Microsoft takes a major step to try and make Windows Vista the default operating system. According to the company’s Windows Life-cycle policy
web page; Microsoft will discontinue selling its Windows XP operating system by early 2008. The company will stop selling Windows XP from January 31, 2008, despite its popularity and will focus on marketing its new Windows Vista OS, which has received lukewarm response since its launch, earlier this year.

It is a known fact that Vista facing huge compatibility and performance issues. Users have been complaining that Vista takes too long to start and shutdown, so also the application loading takes longer than Windows XP. And, the Gen-Next operating system has been rather slow on the uptake among a majority of professional PC users.

A poll by US market research firm Harris Interactive found that only 10% of those questioned were planning to upgrade to Vista in the near future. The study of 2,223 web-using Americans found that although 87% had heard of the operating system only 12% of those who knew of it were planning to install it. While the survey did find that some people waited for Vista before buying a PC, 60% said its appearance had no effect on their spending plans.

It also found that currently, 79% of those questioned were using Windows XP on their home PC.