Windows 7: Windows 7 to be sold on USB drives ????

A new rumor has sprung up that suggests Microsoft is looking at a third alternative for sending out copies of Windows 7: USB drives. There are currently two known ways to move to Windows 7 without buying a new computer: via retail or via download.
The third solution would make it easy for users with netbooks without DVD drives, most of which are running Windows XP (as opposed to Vista), to upgrade to Windows 7. Of course, installation from USB is much faster than from DVD, so such an option could end up being adopted by a larger demographic. USB drives are still more expensive than DVDs to mass manufacture, however, so I doubt Microsoft would be happy with that.
CNET quotes an undisclosed source in its speculative report: "Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 on a thumb drive to allow netbook owners to more easily upgrade their machines." Microsoft confirmed in February that all editions of Windows 7 would run on netbooks but never disclosed how those who already own the low-end computers could get the operating system on their system. The currently only known solution, downloading a copy and putting the installation on a USB drive, isn't a process many netbook users would be happy to do. If the USB drive option is skipped, most will likely have a friend or a tech support guy get the job done for them.
On another note, could this rumor somehow be related to StartKey, a Microsoft technology that was supposed to allow users to store entire Windows profiles and all their data on portable flash drives? Many criticized it in March 2008 but Microsoft has yet to acknowledge it, assuming it hasn't already been scrapped.

A new rumor has sprung up that suggests Microsoft is looking at a third alternative for sending out copies of Windows 7: USB drives. There are currently two known ways to move to Windows 7 without buying a new computer: via retail or via download.
The third solution would make it easy for users with netbooks without DVD drives, most of which are running Windows XP (as opposed to Vista), to upgrade to Windows 7. Of course, installation from USB is much faster than from DVD, so such an option could end up being adopted by a larger demographic. USB drives are still more expensive than DVDs to mass manufacture, however, so I doubt Microsoft would be happy with that.
CNET quotes an undisclosed source in its speculative report: "Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 on a thumb drive to allow netbook owners to more easily upgrade their machines." Microsoft confirmed in February that all editions of Windows 7 would run on netbooks but never disclosed how those who already own the low-end computers could get the operating system on their system. The currently only known solution, downloading a copy and putting the installation on a USB drive, isn't a process many netbook users would be happy to do. If the USB drive option is skipped, most will likely have a friend or a tech support guy get the job done for them.
On another note, could this rumor somehow be related to StartKey, a Microsoft technology that was supposed to allow users to store entire Windows profiles and all their data on portable flash drives? Many criticized it in March 2008 but Microsoft has yet to acknowledge it, assuming it hasn't already been scrapped.
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I think that would be a bit expensive. I mean ubuntu is a free OS, but they make you pay if you buy it on a flashdrive in the stores, I really don't see the companies getting big into using flash media as a distribution method until it becomes much cheaper. I mean it costs literally pennies for them to churn out a dvd, but it is significantly more for a Flashdrive to be flashed with data.

it will definitely cost more. let see only time will tell what`s true and what`s not.

Only $20 or so. 4 gig flashes are relatively cheap now. So maybe $15 for the drive, and another $5 because they had to pay someone to plug in 100 drives into a big USB hub and copy to them all

~Lordbob

This options was actually offered with XP, though I don't know anyone that used it.

A 4 gig Flash Drive is running at under $15 now (US) so they could simply add that to the cost and ship it that way. Would actually cost them the same or less (providing they have a good way of putting it on there.).

Though I wonder if someone could contact M$ and offer to install it on Flash Drives. They would have to be able to charge a different price and pick up the profits, but I would do it. Might make good money if you could get BestBuy to let you sell it. M$ would still make money, so no issue there....

~Lordbob