Buy Vista, Get XP?

Dell seems to be of two minds about the June 30 deadline for sales of new PC's with the Windows XP operating system.  Recent Dell Business brochures indicate that orders for computers with XP should be made by June 18, twelve days before the official deadline.

However, a report from PC World states that Dell will let you have XP on a new computer ordered after June, but only if you order it with Vista Business or Ultimate.  In essence, the user is buying a Vista license that it can apply to XP, and Microsoft can still claim (somewhat dishonestly) a Vista sale.  Dell will preinstall XP Professional as a "downgrade" on a variety of desktop PCs and laptops, a spokesperson said, saving users the hassle of doing it themselves. The computers available with the XP option will include the Windows Vista installation DVD in the box so users can later install Vista over XP under the same license if they wish.

One downside is that some Dell computers have optional components for which there are no XP drivers. For example, PC World reports that a Vostro 200 desktop today available with a choice of Windows XP and Windows Vista has an option for a wireless card that will not work under XP.