Microsoft: Windows 7 Won't Save PC Recession
Windows 7 may be good, but it's not a miracle.
Despite Apple trying to rain on Microsoft’s parade during WWDC09, pointing out that Windows 7 is still built off of Vista roots, many are looking to the upcoming Windows release to be the one that gets it right, giving the sagging PC industry a much-needed shot in the arm. But Microsoft is cautious when it comes to suggestions that Windows 7 will be able to single-handedly turn around the recession in PC buying.
“History would tell us that generally as you ship a Windows release into the market... the bump is very modest," Microsoft senior vice president Bill Veghte said in a CNet story. "You will see a little bit, but it is modest."
While consumers are eagerly awaiting Windows 7--which is timed well with the holiday buying season--businesses aren’t so ready to spend IT dollars in upgrades. Microsoft doesn’t seem that worried, however, staying confident that the dollars will roll back in once the economy improves.
"It will get drowned by the macroeconomic environment," he said in the speech, which was Webcast on Microsoft's investor Web site. "As the macro environment comes back, people will have to buy new PCs. People aren't using PCs any less."
Dell hopes that Windows 7 will have a significant boosting effect on PC buying, as the computer-making giant saw its quarterly earnings fall by 63 percent. Michael Dell said that the company is preparing itself for a “powerful replacement cycle,” which could be referring to Windows 7 and new CPUs based off of Nehalem.

What trust was/is lost? If you are refering to Vista... I love it.
I live in Canada; some industries here also feel the heat of your recession... USA is only one Country that sales will be considerably lower due to "recession". Windows sells worldwide!
I know i will be buying Win7 March 2010 when my RC begins to expire.
If I recall, there has been an article about upgrade prices recently. Best buy talked about free, and I've seen 49$ somewhere. I think it's worth it.
MS is smart to downplay expectations.
I just got a nice i7 kit with Vista 64b. Once W7 has proven stable (ie. the fanboy gloss has worn off) and SP1 has been out a while I might update. If Vista turns out to be miserable maybe I'll upgrade earlier. At $80 (i7-920 + Vista gets a $20 discount at newegg) for Vista it's dirt cheap so why worry about an upgrade even half a year from now?
Wow, @cadder. You really don't know what you are talking about. What problems with 7, what download problems ? Name one !!!
Companies love buying Dell by the truckload. Just because you (nor I) wouldn't buy a Dell for at home doesn't mean they suck. Despite what you may think the majority of PC buyers don't put them together from a few boxes of carefully researched parts. They buy whatever they can afford and looks good at whatever store they shop.
As an aside, I have a nearly 4 year old XPS sitting downstairs (company computer) and it's been super reliable and quiet. If I wasn't such a picky b@st@rd in that I want to put together my own system of my own choosing I would be tempted to get a Dell of my own. I've had quite a few company owned Dells over the years and they've all been fine. Oh, I have another Dell that has sat *outside* under a tarp next to my telescope for over a year. Temperatures ranging from 100+F to 0F. Still keeps on ticking (XP Pro with a P4@2.8G).
For those of us that actually used it, and found it to be a better all around experience than XP, but you have to admit the popular press has been extremely harsh. "Cool people" hate vista
I've been to the MS download site numerous times. Hit the download button, then it wants you to log into microsoft? I don't have an account with microsoft, I guess you guys do? Note that this was not required to download the W7 beta, but is a new requirement for the W7 RC. MS needs lots of customers to buy W7, how many of those potential customers have accounts with MS?
eventually there will come a time in the next 3 years where i will upgrade my OS.
A lot of people in the press use Macs for editing and production for years. Those people have natural tendency to bash any Windows release and praise OSX, just like their tendency to do the same in other field. Frankly I don't believe anything from the press without fact check myself.
I have a feeling Windows 7 will be more of the same. Everyone saying how awesome it is, and then the inevitable backlash. It happened with XP too and all other previous releases. I'll be skipping Win7 unless I build a new computer or can find it for really cheap somewhere.
Vista isn't bad now, but that doesn't matter.. First impressions tend to stick. Win 7 run just fine on both my computers.. While I'm sure my main one now would've have to much of a differnce, my old tells the tale easily enough between vista and 7. *Or the last time I used vista I should say*.