Upgrading to Windows Vista SP1 vs. Windows 7 and skipping Windows XP's successor altogether is a recurrent subject, and Microsoft itself has shifted perspective and changed tone on the matter.

On October 2 at the CIGREF - Club Informatique des Grandes Entreprises Françaises, in Paris, Stever Ballmer responded to a question related to adopting Windows Vista vs. waiting for Windows 7, pointing out that as far as business customers are concerned, it all comes down to their IT infrastructure upgrade cycle. “The one thing I am not saying to people they should do is run out and upgrade all of their old PCs today, because I think there's more of a natural flow. If you're prepared to do it, you should do it -- I would say you should get ready to do it with XP -- or sorry, with Vista, but then depending on the timing you might wait for Windows 7,” Ballmer stated.

Almost two years since Windows Vista became available for business customers at the end of November 2008, Ballmer revealed that he wasn't sure whether to recommend that enterprises wait for Windows 7 or go for XP's successor. In fact, Microsoft's CEO went for a neutral answer, and indicated that the upgrading decision should be left to the customers in accordance with their specific upgrade cycle.

Source:→ Softpedia