InformationWeek
By Antone Gonsalves
May 22, 2009 03:30 PM
Original Article with Links
The Army is in the process of migrating hundreds of thousands of computers to Windows Vista to improve Internet security and upgrade information systems.
About 13% of Army computers, or roughly 44,000, have been migrated to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system, according to an article published by the Army News Service. The switch from Windows XP includes desktop computers on classified and unclassified networks.
The Vista migration is happening as the Army moves from Office 2003 to Office 2007. The switch to the latest version of the office productivity suite started before the Vista migration. The Army has installed Office 2007 in about half of its 744,000 desktops.
The Army has been testing Vista since its release in late 2006 and expects that users comfortable with XP and Office 2003 will need time to adjust to the new "look and feel" of the upgrades.
"During this process, we are offering several in-house training sessions, helpful quick-tip handouts, and free Army online training," Sharon Reed, chief of IT at the Soldier Support Institute, said in the article.
Vista has not been a success for Microsoft like previous versions of Windows. Reviewers of the OS have found it buggy, a resource hog, hard to install, and incompatible with legacy software. In addition, the operating system's new user interface has been difficult for many users.
Microsoft is hoping to leave Vista's problems behind with its next major version, Windows 7, which could be available this year.
The Army's switch to Vista is driven by the better security in Vista and Office 2007. The migration was mandated in an Army Executive Order in November.
Given the Army bureaucracy and testing requirements, it's unlikely it would move to Windows 7 anytime soon, despite it's being rated as a better OS in terms of usability. Nevertheless, in response to the Army migration, Microsoft said in an e-mailed statement Friday that the switch from Vista to Windows 7 would not present the same challenges as moving from XP to Vista.
"Our goal with Windows 7 is that it will run on the same hardware as Windows Vista and that the applications and devices that work with Windows Vista will also be compatible with Windows 7," the company said. "As a result, customers will be able to fully leverage their Windows Vista investments when they deploy Windows 7."
Vista is a good choice for this. It failed in the consumer market so
there is less incentive for hackers to poke holes in it. Even if
Windows 7 proves to be better in the long run, with the Army being
practically the only place where Vista is used over the next decade or
so this move will end up making it safer for them in the long run.
there is less incentive for hackers to poke holes in it. Even if
Windows 7 proves to be better in the long run, with the Army being
practically the only place where Vista is used over the next decade or
so this move will end up making it safer for them in the long run.
Aaron, don't be so quick to proclaim that "Vista failed in the consumer market." New personal computers, here in the U.S. at least, are shipped with Vista by default. The new Compaq I am using, purchased early this year, came with the OEM version of Vista Home Basic. New personal computers sold to home users in this country will inevitably be shipped with Vista, so Microsoft have the home market pretty well secured.
Some computer manufacturers, I am told, offer XP as an alternative -- at additional cost.
No, where Vista failed in the marketplace was with businesses. Many businesses, both huge and small, depend on third-party software which may or may not work properly if they make the shift from XP to Vista. If Vista will not run that software, then not only do they have the expense of paying for a new version of Windows, they also must purchase new, very expensive business software to replace that which doesn't work any more. In addition to that, they have the expense of training their employees to use Vista, and the additional expense of having to retrain all of them in whatever new-and-different third-party software they had to bring on-line to satisfy the new operating system's requirements. All-in-all, a very expensive proposition!
XP was the first version of Windows that could truly be described as "stable," in my opinion. It was the first version that could actually repair itself if it were damaged in a relatively minor way. Home and business users laid hold of it in droves, and are a little suspicious of this new version. Business users especially are reluctant to let go of XP, because XP is reliable, it works, and it's stable.
Business users don't want to change "up" to Vista, because they don't see any need. Moreover, they see such a change as a potentially expensive risk.
That is why Vista has "failed" in the marketplace. Home users have little choice, but business users, happy with XP, and whatever programs they are running under XP, don't want to trade their smoothly-working XP systems for something that may end up costing them a bundle in the end. They simply see no need to upgrade to Vista, and are reluctant to do so. In their view, Vista must offer something different that they need, and they simply don't see any such need.
Vista unexpectedly failed in the business marketplace, and that's why Microsoft are in disarray, scrambling to try to sell it wherever they can.
Some computer manufacturers, I am told, offer XP as an alternative -- at additional cost.
No, where Vista failed in the marketplace was with businesses. Many businesses, both huge and small, depend on third-party software which may or may not work properly if they make the shift from XP to Vista. If Vista will not run that software, then not only do they have the expense of paying for a new version of Windows, they also must purchase new, very expensive business software to replace that which doesn't work any more. In addition to that, they have the expense of training their employees to use Vista, and the additional expense of having to retrain all of them in whatever new-and-different third-party software they had to bring on-line to satisfy the new operating system's requirements. All-in-all, a very expensive proposition!
XP was the first version of Windows that could truly be described as "stable," in my opinion. It was the first version that could actually repair itself if it were damaged in a relatively minor way. Home and business users laid hold of it in droves, and are a little suspicious of this new version. Business users especially are reluctant to let go of XP, because XP is reliable, it works, and it's stable.
Business users don't want to change "up" to Vista, because they don't see any need. Moreover, they see such a change as a potentially expensive risk.
That is why Vista has "failed" in the marketplace. Home users have little choice, but business users, happy with XP, and whatever programs they are running under XP, don't want to trade their smoothly-working XP systems for something that may end up costing them a bundle in the end. They simply see no need to upgrade to Vista, and are reluctant to do so. In their view, Vista must offer something different that they need, and they simply don't see any such need.
Vista unexpectedly failed in the business marketplace, and that's why Microsoft are in disarray, scrambling to try to sell it wherever they can.
How many consumers actually bought the thing? Just because it was
forced upon some doesn't make it a success, and in this case there
will be a lot of people dumping it as soon as they can. It was rejected
by virtually all who could choose and soon it will be largely gone.
When I said consumer market, I meant all of it outside the
government, both business and home users. Pretty soon the Army
will be virtually the only entity still using it and that decade will see it
become practically proprietary as they patch it away from the original.
forced upon some doesn't make it a success, and in this case there
will be a lot of people dumping it as soon as they can. It was rejected
by virtually all who could choose and soon it will be largely gone.
When I said consumer market, I meant all of it outside the
government, both business and home users. Pretty soon the Army
will be virtually the only entity still using it and that decade will see it
become practically proprietary as they patch it away from the original.
You are right, Aaron. "How many consumers actually bought the thing?" The answer is, "None." We didn't choose it ... we had no choice. Our computer manufacturers didn't ask, "Would you like Windows Vista, or XP, or Linux -- which OS would you like, sir?" No, we weren't given any options from which to choose. But that is how things are.
I do have options, though -- two of them: (1) Accept Vista, or (2) Don't compute.
And if I don't like the idea of having an "operating system" shoved down my throat, the only effective option I have is to first accept it, and then use it against itself, as it were.
I dislike the Microsoft monopoly. I hate the idea of having no choice. Windows, as wonderful as it is, would be so very much better if Microsoft had some real competition. But whatever I might feel about it, the reality is that I must deal with Windows, and work with Windows, even if my purpose is to work against Windows. This is how things are.
I do have options, though -- two of them: (1) Accept Vista, or (2) Don't compute.
And if I don't like the idea of having an "operating system" shoved down my throat, the only effective option I have is to first accept it, and then use it against itself, as it were.
I dislike the Microsoft monopoly. I hate the idea of having no choice. Windows, as wonderful as it is, would be so very much better if Microsoft had some real competition. But whatever I might feel about it, the reality is that I must deal with Windows, and work with Windows, even if my purpose is to work against Windows. This is how things are.
This is just bail-out money to M$ who are already mostly owned
by the US "Government" .. In short,Vista was a financial failure,
now the US taxpayers will be shelling out for +700.000 "copies" ..
Anyone who seriously thinks the Chinese Army (or the guys in my siggy)
are going to give up because Vista has a small user-base ?
by the US "Government" .. In short,Vista was a financial failure,
now the US taxpayers will be shelling out for +700.000 "copies" ..
Anyone who seriously thinks the Chinese Army (or the guys in my siggy)
are going to give up because Vista has a small user-base ?
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