has taken its licks lately in the mobile computing market. Redmond's well-received but slow-selling Windows Phone 7 OS has yet to catch on among consumers, who are snapping up Apple iOS and Google Android handsets like crazy.

Source

A Guy

Any report coming out by Gartner is usually only 50% correct -- exactly the same outcome you could predict by simply random guessing.

I'm amazed that people even READ their stuff anymore.

The main problems as we all know with apple as far as PC's are concerned are a) the cost of the hardware and b) the proprietary and closed nature of the system.

In times where people are carefully conserving their cash - whatever one thinks of the hardware -
cost will ensure that Apple (as far as PC's are concerned) will remain an important but niche player for the well heeled consumer or for those professionals who really need the excellent multimedia capabilities of these machines.

Phones and tablets are a different ballgame -- and certainly I can't see ANY large organisation or consultancy supplying say 250 users with apple laptops however appealing the idea might be.

I actually will still need XP for a while longer yet -- but I'm quite happy to run this older OS as a Virtual XP under W7 -- modern machines and even small laptops are easily able to run one or two XP virtual machines when required.

Cheers
jimbo

dogbert2 said:

There is no reason to upgrade to Windows 8, unless you need 'cloud' features...Windows 7 will run fine for the time frame it is supported in (2015-2019)...

There are many reasons- Tablet UI looks awesome, for one. Xbox Live integration is another. I'm heavily rooting for the tablet UI as I really hope to see it compete with iPad. I think if MS plays their cards right, they could grab a large chunk of the tablet market finally.

i already knew that StatCounter Global Stats - Browser, OS, Search Engine including Mobile Market Share

however i hate the thumbnails deleting problem...and sometimes choppy aero using anything other than integrated graphics.