Windows 7 share tops XP for first time in U.S.

[ParamouR]

Windows 7 share tops XP for first time in U.S.
Microsoft's 10-year-old XP no longer champ, say Irish metrics firm

Computerworld - Windows 7 has passed the 10-year-old Windows XP in U.S. usage share, according to data from an Irish Web analytics company.

In the first 10 days of April, Windows 7's average daily share was 32.2% as measured by StatCounter, besting XP's average of 30.7%.

It was the first time that Windows 7's U.S. usage share was higher than Windows XP's.

Microsoft has touted Windows 7's sales numerous times since its October 2009 debut, and has repeatedly said the operating system is its fastest-selling ever. Analysts have agreed that Windows 7 has been a success, especially compared to the lukewarm reception customers gave its predecessor, Vista.

Last January, Microsoft announced it had sold over 300 million Windows 7 licenses.

By StatCounter's tracking, other widely used operating systems in the U.S. include Windows Vista, with an April average of 19.5%, and Apple's Mac OS, with 14.8%.

Vista peaked in the U.S. at 35.6% in August 2009, two months before Windows 7's launch, while XP first fell under 50% at the same time.

StatCounter's global numbers are different, showing that U.S. users have flocked to Windows 7 faster than the average. Windows 7 accounts for 31.5% of all operating systems in use around the world so far this month, while XP remains the most-widely-used OS with a 46.8% share.

Data from rival metrics vendor Net Applications paints a less-impressive picture for Windows 7. Net Application's March numbers put Windows 7's global usage share at 24.2%, compared to XP's 54.4%.

Both Net Applications and StatCounter calculate operating system usage share by monitoring the machines that reach their clients' sites. The former, however, also weights its numbers by country.

Like most Web measurement firms, Net Applications has more data on some countries -- the U.S., for instance -- but relatively small samples from others, like China. So to produce what it believes are more accurate numbers, Net Applications weights its Chinese data proportionally higher because that country has a greater percentage of the world's Internet users than the U.S.

The result: Because China accounts for a major chunk of all computer users and because a higher percentage of Chinese users run Windows XP than those in virtually every other country, Net Applications' XP numbers are higher than StatCounter's.

Although Microsoft has not told users to dump Windows XP -- a recommendation it's made about the 10-year-old Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) -- the company has urged customers to leave the operating system behind. Microsoft executives, for example. have not been hesitant to call XP "the lowest common denominator" as they push IE9, the new browser that only runs on Vista and Windows 7.

According to StatCounter, people in the U.S., at least, are listening.

[Unschuldig]

i still use the good old xp

[SealLion]

I installed customized version Win 7 Extreme and in all honesty, I kinda like customized versions better than I do of the original MicroBucks version of their OS.

The only problem that I have of Win 7 is that it takes a while getting used to where everything is/was in comparison to XP. Not that much has changed other than some directories for example.

Also, I'd like to know what MicroBucks is going to do with the Chinese users of XP. I mean, if they're calling XP the lowest common denominator, what's with them also not giving that same appellation to all their previous OS that were before XP like Titanic 98 where mastering the art of the blue screen was brought to perfection and the bloatware known in Windows 95??

Sounds almost as if they're wanting to shed an image of something. ...don't know why. XP isn't that bad other than the funny error messages.

And also with there being a-gazillion users of Mickeysoft's products inside China, I'd wonder how there going to deal with a strong action of some kind in 'forcing' ( best word I could find atm ) or strongly wanting Chinese users to switch to Win 7 (read Windows Hitler)

Ya. That's right.
Why not call it Windows Hitler where your allowed to get on with your life and not have to update all the necessary updates like for keyloggers that are supposed to keep your identity secure??

Better read the terms and conditions if I were you.

And that doc taskbar in Windows Hitler that came from MAC OS??
Here's a nice Easter Egg for ya....MickeySoft branded it as "all new", but it looks like someone had already branded it about 8 years ago.

I don't know....maybe I'm on a different bandwagon than others in thinking that there's something wrong with the occipital lobe part of the Mr. Mickeysoft's brain
( read Bill Gates).

I'm mentioning him b/c when he says 'jump', all the top execs say 'how high". And as such, why call XP the lowest common denominator??

I guess that Windows Hitler is the Master Race version of Windows. I don't even think that one can power-off Windows Hitler. HItler will be watching you with glaring eyes. Windows Hitler is gonna yell and scream at you when you do something he doesn't like via the Hitler Office Assistant.

The Windows Hitler/ Gestapo is watching you.
And don't you dare type anything Windows Hitler might make you regret later on. You'd be violating the BSoD EULA

[Mr. Crane]

I never really understood all the Microsoft haters. They delivered a great product and it's worth switching to it. I started using 7 when it first came out as beta and I can't imagine myself ever going back. Just as I switched when Vista came out and some people decided to stay on XP.

I don't really see a reason for grasping onto older version - it can't really be that bad? Sure there are certain flaws - as with everything - but I never had a single issue I couldn't fix with a couple of Google search queries so saying an OS is broken because you're not capable of finding your way around it is just wrong. It's mainly just the power of the masses. People all around you are saying Windows (and Microsoft) sucks so you either go with the flow or you're the lameass, right? Turns out a major percentage of the people negatively criticising certain products never really used them in the first place and are thus giving a worthless and completely subjective opinion.

[ParamouR]

Turns out a major percentage of the people negatively criticising certain products never really used them in the first place and are thus giving a worthless and completely subjective opinion.

+1 Mr.Crane I agree with you