Despite its big push for Vista, Microsoft is quietly allowing PC makers to offer an option that lets users "downgrade" to Windows XP, allowing customers to purchase new PCs but stick with the older operating system.
Facing a 30 June deadline to stop selling PCs with Windows XP, the world's largest computer makers are getting creative, with Dell and HP's Australian offices staying cagey about their intentions.
Bowing to pressure from customers and computer makers, Microsoft plans to keep Windows XP around a little longer.
Monday was the last day on which Windows XP will be sold as a boxed product or licensed to PC manufacturers.
After a long-announced transition, 30 June marks the end of an era at Microsoft that of Windows XP.
Not ready for a Vista laptop? Simply want to stick to good old XP? Here are your options on the market.
Early this decade, Microsoft weathered unrelenting criticism over a controversial set of technologies known as Palladium, which the company envisioned as creating a kind of secure vault to store passwords or medical records.
Vista can be a performance hog, but there are many ways you can tweak the OS components to speed it up. See what actions you can take to remove bottlenecks and optimise Vista.
Don't want to take Windows Vista for a test drive until you know what it has to offer? Join Windows expert Deb Shinder for a visual tour of Beta 2 as she points out some of the more dramatic changes and shares her impressions of the new OS.
We give you a sneak peek at the upcoming release candidate of Windows 7 before Microsoft unveils the software to the public next week.
Upgraded to Windows Vista, the Dell XPS M1210 is a pricey but powerful system for those who want a smaller laptop with few compromises.
Windows Vista Ultimate is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
Dell's Latitude E4300 shares many of the exciting features of its larger siblings, but also sacrifices a lot in exchange for portability.
Dell's small-business-focused Vostro 1310 has a temptingly affordable entry-level price, but a realistic specification soon brings it into line with the competition.
Dell claims its Vostro 410 is an energy efficient, high performance PC for small businesses. While Dell's efficiency claims seem to be hot air, the 410 is a sleek, zippy and good value PC.
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