A number of companies are opting not to embrace Redmond's latest operating system and, like GM, are waiting for Windows 7 instead.

General Motors (GM) may take a detour around Vista, the latest computer operating system from Microsoft (MSFT). The automaker has encountered so many speed bumps getting Vista to work on its machines that it may just wait for the next version of Windows, due in 2010 or 2011. "We're considering bypassing Vista and going straight to Windows 7," says GM's Chief Systems & Technology Officer Fred Killeen.

Vista taxes all but the most modern PCs with hefty processing and memory requirements. Many of GM's PCs can't even run the system. "By the time we'd replace them, Windows 7 might be ready anyway," Killeen says. Then there are compatibility problems with all the software that needs to run on Windows. GM's software vendors still haven't ensured all their programs will run on Vista trouble-free. So the company is sticking with Windows XP for now. Killeen figures GM could install Windows 7 in three or four years.

Read the whole article: Business Week

we all knew the companies would do this anyways.

Ugh. I hate when they say "Microsoft Vista". It's not "Microsoft XP", or "Microsoft 2000", it's Windows XP and Windows 2000. Likewise, it's "Windows Vista".

Unrelated I know.

As for the article, it's not uncommon for companies to skip entire OS revisions. Many businesses skipped Win2K and jumped into XP. When you have a 3 year release cycle (as is the case with Windows 7), that's just what happens.

Vista is Microsoft's epic fail.

It is better than Windows ME.

I guess, then, that I'm running Microsoft's "Epic Fail" flawlessly, on x64 no less. Amazing.

2nded on the "Microsoft Vista" thing. I've heard a lot of people say it about XP, too, and actually have heard a disconcerting many people say "I got a new computer, it's a Dell XP with Office and Comcast, and I..."

It makes me want to cry.

And stab things.

Windows ME was really a bad purchase for me.

I don't agree that Windows Vista 'sucks' but I can see why Corporate's would skip the product.

There is nothing wrong with Vista, it seems GM has a poor IT department if you ask me.

Lots of big enterprises skipped XP and are in the process of moving to Vista from Windows 2000. This happens all the time, it's not really news...

You have no idea how true that is. I know because I work for a company that provides hardware, software, network solutions to dealerships. I will leave it at that. Don't believe me? Ask any GM dealership.

Companies don't want to spend allot of money on comp hardware to get it running up to speed.

Simple as that. Vista is a terrific OS it just has this bloat on pre-modern machines

It's their business if they want to wait, it's not our job to convince anyone.

It's so silly that people can bash Vista so easily, i think the OS is wonderful. I love it.

I can understand the thing about not being able to update their pcs to properly run Vista.

more of GM's fault for sucking so much, and having such low sales. I don't think this looks negatively on Vista at all, because I think Vista is a awesome, powerful OS, you only need a proper system to run it.

Once GM finds a way to sell a car for cheap that doesn't eat up gas, then they could possibly afford good computers. I bet you Toyota and Handa have Vista on their machines

Most companies dont upgrade to an os. They will get new os's either when they have to because of support or when a pc comes with it installed.

Companies rarely upgrade to an os just because its better.

I feel the need to remind people that they're forgetting that windows 7 will be a MINOR upgrade to windows vista....... so if they think they're gonna get something MUCH different from Vista, they've got another thing coming