[Guest Post by By William Meloney, Created: August 7, 2010]

In business we are holding our collective breath.  The overall computing world is swirling about in new found clouds with Software as a Service (SaaS).  Everyone is looking at thin clients, thin PCs, virtual desktops, virtual software and even virtual coffee (ok, I made that up).  The point is that all of the attention vectors are pointing away from the more traditional cube farm full of users doing reiterative business computing.  This has us SysAdmins in sort of a funk.

I am all for moving forward.  I really like new bright shiny things.  I will even raise my hand and testify to the merits of Windows 7 Ultimate over the tried and true work horse XP Pro.  The problem is that from a business stand point there isn’t much more that the users need by way of computing platforms.  They can only enter data so fast.  They can  type only so many words per minute.  Tablet PCs and 3-D displays offer little to the day to day business environment.

Reading the Microsoft bellwether indicator of business computing gives us some clue as to the position of the market.  Sales and support of PC operating systems clearly indicates how completely business is holding it breath.  It is obvious that by having to continue to sell ‘down-grade-to-XP’ licenses Microsoft is acknowledging two significant market forces.  The most obvious, the economy is depressed.  More important, business sees Windows XP Pro as being sufficient for its needs.

[Editor’s Note: Next Blurt: Business Computing Communities. Microsoft Blurt: From a Business Perspective is a post from: winextra. –mrh]