Businesses using Windows 2000 need to start preparing for Windows Vista now, or they will find themselves abandoned by Microsoft,” warns research firm Gartner.However, for those companies using Windows XP, the transition to Windows Vista can be more leisurely.
Gartner has issued a second statement regarding Windows Vista to replace their research published last week, which the media misunderstood. The recommendation for users to postpone using Windows Vista until 2008 has been retracted, replaced with advice to prepare for Vista as soon as possible, especially for those still using Windows 2000.
According to Gartner’s advice, businesses using Windows 2000 should immediately contact their software vendors to discuss the timing and support plans for Windows Vista. For some specialized enterprise applications, software companies may take up to three years to support a new operating system.
Furthermore, Microsoft plans to stop support for Windows 2000 starting in mid-2010, meaning that companies that do not act promptly will find themselves “lost in the marketplace,” with no support available. The best solution is to engage with software service companies as soon as possible and develop a reasonable timeline for adopting Windows Vista.
“It’s important to remember that software companies can be quite … lazy, and if you don’t push them, they’ll forget about you quickly. The more customers that prompt them, the greater the motivation for the software company to work harder,” Gartner analyzes.
According to their calculations, many corporations will take about 18 months—from the time Vista is released—to test new applications, receive support from third-party software vendors, and run pilot projects, etc. Companies that ignore Vista until 2008 will not be able to implement it in time by mid-2010.
Windows XP users can be more relaxed, simply installing Windows Vista on new computers or laptops they purchase. Upgrading XP to Vista should only be carried out for computers that are still within half of their technical lifespan.
Thien Yi