Waiting on Windows 7, New MacBooks, and Green Revelations

Microsoft Corp. CEO spoke recently about the forthcoming arrival of Windows 7, touting its many merits while also acknowledging the solid nature of the company's current Vista offerings. Elsewhere, Apple Inc. released new MacBook notebook computers while OpenOffice.org launched an update to its free and open source productivity suite.

Focal Points:

• Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced that Windows 7 is on track to arriving in late 2009 or early 2010, and that the operating system will be a major release based on the Windows Vista operating code. Windows 7, which is now the official name of the operating system, will offer a streamlined user interface and improvements in performance. Ballmer went on to say that application and device-driver compatibility – which was a significant problem that plagued early Vista releases – will not cause problems. The operating system will feature improved networking facilities, a new security center, and an interface that leverages the "ribbon" appearance in Office 2007. The direction of multi-core processor optimization has not been finalized. Ballmer said that two and a half years is a sufficient interval to justify calling Windows 7 a "major release" despite its Vista foundation, and that he could understand why businesses and consumers wish to wait for Windows 7 before upgrading from Windows XP. The statement was couched, however, with support for Vista's many improvements over Windows XP.
• Apple has updated its new MacBook notebook computer line to accommodate lower prices of entry, improved environmental characteristics, and upgraded battery performance. The lowest priced MacBook offering is a 13 inch model with a starting price of $999. All new members of the MacBook line include a new NVIDIA integrated graphics processor and a light emitting diode (LED) backlit display, both of which add to the 20 percent to 30 percent improvement in battery performance. On the environmental front, the MacBook line adds the use of arsenic-free glass to its LED displays, contains no brominated flame retardants (BFR), and its internal cables are polyvinyl chloride (PVC) free. LED is more environmentally sound compared to fluorescent tube backlights, as LED technology contains no mercury. All products also meet Energy Star 4.0, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold status, and are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant. The company claims to have recaptured 18.4 percent by volume of its systems for recycling (compared with total 2007 sales) and aims to increase reclamation capabilities to 28 percent this year. MacBooks are available in 13 inch, 15 inch, and 17 inch screen sizes. The ultraportable MacBook Air also received updates.
• OpenOffice.org has released its much-awaited OpenOffice.org 3.0 productivity suite, which can run natively on Apple Mac OS X, Linux, Sun Microsystems, Inc. Solaris, and Windows. Usability improvements have been made to its mail merge capability, outlining organization, and Writer appearance. The Calc spreadsheet can now support up to 1,024 columns per sheet and allows multiple users to more easily collaborate on spreadsheets. Support for Microsoft Office 2007/2008 is also included, along with the inclusion of better handling of HTML text editing and insertion, as well as full support for Open Document Format 1.2 (ODF).

Experton Group believes waiting on Windows 7 is the correct path for enterprises not already committed to supporting Windows Vista en masse. The generally faster nature of Windows XP, mature support frameworks, and rich driver support make staying with the older version of the Windows operating system a much easier task than upgrading – even when it concerns the acquisition of new computers.

The advancement in Windows 7 remain to be seen, though early feedback on the platform's interface, speed, and usability should be available within the next month given the alpha version's imminent availability. Microsoft's lackluster performance in integrating development, product, and testing teams is said to now be addressed; thus suggesting that it is now easier for the company to integrate changes and improvements. Unfortunately, the company's history suggests otherwise, and it will need to make very large strides for Windows 7 to be considered an "upgrade" to Windows Vista by most IT executives.

Apple's newest line of MacBooks is helping the company overcome its environmental shortcomings with significant advancements and commitments for improvement. For better or worse, many IT executives are being pressured to acquire MacBooks along with Windows-based systems, and a drop in pricing and improvements in performance brings systems more in line with competitive offerings. While most IT executives are not considering abandoning Microsoft Office for its lower-priced or free alternatives, OpenOffice.org version 3.0 further demonstrates that excellent performance and ease-of-use can come in an inexpensive package. The release also suggests that Sun is on track to shipping its updated Sun StarOffice suite – which is based on OpenOffice.org – in the next few weeks. Both products offer compelling and highly compatible alternatives to Microsoft, though the for-fee version of StarOffice is required for enterprises wanting support and a richer set of clip art. IT executives that are not heavily reliant upon Microsoft Office-based macros and Access should consider these worthy alternatives, which Steve Ballmer himself admits are formidable competitors.