Windows Vista and 7 were both packed with new features primarily targeted towards consumers. While your average home user has embraced 7, businesses and power users are still as in love with XP as they ever were. Microsoft needs to unveil some new functionality in Windows 8 that will win over XP die-hards. Like it or not, the continued dominance of XP is holding back technology advancement, yet for businesses XP still works well and power users prefer the increased control XP gives them over their system vs the newer versions, as well as the light footprint. There is nothing that Windows 7 offers that can win over these people...they will not upgrade just for the sake of upgrading. XP is capable of virtually everything 7 is capable of with the help of third party applications. What will Microsoft have to do to win over the ~70% of users still running XP?

It will happen when MS stops suporting it and the old harware starts to fail. I have several XP systems along 7 systems in my shop. the XP systems will be replced when they die. Some are P3 CPU's but they still do the job they are tasked to do.

Ken

Or when they offer a free upgrade, lol.. Not possible.. But if a new company or company in need of newer PC"S can't they get an Entreprise Version of Windows 7?

A new survey shows that businesses are increasingly planning their move to Windows 7, with more than half of those questioned planning to have some machines running the operating system in their corporations by the end of the year. The survey, conducted of 923 businesses in January, found that 16 percent are already running some Windows 7, with a further 42 percent planning to start their deployment by the end of 2010.

More -
Study: Businesses start to embrace Windows 7 | Beyond Binary - CNET News

Traditionally, many businesses wait until the first service pack is deployed before upgrading to a new OS. Plus, the economy isn't exactly rosy right now so a lot of companies might have no choice but to wait no matter what incentives or perks Microsoft might offer in the future.

Nothing will change unless the economy improves.. the bottom line is .. businesses cannot spend monies..
they won't see returning a profit quickly for now... companies just don't have that kind of monies to turn lose of right now.

I think there might be another factor, companies also change os's when they buy new computors. As the older hardware wears out new will be bought and therefore will come with Windows 7 and as others have said when the support for XP goes away they will have to change. Won't be long now

I think companies will ditch XP when their competitors gain profit and market share due to the use of a faster/newer OS that has minimal security flaws. IE: If I was in need of a mechanic I would not hire one that only fixes the Ford Model T

what is a power user?