A misunderstanding of meaning has forced Gartner to restate earlier advise apparently telling customers to postpone upgrading to Microsoft's planned Windows Vista operating system.

Gartner is reportedly now telling users who are still running Windows 2000 that they should upgrade as soon as possible to Microsoft's latest client operating system.

The analyst firm felt its earlier recommendations had been "misinterpreted in some instances". Gartner reportedly advised users they shouldn't rush to upgrade to Windows Vista - due in 2006 - and most could "safely" hold back until 2008.

The incriminating note responsible for that misinterpretation, called Ten reasons you should and shouldn't care about Microsoft's Windows Vista client, had pointed out planned features such as antivirus and spyware that offered only "incremental, evolutionary improvements" over predecessors like Windows XP.

Gartner urged customers to follow a strategy of "managed diversity", by bringing Windows Vista machines online in 2008.

Clarifying its stance, Gartner cited the fact Microsoft's support for Windows 2000 is due to expire in 2010, and ISVs are releasing applications not supported on Windows 2000. Users of Windows XP can apparently wait a little longer.

[We're quite sure Microsoft had nothing to do with Gartner's urge to be as clear as possible with this report - Ed.]®