Microsoft to allow Windows 7 users to downgrade to XP or Vista

Microsoft has confirmed that it will allow Windows 7 OEM consumers to downgrade to Windows Vista or Windows XP.

Many of you might know that this is business as usual. Volume licensing users have long had the ability to use their licenses to install a version back. Normally this was restricted to one version back, but for a limited time Microsoft OEM’s will allow customers to downgrade 2 Windows versions prior. This will allow customers to select versions of Windows as old as XP.

Since Windows 7 is just a refresh of the mixed reviewed Windows Vista operating system we at illcommunications thought this was inevitable. We do however feel that Windows 7 is a major improvement over the Windows Vista platform.

As with prior versions of the Windows operating system some business users will probably elect to continue utilizing Windows XP in their business environments for some time. We don’t believe that Microsoft’s offering of downgradability to be any judgement of what Windows 7 will be, but more of a convenience and hopefully continued support of the Windows XP platform for those that are less likely to be early adopters the new operating system.