Demand for new OS 'beyond expectations'

Demand for the new Vista was surprisingly good on the first day it went on sale, according to computer chain PC World.

"It's been good… beyond expectations," said Jean Pierre van Tiel, international buying director for computing for the Dixons group, which owns the stores.

"We haven't had queues, like we'd get for the launch of an Xbox or Playstation, but that's because people know we have no shortage of stock. We are not going to run out."

People who bought PCs with a Vista upgrade deal from PC World – that is, if their machines cost more than £399 - have only until 15 March 2007 to get the new operating system. This could stymie wary users who wish to wait for possible early bugs to be ironed out.

But, astonishingly, only five per cent of users bothered to upgrade when a similar situation arose with the launch of Windows XP, according to van Tiel.

Those who do take advantage of the upgrade will be charged £10.99 for post and packaging. If they do not wish to do the install themselves they can take their machine to a PC World store and pay to have it done there for £29.99.

That offer, which is open to anyone buying an upgrade, regardless of where they bought their machine, means they get any necessary drivers downloaded and their software assessed for compatibility. But users with internet access can have much of this work done by Microsoft's Upgrade Advisor service.

Group software trading manager Tom Guy did not expect many problems over conflicts with software running under XP but not Vista because all products sold recently have been tested with the new operating system.

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