has announced that it may stop selling its flagship Windows Vista operating system just as soon as the eagerly awaited Windows 7 becomes available. Company representatives admitted they were “still not sure” if manufacturers will still be able to sell Vista once the new operating system officially hits the shelves.

The complaints against Vista have been many and often repeated, so we won’t go into that here except to say that the most common consumer complaints were that Vista was slower than expected, and more awkward to use because of a heightened security system which required permissions for a wide variety of everyday tasks such as moving or deleting files or folders.

The beta version of Windows 7, on the other hand, has received mostly favorable reviews within the industry, and from consumers who have been allowed to beta test the new operating system. Microsoft says that 7 is now in the final stages of development, and a full release of the is imminent.

But when Microsoft Windows 7 finally hits the streets, is it going to be the end of Vista as we know it? Despite the ambiguity coming from Redmond, it appears that Microsoft is keen to put the Vista debacle far behind them. The company is placing all their hopes (and a considerable fortune) on Windows 7 being an unqualified success. Early reviewers suggest that it will be, though some have also remained cautious until the final version of Windows 7 can be properly tested.

In fact, it seems that Microsoft is ready to “ditch’ Vista as soon as possible. A spokesman for the company has already said it is unlikely that Vista will continue to be sold by certain for months or even years after the release of Windows 7. This is exactly what was done when Vista replaced Windows XP. Computer manufacturers such as Dell and Hewlett-Packard continued to sell the (arguably better) Windows XP operating system for over a year after Vista’s debut. All indications are that things will be different this time, and that Microsoft plans to ditch Vista “sooner rather than later.”

It’s still too early to tell if Windows 7 will be plagued by any of the problems that caused some users to turn against Vista, but it seems clear, at least from those who have tested the beta version, that Windows 7 is a whole other kettle of fish, and compared to the release of Vista, Microsoft should find it a breeze to promote and market.