From the Dark Side--M$'s Windows Vista Sales Claim is Bogus

We have noted before several times in this column that there are data supporting the notion that sales of Windows Vista is tepid at best. But that didn't stop Microsoft's PR machine from crafting and issuing a bogus argument that Vista is somehow setting a sales record by selling 20 million licenses in its first month, i.e. subsequently to January 30th, more than doubling XP's initial sales rate of 17 million in 2.5 months.

Well, there's lies, damn lies and Microsoft PR. According to Joe Wilcox's data, XP's 17 million license sales were to actual customers, not the much higher sales to THE SALES CHANNEL as are the Vista license sales, and Vista's sales time that has really been about FOUR months, not one. Therefore, Vista's real initial temporal sales rate to actual customers is much less than that of XP. Considering that the number of PCs being sold now is nearly double that of initial XP era, the sales of Vista per PC per unit time is much less than half of that for XP.

Come on, give us a break! The data clearly show that Vista's sales remain tepid at best. Where is the FTC's truth in advertising enforcement? [Dana Baggett & Bill Fox]