From the desk of: Sam C. Chan

Vista Adoption Decision

January 3, 2007

This document outlines some of the criteria for considering whether to adopt Windows Vista now, or to stay with Windows XP for a while. Schedule appointments to discuss details or for further clarifications.

What you need to know about the Vista "decision":

  • scheduled release to general public and OEM on January 30, 2007 (in 27 days)
  • already released to corporate licensing customers on November 29, 2006
  • adoption of Win 6.x platform is not a question of if, but a question of when
  • there are numerous compelling features & benefits
    • better manageability for IT
    • improved security
    • ergonomic enhancement & pleasant experience
    • new features, making possible forgoing of some 3rd-party products
    • eventually, it'd be a mandatory standard platform, demaned by applications
  • it's all about justification of cost & efforts vs. benefits (tangible and intangible)
    • don't overlook costs beyond licensing fee (labor, training & memory upgrades)
    • works perfectly fine on current generation (3-year old) basic workstations
  • coordination & optimization: avoid haphazard scrambling
  • must first clear the compatibility/support step
  • mixed environment of XP and Vista is a perfectly viable option
  • upgrading of existing stations is feasible but generally not worthwhile
    • in-place upgrade for problem-free stations only, fresh install for all others
  • strategy for licensing:
    • all new systems should be acquired with Vista
    • optionally exercise legal downgrade rights if deferral is dictated by your IT policy, upgrade cycle or vendors' limitations
    • this eliminates the subsequent upgrade license cost

Vista decision/timeline should be driven by:

  • specific new features that solve specific problems for you
  • compatibility/support risks
  • expected remaining life span of workstations
  • your overall IT objectives, policies and upgrade cycle
  • your strategic directions on mission-critical applications (MCA)
  • your MCA vendors' compatibility timeline, upgrade cycles and support policies
  • your licensing agreement expiration/renewal dates
  • seasonal scheduling considerations (your firm's workload & our availability)
  • other relevant facts & merits

Give no considerations to: WARNING: These are prevalent among consumer presses & hobbyists posing as pros

  • coolness (fall prey to "techno lust") or other emotional factors
  • peer pressure & myths on the street (or in the press, same thing)
  • unfounded categorical fear of being early adopter
  • false assumption that top-of-the-line hardware is required
  • upgrade for upgrade's sake, just to "keep up" with the latest
  • logical fallacies and nonsensical conventional wisdom
  • flawed ideologies (essentially emotional response & agenda)

Summary:

  1. Is your hardware ready? (performance requirements, device drivers, etc.)
  2. Your mission-critical applications ready? (compatibility & vendor support)
  3. Is your IT department ready? (skills set, custom-developed scripts, staff training, infrastructural factors, cycles, etc.)

See Also:

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