Windows Vista might force a flight to Linux? We'll see.

Launch dates and prices have been announced by Microsoft for their next generation of breadwinners, Windows Vista and Office 2007.

I've detected a drawing of breath -- or even a feeling of shock from some -- at the fairly steep prices being asked for these new versions, and not everybody is happy about the cost and inconvenience involved in the purchase of new systems (or upgrading of hardware) and time to learn all the new stuff. For example, see Vista in slow lane for Aussie CIOs and it's likely to be the same worldwide.

A fairly typical reaction would seem to be that of Aussie IT journalist Stan Beer: Vista goes gold and Wintel rides again ... He hopes that "As for all of our old XP boxes, one would hope that there is a good recycling program in a neighbourhood not too far from you."

Could this be the great opportunity for Linux to start making inroads, for those resisting the Microsoft advance?

Not everybody thinks so, and here's a pertinent view recently posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes:

The world just isn’t ready for Linux