According to a survey by ScriptLogic Corp - a company providing help to companies in managing their Microsoft Windows-based networks - as many as six in every ten companies surveyed intend giving the purchase of Microsoft Corp's Windows 7 computer operating system a miss, largely due to the costs involved and concerns about the forthcoming operating system's compatibility with their existing applications.

The survey conducted by the Quest Software unit found from the feedback received from 1,000 IT administrators - out of a total of 20,000 surveys distributed - that almost 60 percent of them have no current plans to take on Windows 7.

A majority of the companies that responded to the survey said that they have scrimped and saved by cutting back on software updates, and lack the requisite resources to set up Microsoft's upcoming offering to be released on October 22.

Figuratively speaking, out of the 60 percent surveyed companies that have no plans to deploy Windows 7 immediately upon release, 34 percent intend deploying the operating system by 2010-end, and a mere 5.4 percent would deploy it by this year's end. Those citing "lack of time and resources" as the main reason for avoiding Windows 7 comprise a whopping 42 percent.

Commenting on the survey's findings, Nick Cavalancia, ScriptLogic's VP of Windows management said: "This survey highlights the impact the economy has had on IT."