Facts from Redmond: familiarity breeds more acceptance

In the chock full of information and links special edition of Microsoft TechNet newsletter (4 June 2008) to which I subscribe, the editor introduces some interesting facts and figures indicating that "over the past eighteen months, Microsoft and our partners have made tremendous progress in compatibility, performance, and battery life. Here are updates on a few key facts:

• Windows Vista now supports more than 77,000 printers, cameras, speakers and other devices.


• More than 2,700 software programs are “Certified for” or “Works with” Windows Vista-logoed; 97 of the top 100 consumer applications are compatible.


• 62% of small businesses said Windows Vista saves them time, and 70% said it makes them more productive, according to an independent survey.


• More than 140 million copies of Windows Vista have been sold, making it the fastest selling operating system in Microsoft history. Even Macs run it.


• 71 percent of Windows Vista customers like it better than their last operating system.


• People familiar with Windows Vista are two to three times more likely to have a favorable impression of it.

And perhaps the most intriguing fact: "Every 10 PCs that switch to Windows Vista is the equivalent of taking an automobile off the road, in terms of greenhouse gases." Should you be interested, there's a research paper that supports this fact: Windows Vista Energy Conservation. You can also link to Microsoft TechNet for a complete series of resources, including troubleshooting, about Windows Vista.