XP reborn

Microsoft has once again extended it's best-selling OS-XP's deadline from 31 January 2009 to 30 June 2009. Guess Microsoft did realize that 'old is gold'. Many PC manufacturers still offer XP as a OS variant apart from Vista- which did not appeal to many, although the 31 January will apply to small PC vendors. Microsoft claims that they are extending XP's 'kill date' to a new date just because many users are taking time to shift to Vista- who knows if this is true!

180 million Vista licenses? Are you kidding Microsoft?

Even though this is a little financial, I find it overwhelming. Over the past 12 months, Microsoft has had sales of $60.42 billion and a profit of $17.68 billion. You just know that the company is ready to expand further; Microsoft’s treasure chest currently holds more than $23 billion.

Windows Vista sales were said to have been particularly strong. Vista OEM revenue increased $420 million or 13%, driven by 22% growth in OEM license units. Revenue from commercial and retail licensing of Windows operating systems increased $138 million or 22%, primarily from Enterprise Agreements and anti-piracy efforts in emerging markets. OEM premium mix was 72% for the three months ended June 30, 2008. According to Microsoft, total worldwide PC shipments from all sources grew approximately 12% to 14%, driven by demand in both emerging and mature markets.

Microsoft said that 180 million Vista licenses have been sold since the operating system’s launch in late January 2007, which is a huge number by any measure. But given the criticism the software lately has received we were wondering whether demand for Vista in fact is increasing or whether it is stable or perhaps even decreasing.

Microsoft said that it sold 20 million copies of Vista in its first month, 40 million copies in its first 100 days and 60 million in six months. We have to be a bit careful with these numbers as they actually include Express Upgrade sales – a program that was available since October 26, 2006 and allowed the company to take advantage of the Christmas season and sell Vista while it actually had no product available.

This current number of 180 million units is not directly comparable as it includes all Vista sales, including licenses via various volume-licensing deals. There was only one number we could find that more directly compares to this new information: In late October of 2007, or just after the 1-year sales anniversary of Vista, Microsoft said that it had sold 88 million copies plus an additional 40 million+ licenses, which adds up to about 128 million units total! Divided by 12, this gave Vista a sales pace of about 10.6 million units per month. Nine months later, Microsoft apparently has sold an additional 52 million units total, indicating a pace of just 5.8 million copies and licenses per month since October 2007.

Isn't it confusing?

Microsoft to stop selling XP today...

Microsoft is going to stop selling XP today, despite many harsh words and revolts from PC users and consumers who rebelled against being forced to move to XP's successor- the ill-fated bloat-ware Vista.

Once PC giants like Dell and Hewlett Packard(HP) have run out of stock of computers with XP pre-installed, users who cant live without XP will have to buy Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate and will have to legally "downgrade" to XP. As posted earlier on this very same blog, Microsoft will still continue to support it's six-year old all-time seller XP until 2009 and limited support till 2014- which is good news, or so I guess.

This ought to cheer up the ultra-portable lovers- XP will still be available for all ultra-portable gadgets like the Asus EeePC. Microsoft also stated that it will allow small PC shop builders to resale till the end of January.

Ubuntu´s new release 8.04 complimented by Firefox 3.0´s release-Insight

Ubuntu´s latest release-the 8.04 version of the popular open source OS is complimented by the release of the final version of FireFox 3.0. This is a great joy for Linux users(including me)!

While FireFox is known for blocking viruses and keeping users safe;Ubuntu is known for its robust,very reliable and secure Open Source OS. The version comes with 8.04Open Office 2.4 which is capable of reading .docx! The Hardy Heron version sports the clean yet organized interface which the version had! It is also all the more aesthetically pleasing with Gutsy GibbonCompiz Fusion turned on(Compiz + Beryl = Compiz Fusion)! As it does always-it comes with Totem movie player. For email purposes you get Evolution mail which is similar to Microsoft´s Outlook. In the Examples folder in Home,there is a video showing an interview with Africa´s icon of freedom-Nelson Mandela!

To install the OS it only takes a few minutes opposed to the long 45 minutes/30 minutes for XP/Vista to install. When booting from disc,you first get into the OS-even before you install it-where you can experiment with its features and then install it if you wish! As always all Linux OSs are free of cost and so is this....

Keep up the good work Red Hat...

Windows XP deadline extended..

Yes you heard it right...XP is going to be here till June 30,2010...(only for UMPCs or Ultra Portable Computers)or a year after Windows 7 releases-which ever comes first. Microsoft also hinted that the much touted Windows 7 will be releasing in 2009! Even though Microsoft said that it release Windows 7 after a full three years after the launch of Vista;Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in Miami said that they would release Windows 7 in 2009-which I believe Microsoft is doing to make up with the heavy losses they encountered with Vista.

Speed up your PC!

Is your PC too slow-not able to run Windows Vista or is it not even able to perform everyday tasks? Well, my friend I have some solutions:

1)Firstly how much RAM do you have?-512MB or more is enough of Windows XP but nowadays even that is too slow..so I suggest you have you have at least 1GB of RAM or a minimum of 2GB of RAM if you run Windows Vista.

2)A new hard disk. Nowadays new hard disks have a greater hard drive access speed which MIGHT improve your system performance.

3)If you are using Windows Vista,turn off all the eye-candy features like desktop composition and Aero which really boosts your system performance.

4)The main component on which a PC's or a laptop's performance depends on is the processor-usually an AMD DUAL CORE(X2) or an INTEL CORE 2 DUO does the job.

5)If you own a laptop and it doesn't bother you being a spendthrift,then go to battery settings and switch  to MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE-but be careful as this might drain your laptop's battery faster than usual!

6)A graphics card! Yes you heard me right,spending on a good graphics card can REALLY boost your system performance ESPECIALLY if you are using VISTA!

I hope you find the tips useful.