Microsoft will regret causing Windows pain

Sometimes Microsoft doesn’t like to make it easy for IT leaders to love its software.

The much-derided Windows Vista soured corporate views of the operating system, leading many firms to skip the upgrade and consider alternatives such as thin clients.

Now Windows 7 is nearly here, and early test releases suggest it is the product everyone hoped Vista would be. With so many IT managers having deferred PC hardware buying cycles for a year during the recession, there is significant pent-up demand for a business-friendly system that Microsoft should be looking to satisfy.

But now we learn the upgrade process from XP and Vista to 7 could be a bit of a nightmare. According to early reports, major changes are needed to migrate users from older versions of Windows ­ complete re-installation in some cases; hard drive wipes; and the likelihood of significant data backups.

If ever there was a time that Microsoft should be making the transition to a new operating system (OS) as easy as possible, it is now. Of course, most IT leaders will have little choice ­ they will take the pain and make the move when it is right for their business. But it won’t endear Microsoft to them, and might make many pine for a genuine alternative at the end of their next upgrade cycle.