Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot by forcing users to adopt Vista. Beyond the software costs, the updated hardware requirements (and thus, additional costs) and just the general cluster in migrating older systems to Vista, not to mention the training involved - a lot of businesses are taking a second look at the Mac OS as well as Ubuntu Linux installations.
I know what you're thinking - iBob has robbed my brain of any rational thought.
Hardly.
There was a recent article in ComputerWorld that features a case story of a large parts manufacturer dumping windows. Of course the story is filled with caveats - like they have to re-write their own in-house Windows-only application on the Mac, and they will use Parallels for some stuff during the transition, but they are making the switch.
Wether or not this is the start of something bigger - only time will tell.
Personally, I think that Apple has a HUGE opportunity here - to finally unbundle their OS with their hardware. We all know how anal Steve Jobs can be when it comes to controlling the entire computing (or music or phone) service from end-to-end - but I think it's a mistake to be so close-minded.
If Apple doesn't do it - Ubuntu Linux will. Dell has started shipping Ubuntu as a pre-installed option on their computers. Wouldn't it be great if they could also offer the Mac OS? That would really shake things up in the PC world - and maybe, just maybe allow Apple to gain more traction at this critical juncture.
If they wait too long, however, it will be a missed opportunity. The hardware will get faster, IT shops will refresh their hardware with Vista installed, and we'll all be subject to WinBlows forever...
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