Win7 Spinoffs to Boost Global Economy: Report

Microsoft says that not only will they benefit from sales of its new Windows 7 operating system (OS), but the local economy could benefit from it too.

Microsoft hired research firm IDC Corp to conduct a study on the ripple affect of Windows 7 which launched on October 22nd this year. Estimates from the IDC study found that American companies could hire 25,000 additional workers through the end of 2010.

Sales of Win7 Products Estimated at $110B

Microsoft's launch of Windows 7 can affect tech companies that depend on Microsoft's software. Some companies make computer hardware, others produce software that runs alongside Windows and others sell Windows-related products or install and maintain them.

The study performed by IDC estimated that nationwide, companies will sell an additional $110 billion in Windows 7-related products and services through the end of next year and those companies will also boost the economy by investing $41 billion for developing, selling and supporting new products for Windows 7 users. (Source: boston.com)

Vista: Poor Performance, Compatibility

All the companies mentioned above have to depend on Windows 7 being a much better OS than its predecessor, Windows Vista. Upon its release, Windows Vista was besieged by poor performance and major incompatibility issues with other hardware and software products.

Almost three years later, Windows Vista claims to be run on about a quarter of the world's personal computers. Meanwhile, the much older Windows XP runs on 60 to 70 percent, because it's more compatible with other hardware and software products and it's easier to use.

Early Win7 Reviews Favorable

According to IDC's chief research officer Frank Gantz, Vista was a huge disappointment. In a similar study by IDC for the January 2007 release of Windows Vista, IDC predicted that the launch would prompt the creation of more jobs, but they were wrong.

Gantz believes that this time around, IDC's estimates for Windows 7 will be more accurate because early reviews of the new OS have been overwhelmingly favorable. IDC is expecting worldwide shipments of personal computers to decline by 1 percent this year, but to rise by 9 percent in 2010, with many of those machines running Windows 7.

On the other hand, some analysts believe that many businesses and consumers will hold off buying Windows 7 until they're sure the new OS is reliable and that they can afford to invest in one or many new computers. (Source: boston.com)

Visit Bill's Links and More for more great tips, just like this one!