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Will 7 prove deadly to Vista?

• Darren Waters
• 28 May 08, 13:51 GMT

Lots and lots of clogging up the internet pipes today about Windows 7.

It follows the first public demo of the technology yesterday at the All Things Digital conference in San Diego. You can read Maggie Shiels' piece .

Putting aside issues about the touch technology itself for one moment, the biggest question about this public demo of Windows 7 is: what harm will its promise do to sales of Vista?

I just received an interesting note about Windows 7 from the Microsoft PR team. In it, it states: "Microsoft absolutely recommends customers deploy Windows Vista today."

In other words, Microsoft are telling XP customers not to wait for Windows 7 but to grab Vista now.

Despite issuing more 140 million licenses for Vista worldwide, it's seen by many as a failure.

And given that Windows 7 is supposed to be launched in 2010 that's close enough for many customers, including IT buyers in companies, simply to keep on using Windows XP and wait for Windows 7.

Microsoft itself is only too aware of this problem.

As Chris Flores writes on the : "With Windows 7, we're trying to more carefully plan how we share information with our customers and partners."

If Microsoft reveals too much about Windows 7 it's only going to make XP customers more likely to wait, and if the firm once again over promises on what 7 will deliver, the launch itself could be as flat as the one that greeted Vista.

Oh - and here's the official demo video of Windows 7.

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Gamers are social too

• Darren Waters
• 28 May 08, 12:06 GMT

A large piece of research into European gaming habits has been .

It doesn't say very much to be honest - but there is one message that it keeps hammering home: gamers are not anti-social outcasts.

According to the survey of 6,000 gamers across Europe most play games because they are fun to play, while 55% do it to relax and de-stress.

47% watch TV, 46% surf the net, 46% spend time with friends and family and only 40% of gamers actually play games - for between six and 14 hours week.

Amazingly, 58% of European gamers actually go shopping at least once a month, if they have a few hours spare.

Over a third of gamers do some exercise outdoors - sorry Wii Fit owners - or play sport, at least once a month.

And a third of gamers actually go to a party or go dancing at least once a month.

So don't worry - video games aren't turning us into trigger-happy obsessives.

What wonderfully rounded people us gamers are.

You can download some key facts (as a PDF) .

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