With numbers like that, it’s almost a certainty that anynew operating system release from Microsoft is going to bea smashing success. After all, nearly every new non-Macintosh computer is sold with a version of Windowspreinstalled, and tens of millions of new computers aresold each year, so any new version of Windows will haveinstant market clout. I see no reason why that trend won’tcontinue with Windows Vista.

However, when you have a solid lock on 90% of themarket, your definition of “success” is likely to be a bitmore stringent. Sure, Microsoft is pleased as punch that somany copies of Windows go out the door on new PCs, butwhat Microsoft desires even more is a brisk retail tradebecause retail sales mean OS upgrades. And in its secretheart-of-hearts, Microsoft’s ultimate goal for every newWindows release is to have each and every Windows userupgrade to the new version. That would be not onlyimmensely profitable, but also cheaper because it wouldmean only one OS to support. Of course, a complete migra-tion to a new version of Windows or any other OS hasnever happened and never will. Given that fact, Microsoft’sWindows team is happy even if just a significant portion ofthe current user base makes the move to the new OS.