Sample data taken from Steam (Sample Size 1,331,330 13-11-2007 to  28-02-2008)

This survey is pretty much consumer PC’s, Gamers in-fact.

A class of user usually known for having having high performance computers and latest in  PC technology.

So Windows Vista is running at about 16.5%, Ouch, with this crowd it should have been 25-30% at least.

The corporate/business numbers for Windows Vista vista must be considerably lower. I’m guessing 5 to 7 percent.

Take this week for example. I have deployed 5 desktop PC’s and 2 Laptops all running Windows XP Pro. Happily I might add.

Microsoft may shout “hey we sold 100m vista licenses” but its still a drop in the ocean comparatively speaking.

I wish Windows Vista SP1 would hurry up, it was supposed to be public in February but a last minute problem delayed its release.

Bookmark the link below if you want to read my future Windows Vista SP1 stuff. Things like my deployment experience and what I think about it.

The biggest questions of all is it ready to deploy commercially?

Link: View all posts filed under Windows Vista SP1

Google Sites is an offering from the big G that allows you to build a variety of of self contained websites. Hosted by Google.

Sample uses could be a simple company intranet site or a site about a specific project.

They boast single click page creation and a number of templates.

They provide a simple Video overview here: sites_features_video.html

Some of the samples ones on the link below look a bit hokey, but hey not everything Google can do can be a Gmail or Picasa.

Link: http://sites.google.com/overview.html

Tip: This download is not for the typical end user but I.T Pro’s who need to see if anything business critical breaks on Windows XP systems.

Microsoft are getting ready to ship Windows XP Service Pack 3 and the RC2 download turned up on the Public Microsoft download site.

I would imagine they want this tested by as many people as they can.

Windows XP is by far the most dominant Operating system in use today.  So by the time the RC (release candidate) ships to end users via Windows Update they want to see how it performs in the real world.

I for one need to see it for myself, I will do a post about the experience soon.

Link: Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC 2 Download

The guys over at PC Mag seemed to like it. They gave it an editors choice award and 4 out of 5.

This is an mid-level machine for those not ready to commit to a XPS 7 series.

To be honest the case design is a bit too Star Trek for my tastes.

Maybe I am getting old but I have no clue who the target audience is for the above advert, teenagers with $1299 to spend I assume.

If I had to choose between the styling of the XPS 420 over the XPS 630, it would be the 420 all the way. Clearly the designers had slightly less testosterone. Neither totally satisfy.

XPS 420                   XPS 630

Link: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2269812,00.asp

See Also: XPS 630 Desktop Coming Soon

Just out of beta and giving users 5gb of online storage.

There doesn’t seem to be a clear upgrade path at the moment (for more storage).

I downloaded a 8mb presentation from a Microsoft employee from their own SkyDrive account and was a bit under whelmed with the user experience and speed of the download (about 60kps).

I don’t like this service much but hey anything I can do to promote users backing up cant be all bad.

Link: http://skydrive.live.com/