Windows 7 appears to be a hit with Microsoft's channel partners. But nearly 60 percent of 1,100 surveyed IT administrators say they have no current plans to deploy the much-anticipated operating system that's due to be available in October.
The survey, conducted for ScriptLogic, a developer of network administration products for Windows-based networks, found that 59.3 percent of IT administrators had "no current plans to deploy Windows 7."
Only 5.4 percent said they plan to deploy the new Windows release by the end of this year, shortly after its planned release, and 34.0 percent planned to do so by the end of 2010. (Just over 1 percent said they had already deployed it.)
Microsoft is banking heavily on Windows 7, which is coming on the heels of Vista, the most recent version of Windows, which failed to catch on with users. Windows XP, which debuted in 2001, remains the most widely deployed version of Windows.
On Monday solution providers attending Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans appeared enthusiastic about Windows 7, cheering demonstrations of its capabilities. When asked during a keynote by Bill Veghte, senior vice president of the Windows Business Group, how many of the channel partners were working with Windows 7, many -- maybe even a majority -- raised their hands.
Veghte also cited an IDC report that said there are 246 million installed PCs within businesses in the U.S. that are capable of being upgraded to Windows 7.
But nearly 43 percent of the ScriptLogic survey respondents said limited time and resources were the major barrier to deploying Windows 7. More than 39 percent cited worries about application compatibility. Problems with operating system deployment and migration, hardware support and migration of user settings were also cited as hindering Windows 7 adoption plans.
There are more than 16,000 hardware and software companies developing products in conjunction with Windows 7, Veghte said. During his keynote, he emphasized the care Microsoft has taken with Windows 7 to avoid the compatibility issues that plagued Vista early on.
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