This article was published on December 6, 2011

Windows 7 set to capture enterprise dominance, despite Windows 8 looming on the horizon


Windows 7 set to capture enterprise dominance, despite Windows 8 looming on the horizon

When Microsoft issued a bulletin to the larger enterprise sector that it should continue, if not start, migration to Windows 7 and ignore Windows 8 for the time being, we hardly knew what to make of it. We now have a clearer picture.

According to information compiled by IT provider Softchoice, Windows 7 appears to have sufficient legs underneath it to reach full enterprise dominance, even with Windows 8 slowly forming in the distance; Windows 8, perhaps given how unproven it remains, appears not to be slowing Windows 7’s adoption. Microsoft, it seems, is getting its wish.

We could exegete on why Microsoft might want Windows 7, and not Windows 8 to be the de facto enterprise operating system moving forward, but that is a different discussion. This is what Softchoice has learned:

  • 28% of corporate PCs run Windows 7, but a mere 10% of organizations are more than 50% complete in deploying the code to their computers;
  • 59% of organizations that are deploying Windows 7 have moved less than 10% of their computers to the operating system;
  • 60% of enterprise organizations are either testing or deploying Windows 7.

Those numbers mean that Windows 7 already has a strong corporate footprint, that those deploying it are hardly done, and that most people are either working on doing so or should soon start. That boils down to Windows 7 being a go in the enterprise market.

Now for something a bit more fun, let’s talk Vista for a moment: In January of this year, some 8% of corporate PCs ran the OS. Now it commands a full 2% market share. Ouch.

To wrap up, despite Windows 8 capturing a pile of hype, Windows 7, a proven operating system, appears to be the darling of the enterprise’s eye. Just as Microsoft wanted. Sorry enterprise workers, no Metro interface for you.

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