Homes more adaptive to Vista than enterprises: Microsoft

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Microsoft India today said the consumer segment has seen a higher number of upgradation to the Vista edition than the corporate sector.

''The consumer segment has seen a better response due to the fact that corporates take a longer time to shift their entire systems depending on the application as well,'' said Microsoft India MD Neelam Dhawan.

The company has extended the date for availability of Windows XP till June 30, 2008. The software giant had earlier stated that Windows XP would be phased out by January 31, 2008 to give way to Vista.

The release of Vista in January 2007 had come more than five years after the introduction of Windows XP.

The new version contains numerous new and reworked features, some of which include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero--the software giant's primary stated objective has been to improve the state of security.

While Microsoft claims that over 60 million Vista licences have been sold globally, enterprises in India have been slow in adopting Vista.

While around six million PCs are sold every year in India, around six lakh Vista licences have been sold since the enterprise launch on November 30, 2006.

''Enterprises like Infosys, TCS, L&T Infotech are some of the enterprises that shifted to Vista. The number will definitely go up in the corporate sector with the increase in the number of applications on the platform,'' said Ms Dhawan.

Currently, 40 worldwide applications are available on the Vista platform, she added.

Infosys, for instance, has migrated over 4,000 desktops to Windows Vista, while TCS has migrated over 2,300 desktops while other big customers currently rolling out the OS include names like Satyam.

''The IT and ITeS companies are most active in the upgradation and migration to the Vista platform,'' Ms Dhawan said.

India is an important market for Microsoft as almost 90 per cent of the desktops use the Windows OS.

Microsoft has extended the availability of all Windows XP SKUs (stock keeping units) pre-installed on direct original equipment manufacturer (OEM) PCs and in packaged product from January 31, 2008 to June 30, 2008 worldwide.

The Windows XP Starter Edition will be available in emerging markets till June 30, 2010. System builder (assembled PC vendors) OEMs will still be able to purchase all SKUs of Windows XP till January 31, 2009.

''You cannot expect the users to change to a new OS in a few days time. The transition will take time. Also Windows XP is still popular compared to Vista'', said Zenith Computers Ltd CMD Raj Saraf.

UNI