“Three years ago Microsoft botched the release of Vista, the operating system that preceded Windows 7,” Tim Weber reports for BBC News.
“Vista – a bloated, difficult to install operating system – left many early users with suddenly unusable hardware and software,” Weber reports. “The disaster badly undermined Microsoft’s credibility with consumers and software developers.”
Weber reports, “Windows 7 is Microsoft’s one and maybe only chance to redeem itself. “
“Microsoft’s timing has been helped by the fact that one of its arch rivals, Google, won’t launch its lightweight operating system Chrome OS before the middle of next year, which will be plenty of time to establish Windows 7 firmly in the netbook market,” Weber reports. “Also useful is the misstep of its other nemesis, Apple, which uncharacteristically botched its new operating system Snow Leopard, not anywhere near as badly as Vista, but enough to give Microsoft a clear run for its Windows 7 launch.”
Full article – Think before You Click™ – here.
MacDailyNews Take: That’s it, there’s no further mention of Mac OS X or any proof or explanation of how Apple supposedly “botched” Snow Leopard (does he mean by releasing it when they did or something else entirely?). For an explanation, we suggest readers contact Tim Weber directly at . Unfortunately, this incident is wholly unsurprising given the BBC’s past behavior: BBC integrity questioned, accused of promoting Microsoft and Windows Vista – February 09, 2007.
WTF. W. T. F.
I hate the BBC.
So much.
Magic word: anti.
As in, Anti-BBC sh*t.
MS tart!
You know, I read that article, but because they didn’t expand on that point, I skimmed over it accidentally. Now MDN has picked it up and of course I’m furious with the Beeb for making such an aside in a very subtle way. Remember that I used to proofread as a hobby!
I installed Snow Leopard the first day it was available and have had zero problems with it.
I agree with Weber. Snow Leopard is a complete disaster what with the interface, security, issues and other mistakes worthy of allusion as well.
BTW, I’m discovering bad punditry is really hard.
patchwork plagiarism: “Also useful to avoid is the misstep of yet another other news agency, the BBC, which characteristically botched its article on Snow Leopard”
Move along nothing to see here
O, and I mailed him too.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />. I suggest everyone else does as well.
The BBC is in the tank and always has been in the tank for Microsoft. Remember, it was only after the public outcry when they excluded Macs from their online media that they later said they would make an Apple player too.
Maybe they’re referring to the guest accounts issue?
Gomer37,
You mean one that affected less than 100 users out of millions?
If that’s what Weber is referring to, he’s an even bigger MSFT whore than I initially thought.
@Dev – those are the same people who made a HUGE deal out of a dozen or so cases of exploding iPod batteries – ya know, out of the 100+ million iPods sold to date. Some people are just desperate to defame Apple – I’m not really sure why.
OT – aside from a few Flash quirks, Snow Leo has been a solid upgrade for me – I certainly wouldn’t call one small annoyance a “botched” release.
BBC are MS’s pocket.
Damn…….BBC are in MS’s pocket.
Macintosher:. …Remember that I used to proofread…
Are you an editor for the BBC?
Hit whore . . .
BBC is nothing but a bunch of full-of-themselves “journalists” living off the British public who have no choice but to pay government imposed fees.
Bottom Line:
The BBC remains an active supporter of Microsoft!
I guess Money can even buy the BBC these days!
People complained about Leopard’s launch initially too. No OS launch is without its problems, but neither Leopard nor Snow Leopard had serious enough issues to be considered anything close to “botched”.
When the digital TV switchover happens there should be no excuses as why I can’t just switch off the BBC channels.
Of course they won’t let me choose not to receive BBC and I will be forced to pay the BBC tax.
With falling TV viewers and TV programs available on the web the U.K. government wants to create a internet tax **Cough**BBC**Cough** when it should be the ISP’s who should be investing the money back into their own services.
BBC wankers!
@Dev and Gomer37
I think that is what they are referring to, it is the 1st article in the
SEE ALSO
Data losses in Snow Leopard bug
13 Oct 09 | Technology
I guess anyone can make a mistake (the user) but when I do any up grade, especially a major OS upgrade, I treat it like I am launching a moon rocket, with a check list ,
Why would anyone do an upgrade while logged in as a guest? and then be silly enough to complain and blame Apple!
I hate it when journalist get lobbied to write untrue stories!
How much did M$ pay for that comment?
Below is Tim Weber’s form-email response, full of half-truths. Have at it!:
Many thanks for your e-mail.
Well, considering that for very many people who upgraded to Snow Leopard, key device drivers didn’t work anymore (e.g. HP printers), that there were very many reports of persistent crashes, that Snow Leopard has a bug that could wipe all your data from your computer and that quite a number of people have taken to calling it Slow Leopard … that’s a launch some people might associate with Microsoft or Linux, not with Apple,
As I said, it’s not been anywhere as bad as Vista, but Apple’s attempt to take the shine of the Win 7 launch has backfired. Given Apple’s track record, and the fact that they’ve got a miniscule ecosystem for which to get things right, this is a pretty poor launch.
I would also like to point out that I don’t have Microsoft bias. In a
story last week about smartphones I described Microsoft’s latest Windows Mobile 6.5 software as “old-fashioned and too plain for what you would want to get out of a smartphone”
The release of Snow Leopard definitely was not Apple’s finest hour.
Regards
Tim Weber
What’s sad is that the general non-techie that reads this rubbish may actually believe it. “I heard Apple’s new computer is really bad.” (Of course, not distinguishing between the OS and the hardware.)
I do agree that Windows 7 is a chance for redemption. Unfortunately, they’re about to check into the “Fat Chance Hotel” … as another Brit John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) might say.
Just in case I don’t get a reply to my email, will somebody please post theirs. Thanks!
please excuse my last post, as I did not understand the problem
“Why would anyone do an upgrade while logged in as a guest? and then be silly enough to complain and blame Apple!”