W7 SP2 - Cancelled???

[Randyman...]

Didn't see this mentioned here. Rumor has it MS is cancelling the release of W7 SP2.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/24/no_windows_7_sp2/

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Windows-7-SP2-Service-Pack-Release-Date-Patches,18685.html

They are really trying to make W8 look more appealing, aren't they! I call shenanigans.

Thoughts?

 

[Automata]

From their point of view, why would they put a lot of time and effort (money) into a service pack for an obsolete operating system? It makes sense.

 

[petteyg359]

During Vista and Windows 7 releases, there were plenty of people pointing out that despite the negativity, they were vast improvements upon XP. Yet, for Windows 8, I have not seen any of that. Given how long they supported XP, I find it surprising they would abandon Windows 7 after such a relatively short time. Doing so seems like a serious discouragement for any business planning to purchase new or upgraded Windows licenses, if that business is not guaranteed even four years of updates.

 

[Randyman...]

From their point of view, why would they put a lot of time and effort (money) into a service pack for an obsolete operating system? It makes sense.

Well, XP was getting Service Packs well after Vista was released (Vista RTM = Jan '07, XP SP3 RTM = April '08), and even when W7 was close to release. Vista SP2 was also released just months before W7 was RTM'd.

I'd think they should AT LEAST give us a rollup or something. A fresh W7-SP1 install requires an incessant amount of updates. I would think the cost of developing SP2 (and more-so with a simpler "rollup" package) would be slightly negated by decreased bandwidth on the MS Update servers churning away hundreds of MB's for every single fresh W7-SP1 installation.

This seems like nothing more than a way to get people over to W8 - and we know businesses are not going that way anytime soon. Enterprise loves W7 (I know we run it everywhere up here) - and MS is going to leave them to their own devices...

Not a smart move IMO - but I'm not the boss

 

[petteyg359]

A fresh W7-SP1 install requires an incessant amount of updates.

Incessant refers to repetition, not quantity. I agree with the idea though

Not a smart move IMO - but I'm not the boss

So you didn't bomb the Russians and fly into the sun? It does stink of trying to encourage switching to 8 for no good reason. I think they're pushing the upgrade cycle far too quickly for an operating system with only one company providing fixes, on a once-a-month schedule no less, for software that has a horrible history of show-stoppers.

 

[Automata]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against service packs and I certainly like Windows 7. From a business standpoint though, it doesn't make sense to be updating a product that is about to be replaced. And I don't mean from the perspective of them thinking "well, if we don't put out a service pack, then more people will buy Windows 8", because if you step back and consider how many users of Windows 7 even know what a service pack is, let alone the benefits of it, that is ridiculous. We are in the vast minority that even care. How much money could they possibly make from a decision like that? They are saving money by putting their workforce where it should be: on their new operating system. Bandwidth is incredibly cheap compared to a group's salary.

They are not stopping updates, they just haven't rolled it into a single patch. Even when it comes to work, where I have to support this OS on a daily basis, it means very little to me. Yes, it may take me an hour or two more to rebuild an image, but it is something I can let run while I do other stuff. It doesn't cost me more time. The same applies on my own systems. I'm not going to sit there and watch the progress bar all night.

 

[petteyg359]

Sure, it may save Microsoft some money, but I don't think it's going to increase Windows 8 sales. Businesses just upgraded to 7 recently. They're not going to be enthused about running that gauntlet again so soon. Microsoft has to keep people working on Windows 7 security patches, since SP1 has over two years left of support, and over seven years for extended contracts, so any amount saved by not making SP2 doesn't seem like it'd be much. Really, how hard is it to install an SP1 system, make a system image, update with all patches available up to January 1, take another system image, and release the difference as SP2?

 

[wingman99]

^^ +1 I agree it's not that hard to make a service patch however they probably don't want to encourage people to buy or use windows 7.

 

[c627627]

We can only hope corporations convince MS to do Win7 SP2 just like they convinced them to do Win XP SP2. Lots of developers were diverted away from Vista to make Win XP SP2.


But this time instead of Win7 SP2, MS might just point to $15 upgrade to Win8.


So maybe we'll get a native boot to Win8 desktop as a compromise since (not counting notebooks) Win8 metro can't possibly be used to convince business office desktop users to switch...

 

[OneArmedScissor]

How is Windows 7 obsolete? lmao

 

[kmo_9000]

^^ +1 I agree it's not that hard to make a service patch however they probably don't want to encourage people to buy or use windows 7.

I don't know about that, Win 8 is the only option for tablet and touch screen laptops/desktops. I see no reason why they would not wan't people like us to still use Windows 7.

If you look at the way hardware is moving you will see stores pushing all in one's with integrated touch screens and laptops with integrated touch screens. Then of course all the tablets out there.

I think Microsoft realizes that traditional users will keep using win 7. Windows 8 is just ahead of its time and I think Microsoft realizes it. We won't really know how good of an OS it is until touchscreens really start to become mainstream, like keyboards and mice are now.

 

[wingman99]

We won't really know how good of an OS it is until touchscreens really start to become mainstream, like keyboards and mice are now.

From the reviews i've been reading there is no performance advantage with windows 8 except for start up, they way it does it keeps start up files on the hard drive and in windows 7 you can just use hibernate it does about the same thing. Windows 8 is just windows 7 with tweaks and metro.

For gamers like me we have no need for touch screen never will, also touch screen on a 27' monitor will always be slower than a mouse.

 

[EarthDog]

During Vista and Windows 7 releases, there were plenty of people pointing out that despite the negativity, they were vast improvements upon XP. Yet, for Windows 8, I have not seen any of that. Given how long they supported XP, I find it surprising they would abandon Windows 7 after such a relatively short time. Doing so seems like a serious discouragement for any business planning to purchase new or upgraded Windows licenses, if that business is not guaranteed even four years of updates.

This. I mean W8 wasnt even out before they made that decision. It is seemingly best for consumers anyway that they update once more before the new OS...

 

[kmo_9000]

From the reviews i've been reading there is no performance advantage with windows 8 except for start up, they way it does it keeps start up files on the hard drive and in windows 7 you can just use hibernate it does about the same thing. Windows 8 is just windows 7 with tweaks and metro.

For gamers like me we have no need for touch screen never will, also touch screen on a 27' monitor will always be slower than a mouse.

Yes I agree, I don't want fingerprints all over my monitor either. The other thing I don't like is scrolling side to side with a mouse on the metro screen to access all of my apps.

But that is quite revealing, seems like the only reason start-up is faster is they just rearranged how it boots up to be more like hibernating. Not like anyone with an SSD really had problems with slow boot times anyway with win 7.

 

[Randyman...]

Incessant refers to repetition, not quantity. I agree with the idea though

lolz - I meant to type "inordinate" but "incessant" is what came out Sorry about that - my brain was thinking about other things...

I sure do home MS reconsiders. It's not like we're asking for something on the scale of XP SP2! I'd be happy with a "rollup" update to W7-SP1 TBH.

MS seems like they're on a "W8 or bust" trip to me...

 

[c627627]

There will definitely be a corporate push back. It's probably happening all day today.


We will found out who won in due time.

 

[Randyman...]

Been a while now - Anyone heard anything more on this?

 

[c627627]

Doing an advanced date search for just the past week, there was nothing other than the news about it. We would have to know somebody running IT for a huge corporation to get news on that.


Due to the amount of $ in purchases from Microsoft, they were able to push back on things Microsoft were planing in the past. But those stories trickled out some time after they happened. Please post if you hear anything but I am guessing it will be a while.


Windows 7 support ends in 2020 as things stand now.

 

[TeknoBug]

Windows 7 obsolete? It's only 2 years old, Windows XP went about 10 years, and now 2 years is obsolete? My office PCs still runs XP and will probably continue to do so for a few more years, Windows ME and Vista weren't good enough and Windows 7 doesn't offer anything better for the business workstation over XP.

I remember MS attempting at adding DX10(or 11?) with XP SP3 but decided not to because they knew gamers would buy Vista or Win 7 which rolls in more money.

But I'm not liking the rate of how quickly they're rolling out new OS versions now, Win 8 is basically the same as Win 7 minus the different UI. I know for a fact that Windows 8 isn't flying off the shelves in stores (even at $69.99), can't say for sure on the downloads but not that many people I know who already has Windows 7 has bothered to get Windows 8 unless it's with a recently purchased manufacturer PC and got it for $15. When Windows 7 first came out, it was a PITA for me to find a copy to buy (at $129.95), now Windows 8 is ALL over the place.

 

[TeknoBug]

I don't know about that, Win 8 is the only option for tablet and touch screen laptops/desktops. I see no reason why they would not wan't people like us to still use Windows 7.

Android tablet (and pseudo-laptop) > Windows 8 tablet. Those Windows 8 tablets feel so bulky and terrible. The Asus TF101 Transformer tablet with the dockable keyboard make a great tablet and laptop for most things, of course it can't run MS Office and whatnot but it has its own document apps. I also like the Chrome laptop.

Oh and I don't need a Microsoft product to access my XBox with smartglass, I got Android for that!