Yeah, almost the entire financial sector is still using vertical software which won't run on Win8, and they really didn't need 7 in order to use it, or it won't run on 7, either. That, and the lack of backwards-compatibility. I alone operate my 22 machines. Due to lack of backwards-compatibility with each MS 'upgrade', I've had to keep my older machines deployed. Result is that each machine becomes dedicated to the programs and hardware which don't 'upgrade' with the OS. I purposely just bought three more machines with hardware which can 'bridge' to Win8 if I ever have to go to it. But I won't go to it except kicking and screaming, and the meanwhile am newly learning Linux so I can create dual-boots. You can still get Linux in older versions for very old machines (going all the way back to i386.) Can't do that with Windows.

MS really has made it too complicated and buggy. God forbid you should UPGRADE rather than install a fresh OS. Which version of the OS do you buy, do you pick OEM or upgrade or (now) System builder version, how do you know all the differences in each, to decide? The differences are significant, and undisclosed. Example: Excel 2003 won't run a DOS Lotus 1-2-3 on XP Pro unless I sign up with MS to have 'credentials', but will run fine on Home.

Upgrades versus clean install versus reinstalls, unknown features/bugs, removal of old useful features, wholly-new procedures -- all these make for slower sales, more angst, and a gradual weariness when an 'update' occurs. When a collegue was surprised I answered the phone right away, I said I was just idle, trying to 'screw up my courage' to install the machines which FedEx had just delivered. His laughter was of empathetic commiseration.

I would very much like to see priced Linux applications which can read the files Windows apps create. Still open-source, idea being you're paying for the software and you can change the code afterwards, or get updates from the Linux vendor, again for a fee. So still open source, but priced. That's akin to selling a Lotus 1-2-3 DOS template. Big market for that, back in the old days.

Linux needs to get out of its 'no cost' mentality, because the software DOES cost you in TIME. That's why it's less popular. People should be paid. We'd jump on that in the business world, as we don't want to write our own code, but need to be able to see how it works. Sorry, but LibreOfice and its kin don't have enough oomph. There are many other applications in Linux which are too weak compared to their non-Linux counterparts. There is money to be made, noble money. After all, people didn't stop buying Kleenex when other tissue began to be manufactured and sold. We stick to a brand that originates. The copycats generally produce a lower-quality product.

I'm sick of MS' tyrannical architecture, which is responsible for most crashes. Funny: once Win98 stopped being supported, it became stable, and I"ve not had even one crash since the support stopped. Now, suddenly my XP machines are much more stable, because I'm not getting the 'updates' as before due to support ending. So my new Vista and Win7 machines from Dell Auction, I wonder if I should update. Will see.

I shudder to think what a multiple-employee business is going through!