
The Japanese computer supplier NEC has officially launched a product to let network administrators
downgrade machines running Windows Vista to XP. The OEM first made the product, NEC FlexLoad, available to customers on 25 January. However, the product was officially launched on Tuesday. Customers with a Vista licence can purchase the two-DVD pack for GBP 7, according to David Newbould, NEC UK's product marketing manager. The first DVD sets up a partition on the hard drive and installs core XP files and drivers, while the second DVD installs the remaining XP files in the partition, said Newbould. NEC recommends that customers burn a Vista recovery CD before installing the XP partition.
Member since:
2007-02-17
The subject article talks about a major PC vendor recognising that is has customers who don't want its standard offering (Vista) at all, and that vendor is offering to supply machines with XP installed instead, in the hopes of keeping such customers.
At the exact same thime, the vendor seems to be saying that this option is strictly a time-limited dead end ... and that after that time expires then they will be offering no choice at all ... they effectively admit that they are abandonning those customers.
I simply cannot see why it is in any way wrong to point out that NEC neededn't abandon such customers, and to question why NEC apparently finds it impossible to admit that not only does it have customers that don't want Vista, but also that there might be major customers out there who don't want Windows at all and who might consider NEC's product if it weren't for the fact that Windows was the only option offered.
http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9864312-16.html