Anilrgowda

Software launches are not usually met with kind of glitzy fanfare and long lines normally expected of new Star Wars films or game console launches. But major retailers, including Best Buy and CompUSA, are hoping to spark a new level of excitement as they prepare for the January 30 consumer release of Microsoft 's new operating system, Windows Vista. CompUSA plans to open its doors just before midnight and start selling Vista-equipped machines as the clock strikes 12:00. Best Buy will do the same at several of its larger stores.
The chains will be joined by Microsoft in the effort to whip up consumer frenzy. Redmond is expected to roll out a major marketing campaign to coincide with Vista's launch. The software behemoth and retailers are hoping consumers will look past the operating system's multiple delays and focus instead on its many new benefits.
Big Vista Push
Part of the retailer push includes delivery on a preholiday promise to do an upgrade to Vista for anyone who bought a Windows XP computer in December. Many retailers offered the incentive as a way to keep hardware sales up after delays were announced for the operating system, said Michael Silver, an analyst at Gartner.
"Hardware vendors and retailers had always been planning to use Vista as the basis of product rollouts and promotions," he said. "Considering how many people use Windows, the introduction of Vista was expected to create piggybacking by various vendors."
One issue that remained unclear was about the amount of support that would be available to help people upgrade, he added. Offering a bump up to Vista is one thing, he noted, but simply handing a user the operating system and saying "good luck" is another.
CompUSA is offering one month of unlimited tech support for $29.99 to anyone who upgrades, including customers who have been waiting until the system's launch to buy new hardware.
Register's Ring
It is expected that Vista will do well despite its many delays because the system does offer notable enhancements, Silver said. Once Vista is rolled out, some of these retailers could see additional boosts from memory upgrades and other tweaks necessary to run the system properly, he added.
And, as new users begin to tout its benefits, it could drive more adoption and extend the holiday buying season even further. "There's a lot for the home user to like in Vista, including security and multimedia features," said Silver.
What remains to be seen is whether the majority of consumers really do want to upgrade to Vista or if they will stick with Windows XP for the time being. Either way, analysts have said, Vista will give a significant kick to Microsoft's revenues. Some estimates predict that Microsoft will see a $4 billion surge during the year thanks to the new system.