It won't be available for another four months, but consumers are already rushing to place their orders for Microsoft 's highly anticipated
Windows 7
operating system and take advantage of early-bird discounts.
Amazon and other retailers have been taking pre-orders for Windows 7 since June 25th. For the third week in a row, the
OS is Amazon's top seller in the
software category, according to the Web merchant's Best Sellers list.
As of Tuesday, the list showed Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade as the top seller in software, followed by Windows 7 Professional Upgrade.
Microsoft Office 2007 was ranked third, completing a win-place-show trifecta for Redmond.
In keeping with a Microsoft promotional campaign, retailers—including Amazon and Best Buy—are offering Windows 7 at discounts of more than 50% until July 11.
Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade, for instance, is selling on Amazon for $49, or more than half off its suggested retail price of $119. Windows 7 Professional is going for $99, down from $199. That's good news for Microsoft, which saw Windows sales fall 16% in the most recent quarter.
Microsoft said it would defer recognition of 50% of revenue for sales made through the program until the fulfillment date of the purchases or until the program expires, based on whichever comes earliest. Microsoft said it expects to defer $200 to $300 million in such revenues during its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30th.
Microsoft has also disclosed an upgrade program through which consumers who purchase a Vista-powered PC can migrate to Windows 7 at little or no cost when the latter becomes
available on Oct. 22.
(<-note the rage in the smilies face)
