Microsoft Moves To Boost Windows 7 Debut

There are a couple of interesting stories on internetnews.com that underscore the challenge facing Microsoft in selling its new operating system to skeptical corporate buyers, many of who felt burned by Vista.

First, Stuart Johnston reports on a survey showing resistance in the enterprise to Windows 7:

An online survey of 1,100 IT decision makers conducted in June by systems lifecycle management vendor ScriptLogic found that interest in a new version of Windows to replace Vista and XP may actually have been growing as Windows 7's ship date nears.

Yet ScriptLogic said that hasn't been enough to convince most IT buyers -- 59.3 percent -- to trade up to (NASDAQ: MSFT)'s newest offering, which is slated for its debut in late October.

"Nearly 60 percent of IT administrators do not plan to migrate to Microsoft Windows 7, despite the operating system's acclaim and notable user interface improvements from Windows Vista," a ScriptLogic spokesperson said in an e-mail to InternetNews.com.

Then Johnston writes about Redmond's efforts to prime the pump:

Microsoft is gearing up for Windows 7's launch at its annual partner conclave, Monday announcing upcoming markdowns for volume customers and emphasizing the revenue potential of the new system for resellers.

Bill Veghte, senior vice president for the Windows business, told the audience that Windows 7 will be "released to manufacturing" (RTM) by the end of the month as promised in June. Windows 7 is scheduled to launch on Oct. 22. Meanwhile, Veghte continued the drumbeat of promoting what may be Microsoft's most important release of Windows since Windows 95 -- 24 years ago. High on his list of talking points to partners were volume licensing programs coming Sept. 1.

"We will have a limited time promotion that provides a 15 to 35 percent discount for customers," Veghte said, adding that provides big financial benefits to partners.

If Windows 7 flops -- and I'm certainly not predicting it will -- you have to believe it will be a sobering moment for Microsoft. I wonder how long after the late October release before we get a sense of the new OS's success.