Time’s Biggest Losers

OK, I’m not about to argue with the magazine that named the PC “Man of the Year.” But this issue’s list of the 10 Biggest Tech Failures of the Past Decade raises a couple of hackles.

Of course, top on my list is Windows Vista. Sorry, folks, but I don’t think of Vista as a technical failure. I’d reaily admit that it’s a marketing failure. But technical? No way.

Vista was created to improve the security of the most widely used PC operating system in the world. The securities features were not much better than the previous versions of Windows based on most reviews of the software. Vista was also not compatible with a number of older PCs which limited the number of users who were likely to upgrade from the earlier version of Windows, known as XP.

Sorry, but Vista was created to sell more copies of Windows. Security improvement were part of the kit ‘n kaboodle, of course, but they weren’t the driving force. XP was on its last legs, and Vista rated as a revenue shot in the arm – desperately needed because Microsoft gave away its earlier XP upgrade, known as Service Pack 2.

I think the authors of the list should look back at the marketing drivel, er, material for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows XP. They’ll discover that Microsoft has listed security improvements as one of their top features in new versions of Windows just about forever. The big difference with Vista was that it actually delivered significant security improvements.

And, I’m sorry, but anyone who tells you that Vista’s “securities features were not much better than the previous versions of Windows” simply doesn’t know what they’re talking about. When’s the last time you had to remove a rootkit from a Vista machine?

I agree with most of the other Time choices (actually done by 24/7wallst.com). But YouTube? Sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, YouTube embodies a pioneering technology. No, the YouTubbets haven’t made any money yet. Still – a technological failure? No way.