Microsoft has launched its long-awaited operating system Windows 7 today, with customers lining up across the country at midnight to be the first users of the new software.
The release is also expected to stimulate the ICT industry, with retail giant Gerry Harvey saying Windows 7 will spark a 30% increase in PC sales.
Harvey told The Australian PC sales have dropped by 10% during the past few months, as customers held off from buying new hardware until Windows 7 was released.
“Our computer sales hardware sales have dropped quite a lot over the past couple of months. All the rest of our business is strong. That’s the weakest part of our business.”
“We’re expecting a 30% increase in hardware sales straight after this is released, which is a very big increase. We think people have been holding off, waiting for this to come out.”
An Australian man in Sydney was the first customer worldwide to purchase the new software last night, with Harvey Norman’s midnight releases now a Microsoft tradition.
But the release was a toned-down version of previous years, compared to the massive marketing campaigns, parties and entertainment which accompanied the release of Windows Vista. SmartCompany blogger Paul Wallbank says an official Sydney release party this morning was a toned-down affair.
“It’s interesting, probably about half the attendees here right now are bloggers. There’s also a big turnout from various vendors, it’s just lots of business types… they’ve certainly rounded up the troops.”
Meanwhile, reviewers have given the green-light to the new operating system, labeling it as a necessary update to the critically panned Windows Vista, which tech analysts accused of being under-done.
In its review posted just hours after the launch, V3.co.uk praised Windows 7 for its ease of use, speed and straight-forward user interface.
“With Windows 7, Microsoft has done an excellent job of taking the core of Vista and turning it into a much leaner and more useful operating system. It introduces many new features that make it easier to use a PC with other devices and networks, and also technologies that should prove of significant value to businesses when used in conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2.”
TrustedReviews.com wrote the new OS is “destined to be the most successful and well received OS in Microsoft’s history”, while tech blog CNET said Windows 7 delivers the features and usability that Windows Vista, released only two years ago, was accused of lacking.
“Windows 7 looks like the operating system that both Microsoft and its consumers have been waiting for. By fixing most of the perceived and real problems in Vista, Microsoft has laid the groundwork for the future of where Windows will go. Windows 7 presents a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X, while reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful operating system.”
Gizmodo wrote Windows 7 manages to capture the usability contained in Windows XP, coupled with the updated user interface of Windows Vista.
“With Windows 7, the OS is great again. It’s what people said they wanted out of Windows: Solid, more nimble and the easiest, prettiest Windows yet.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
