Should Microsoft Windows 7 be free of charge?

Microsoft’s' newest operating system, Windows 7, has a new campaign out. The advertisements follow certain people around, and they end up showing how "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea".

Of course Microsoft's new operating system was someone else's idea. They haven't had an original idea in any of their operating systems. They have all been stolen from other companies or people. For example, their last operating system Vista was blatantly stolen from Apple's Mac OS X. There were so many similarities, that you cannot chalk it up to coincidence.

But since Microsoft is finally openly admitting to stealing other people's creative ideas, perhaps the entire PC user world should create a class action suit demanding their cut of the profits. Microsoft isn't providing their new product "free of charge" to all of these users that contributed to the new operating system, are they? Did these people receive a paycheck to show that they were under the employment of Microsoft and therefore they own those ideas? Nope. But Microsoft is charging anywhere between $119.99 and $319.99 USD for a license to run the software (you still can't own your own copy; you can only buy rights to use it).

It just seems to be illicit in my opinion. What do you think?

I think that every company steals ideas from its competitor, usually makes improvements on them. Nothing new there, nothing will change there.

For the paycheck part, eh. Have no real comment on that, at this time.

The price is a bit high but no one is making you upgrade to the latest. Its YOUR money, spend it how YOU want to.

You are apparently not aware what it costs to develop a program, let alone an operating system. If you were chipping in part of the cost, then maybe you should get a free copy.

I am sure that everyone would like it to be free of charge, but from a business stand point, it should not be. MS is in the business of developing and selling the software. If it were free we would still be using Windows 98. It may have a different name, but it would not be anything like the great OS that we are using now.

You have the option of buying one version of an OS, may it be, Window 98 or ME, and use it for life, for no extra cost. Original cost 150 use it for 30 years, the cost is now 5 dollars a year. Don't laugh, if MS made if free that is what we would be using. Now how about security updates. That is not free, I know that I am willing to pay, to protect my valuable computer and the programs that I have purchased.

Companies always borrow ideas and concepts from one another. Not to mention, as technology increases...they have more to work with and thus new things are available which weren't possible 15 years ago. So as this marketspace changes....new and emerging trends will develop and companies will have to adapt their products to use them.

I think the key is

• Which company provides the best implementation of the functionality
• Which company provides the most compatibility with hardware and other software
• Which company can provide that functionality at the best price point.

I think the upgrade prices and such for Windows 7 are fair. And they are more or less in line with OS X which has charged around $120 for the major upgrades to their OS's...from Panther, to Tiger to Leopard, etc. And unlike OS X..you aren't tied into having to use Apple's own proprietary hardware and pay hand over fist for the physical machine to run it.

And if you aren't satisfied with your experience and the purchase price of Windows...there are tons of Linux distros which are available free of charge that you can try and evaluate. Microsoft in no way has me over a barrel. I'm perfectly functional in other OS's.

Nothing to see here...time to move along....

to protect my valuable computer

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LOL, my $500 toy.

xolo: there are so many holes in your post I'm not even going to bother quoting them all. This entire thread is rediculus. And I think your trolling, that is what I think.

DarkNovaGamer said:

The price is a bit high but no one is making you upgrade to the latest. Its YOUR money, spend it how YOU want to.

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eh...

That is debatable. No, no one is standing right next to me physically forcing me to however indirectly I am being forced to. Support for XP is going to fall off (it already has) by Microsoft and third party developers, Vista is pointless with 7 out, and thus if I want to keep my system secure and compatible I need to upgrade to Windows 7.

Example. Directx 10/11 is not supported under Windows XP for no other reason then... Microsoft does't want to. So in order to take advantage of these API's (many reasons to want/need to) I have to upgrade to at least Vista which is pointless thus Windows 7.

I had two more but now lost my train of thought... anyway you get the point.

As far as the contribution of ideas and getting paid for it... I as well am not going to comment on this matter.

However I will say I do beleive that Windows 7 should be significantly cheaper then it is. Personally I think for $300 Ultimate should come with a 3 computer license and lesser versions should not cost more then $100 for a single license. Basically what the OEM discs cost is what I think retail should cost and OEM less then that. Or make OEM considerably cheaper for its rediculous constraint that if I build a new computer (decomissioning the old one) that I have to purchase a new license.

xolo said:

Microsoft’s' newest operating system, Windows 7, has a new campaign out. The advertisements follow certain people around, and they end up showing how "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea".

Of course Microsoft's new operating system was someone else's idea. They haven't had an original idea in any of their operating systems. They have all been stolen from other companies or people. For example, their last operating system Vista was blatantly stolen from Apple's Mac OS X. There were so many similarities, that you cannot chalk it up to coincidence.

But since Microsoft is finally openly admitting to stealing other people's creative ideas, perhaps the entire PC user world should create a class action suit demanding their cut of the profits. Microsoft isn't providing their new product "free of charge" to all of these users that contributed to the new operating system, are they? Did these people receive a paycheck to show that they were under the employment of Microsoft and therefore they own those ideas? Nope. But Microsoft is charging anywhere between $119.99 and $319.99 USD for a license to run the software (you still can't own your own copy; you can only buy rights to use it).

It just seems to be illicit in my opinion. What do you think?

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Incase you missed the point of the "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea" ad campaign, it's not based on Microsoft stealing the ideas of others. It's based on user feedback. We spoke. Microsoft listened. Thus Windows 7 was our idea.

Oh, for for just in case you didn't know: Apple is just as guilty of stealing other peoples odeas as you claim Microsoft is (and Microsoft DIDN'T steal anything): Apple stole the concept of the GUI from Xerox, and Steve Jobs was too stupid to let a fledgling Micro Soft have access to the GUI of the first Apple computers. Micro Soft perfected it, and today (many years later) we have Windows 7. Microsoft didn't steal from Apple. The modern GUI was given to them by Apple.

xolo said:

Microsoft’s' newest operating system, Windows 7, has a new campaign out. The advertisements follow certain people around, and they end up showing how "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea".

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It's not new. It's as old as the OS release date. It's also a nauseatingly patronizing campaign.

Of course Microsoft's new operating system was someone else's idea. They haven't had an original idea in any of their operating systems. They have all been stolen from other companies or people. For example, their last operating system Vista was blatantly stolen from Apple's Mac OS X. There were so many similarities, that you cannot chalk it up to coincidence.

What do you think?

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That you are an obvious troll

Sorry for the delay, but I'm busy right now......

DarkNovaGamer said:

I think that every company steals ideas from its competitor, usually makes improvements on them.

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Ok, sure. But has Microsoft actually made any improvements? Aren't they just repackaging Vista with some big patches? If not, how can anyone prove otherwise....you aren't allowed to look at the code (legally).

richc46 said:

If it were free we would still be using Windows 98.

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So, you don't think Microsoft might have taken some time to make Windows 98;
Safe
Secure
Bug Free
Run faster on new and powerful hardware
interface with that new hardware
You're probably right, they wouldn't have taken the time to do any of that.

richc46 said:

It may have a different name, but it would not be anything like the great OS that we are using now.

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Is Windows 7 really that great? I personally don't think it's great. I think it's borderline Ok.

pparks1 said:

I think the upgrade prices and such for Windows 7 are fair.

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Ok, but have you contributed to it? Have you suggested ideas? If you had, should you have to pay the full price? Should you get some kind of discount?

pparks1 said:

And unlike OS X..you aren't tied into having to use Apple's own proprietary hardware and pay hand over fist for the physical machine to run it.

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I agree with you 100%. That is why I have never owned an Apple. I learnt my lesson when I once bought an IBM.

BunBun said:

DarkNovaGamer said:

The price is a bit high but no one is making you upgrade to the latest. Its YOUR money, spend it how YOU want to.

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eh...
That is debatable. No, no one is standing right next to me physically forcing me to however indirectly I am being forced to. Support for XP is going to fall off (it already has) by Microsoft and third party developers, Vista is pointless with 7 out, and thus if I want to keep my system secure and compatible I need to upgrade to Windows 7.

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Exactly! The operating systems become obsolete because the company decides to abandon it. Due to various reasons, like they didn't think far enough into the future, they created an inferior product that couldn't be fixed anymore with patches.....etc.

BunBun said:

However I will say I do beleive that Windows 7 should be significantly cheaper then it is.

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I agree. It should be cheaper. And, it should be way cheaper to anyone who "contributed" their "ideas".

Dzomlija said:

Incase you missed the point of the "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea" ad campaign, it's not based on Microsoft stealing the ideas of others. It's based on user feedback. We spoke. Microsoft listened. Thus Windows 7 was our idea.

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Of course it's based on user feedback. That's why Vista was abandoned so quickly. No one bought it. But a lot of user feedback has been ignored, primarily the security issues that are inherant with a kernel based operating system (that's a whole different topic in itself though).

xolo said:

primarily the security issues that are inherant with a kernel based operating system (that's a whole different topic in itself though).

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Find me an Operating System that doesnt have a kernel :huh:

xolo said:

Is Windows 7 really that great? I personally don't think it's great. I think it's borderline Ok.

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Well, lots of people are coming from Windows XP over to Windows 7. There are lots of improvements between those. The security features, the library features, the enhancements to the aero interface, better hardware support, the new start menu, a non-cluttered taskbar area, superbar, etc.

With old XP machines, you had to load the OS, then all your chipset drivers, then a bunch of other stuff and it took quite a long time. With Windows 7, it installs usually in about 15 minutes and for me (and many others), has drivers for all the hardware, etc. In my eyes, Windows 7 sure looks a whole lot nicer than the Fisher-Price themed Windows XP.

For those coming from Vista...it's not revolutionary by any means. And I usually recommend that if people are happy with their Vista machines that they just leave it alone and not pay the upgrade price. My wife has a perfectly functional Windows Vista Home Premium laptop that we aren't even considering upgrading to Windows 7. It works perfect the way it is..no sense in making a change.

xolo said:

Ok, but have you contributed to it? Have you suggested ideas? If you had, should you have to pay the full price? Should you get some kind of discount?

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Well, I didn't directly submit ideas. But I did use the Beta, and the RC1. I posted tons of stuff on this forum as well as posts on the Technet forums. The incentive that I got was a full year to use and evaluate Windows 7 without paying a dime. Knowing that I wanted to move my main machine at home from Windows XP to Windows 7..I went out and bought a copy of Vista 64-bit Ultimate which came with a free upgrade to Windows 7. Then, I attended the New Efficiency Launch event and got a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. So, that was a benefit provided to me by Microsoft. So, I installed and activated my free copy from the launch event and my boxed editions of Vista and Windows 7 are just sitting on the shelf waiting for another machine to install onto.

This subject is getting far too much attention. I would recommend that xolo stay on XP. Then he has none of all those "problems".

From a business standpoint, giving away windows 7 would be a brilliant PR move that MS could easily afford. Release the source code to GPL and offer jobs to those who find ways to improve it. Contribute to improving the economy instead of greedily sucking every penny of profit that can be squeezed out of this recession, and by the time windows 8 is released more people would be able to afford it... or even better, maybe someone will come up with a new OS that makes windows 7 seem like DOS by comparison.

Fantail said:

xolo: there are so many holes in your post I'm not even going to bother quoting them all. This entire thread is rediculus. And I think your trolling, that is what I think.

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I think you need to work on your spelling, that is what I think.

One question to xolo:

If you think that Windows 7 should be free because Microsoft "stole" all the stuff they have done from other people, why are you using Windows XP?

You sound much more like someone who should be using an OS created as part of a Phd. thesis, which, after 17 years, still does not understand what a normal/average user wants from his/her system.

I suggest you go back there, and stay.

[MEXICAN WAVE]T-R-O-L-L[/MEXICAN WAVE]

pillainp said:

[MEXICAN WAVE]T-R-O-L-L[/MEXICAN WAVE]

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If you guys dislike Trolls, neg-rep his post

dmex said:

If you guys dislike Trolls, neg-rep his post

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I doubt he'll lose any sleep over it .

Anyway, the thread is pointless: Microsoft sells their products and like it or not there is nothing anyone can do about it. Well, the EU took money from Microsoft, but that probably only added a bit to the price of Windows 7.