Are you going to buy Win7 at these Prices

[dmex]

If these prices are even close to what they really will be then that's a ****ing bargain considering the amount of new features and functionality included with Windows 7.

XP Professional and Vista Ultimate editions where priced around the $300 mark on their release in 2001 and 2006, so if its close to that price and considering the amount of work Microsoft has done, I would say thats a huge consolidation on Microsoft's part for pricing. I also think Microsoft will be expecting huge sales of Windows 7 after its release since it has huge popularity so I do expect the price will be lowered, also so cash-strapped economy's like Europe and America can easily purchase it.

If you had to pay $300 for Windows 7 Professional (Ultimate Edition) just after its release would you really be complaining with its performance and functionality that Microsoft has worked two years to achieve? :huh:

 

[holo88]

vista home premium (Bull S%#T Edition) is still like $150 at a lot of places.
i look t it and laugh...."i was gonna buy that s%&t?"....(inner-monologue)

 

[Night Hawk]

If these prices are even close to what they really will be then that's a ****ing bargain considering the amount of new features and functionality included with Windows 7.

XP Professional and Vista Ultimate editions where priced around the $300 mark on their release in 2001 and 2006, so if its close to that price and considering the amount of work Microsoft has done, I would say thats a huge consolidation on Microsoft's part for pricing. I also think Microsoft will be expecting huge sales of Windows 7 after its release since it has huge popularity so I do expect the price will be lowered, also so cash-strapped economy's like Europe and America can easily purchase it.

If you had to pay $300 for Windows 7 Professional (Ultimate Edition) just after its release would you really be complaining with its performance and functionality that Microsoft has worked two years to achieve? :huh:

You made a slight typo on the release date for Vista being 1/31/2007. You were likely thinking of the release of the RC1 in 9/2006.

Now as far as that article's pricing seen at the top of the thread they probably got that from the recent retail price drop by MS on Vista as seen at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

Note the term "price drop"! since each dropped about $80- between what was seen a few years ago until now in preparation for the upcoming release of 7 that will likely be priced higher! at Vista's original if not kept at Vista's current price range.

 

[ukgovsucks]

Dear oh dear, why don't these companies ever learn?

Higher prices = Sell less (obviously) and more hacks appear and get used!

Just like the Music Industry who cry about piracy. When CD's came out all those years ago, they were made very cheaply but they charged the Earth. Then when computer technology caught up so that you could make cheap copies, people who had had enough of being ripped off got there own back. MAKE THINGS CHEAPER AND STOP RIPPING OFF THE PUBLIC!

I do not condone piracy but I can certainly understand why it happens in most cases.

Comon Microsoft.

 

[poin2]

I heard that MS giving out free Win 7 if someone already bought pre-installed Vista before and after by the date of purchase.

Too late I sold my laptop with Vista in it.

The free upgrades to 7 are supposedly for new computers purchased with Vista Home Premium or above beginning June 26. If you had a laptop with Vista already on it it wouldn't qualify. It's simply to keep people buying new computers rather than stop and wait when they know the new OS is a couple months off. No one could have purchased something eligible yet.

And the original article is from Germany back in February when Microsoft was first announcing the versions there would be. How they do it for consumers on the shelves is going to be one of the last things they decide before release.

And it would also make sense for them to have far cheaper upgrade pricing, sort of the way Photoshop works. At this point enough people buy PC's with the OS on it or have things they can upgrade.

And it might even be good for the economy if they have somewhat high pricing to encourage new PC purchases to get the new OS, at least in the early months.

 

[Zagadka]

I've always partially attributed the success of Windows as the dominant platform on PCs to the ease of piracy... not dissimilar to how games like Half-Life and Tribes were (the sequels to which were much less popular in units used, especially Tribes 2 where you had to log in). Also one of the reasons Vista didn't go well - people had pirating WinXP down very well. Same with Office.

That said, Win7 is a big enough leap from XP that I'm sure either people will buy it or pirate the **** out of it (they'll find a way). I'm crazy and like buying software though.

The free upgrades to 7 are supposedly for new computers purchased with Vista Home Premium or above beginning June 26. If you had a laptop with Vista already on it it wouldn't qualify. It's simply to keep people buying new computers rather than stop and wait when they know the new OS is a couple months off. No one could have purchased something eligible yet.

I'n holding off buying a laptop until Win7-gen. Upgrades are for bitches.

 

[nate42nd]

The post 2 above is right. I got in on the Vista promo. I got an XP machine in Dec 2006 and it came with a free upgrade to Vista. You had to "jump through hoops" to get it. I did nothing but buy from Circuit City and they sent me a disk anyway. They wanted to get Vista out there. I still have the disk and have never used it. That machine had 512MB of ram. It's running Se7en today....Vista would never run on it.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi all

OF COURSE these prices are crazy -- It's actually CHEAPER now to get a cheap laptop with the OS already "Pre-installed" than to buy a brand spanking version of W7. - OK it's currently VISTA but there will be a FREE upgrade so get the Free upgrade and install on your "Real" computer.

If it checks for "Upgrade" just install the old OS on your machine and Upgrade BEFORE activating.

This HAS to be 100% crazy that it's CHEAPER to BUY a computer with the OS installed than to buy the OS separately.

Cheers

jimbo

 

[swarfega]

lol at starter price! So much for being starter. Somehow I dont believe those prices. But do remember that theyl be cheaper from online stores anyway.

 

[swarfega]

If it checks for "Upgrade" just install the old OS on your machine and Upgrade BEFORE activating.

Usually all you need to do is insert the previous version's cd in the drive and point the locator to there and it should accept it.

 

[Night Hawk]

That's what you got from buying a prebuild and never upgrading the hardware. Even with XP I boosted things up there by running 2gb to see that run a lot better! That's especially more noticible when loading a lot on. Even XP can slow right down to Vista's speed in no time once you pile things on.

 

[Zagadka]

This HAS to be 100% crazy that it's CHEAPER to BUY a computer with the OS installed than to buy the OS separately.

No, it makes sense. OEM is based on a contract between the computer manufacturer and MS... MS lowers the price of the OS to the manufacturer, in exchange, they sell 50 billion copies.

 

[jfar]

And you will also have a new laptop to play around with, that maybe you could upgrade eventually to better specs, so yes it is madness.

 

[swarfega]

Ive just emailed Brandon LeBlanc regarding this, so itl be interesting to see if I get a response.

 

[Uber Philf]

If these happen to be the prices in the end, thats going to be disappointing..

Enzo

 

[jimbo45]

No, it makes sense. OEM is based on a contract between the computer manufacturer and MS... MS lowers the price of the OS to the manufacturer, in exchange, they sell 50 billion copies.

So I can get the OS for almost nothing and "Bin" the old computer -- madness .

Actually what I'd do is install the OS to a new machine (via Upgrade) and give the laptop to charity.

It's not that difficult to get W7 (OEM) from one laptop to another as the main components such as CPU are pretty similar so you don't normally have any problem with "Re activation".

Cheers
jimbo

 

[TheMan]

I had my mind set up for bying my first OS ever, cause I was so impressed,
but if these prices sticks.... well...

I just hope it will be sold also as a "hardware-bundle" U know like in buy some sort of
hardware and get it much cheaper (dont know if its just in Denmark?!)

And yes, they should learn that by cutting of half the price (or so) would mean that MANY more would buy!

 

[saverio]

I feel that yes perhaps these figures are speculation, but also it saddens me that Microsoft still hasn't learnt from the past.

Why have all these different flavours at all?

And if you're going to price an OS why not make your 'Ultimate' at least comparable with Apple OS X for price?

The Apple Anti Vista campaign was a success that you could only dream about, look how it killed Vista stone dead - clever marketing made people say 'Vista, no way', and yet when you asked them why not more often than not they couldn't give you an answer.

The truth is that Microsoft will have to price more keenly if they actually want to sell these things. Yes, we as testers and users and developers perhaps can see the why, but when someone who is not technically minded looks to buy, they look to see how much damage it will do to their pocket first.

Also, looking at sales of PC's with Vista included, lets face it, nobody touched the basic version with a bargepole, it was either home premium, business or ultimate.

To this effect, why are Microsoft not looking to a single copy of 7 with all functionality therin and perhaps lets the user select which version or functions thereof they want to install at that stage?

Surely this must/would be a more cost effective solution from a production point of view, only one cover/box design, only one type of media to inventorise?

Perhaps on installation it could prompt something like:

Basic Installation: Simplest System (OS / wireless/bluetooth/network functionality ; does not include installed Aero effects or advanced networking Apps etc. ) ideal for netbook or low end laptop or home system where only requirement is email & web

Standard Installation: Full System installation without Advanced 'coporate features'
ideal for all users who do not require *whatever makes enterprise deployment necessary or such like*

Enterprise Installation: Full system installation ; does not include *or alternatively the most customisable so that system admins can choose what components are allowed / blocked disabled etc, thereby giving them the full control they crave*

Ultimate Installation: Everything / lock / stock and both smoking barrells.

or perhaps just have basic installation or full installation or selectable blocks (not too comlicated) such as:
games
Utilities (paint / snipping tool / sticky notes)
Media (WMC, live et al)
Wireless (wifi / Bluetooth / IR etc.)
Aero effects and Widgets
Networking Basic/advanced (home or soho needs like ethernet / advanced enterprise level networking features)

I don't know, i'm just throwing ideas around here

Price it to match OS X and you have the rug from out of Apple's feet in one fell swoop. (not that this is an anti Apple thing, as I love apple I really do and i've seen them become the success they are through some very clever marketing

lets take the I'm a Mac vs Microsoft's I'm a PC campaign, the MS fightback was too little, too late, but it missed the point- lots of people telling you they were a PC was not what the Apple ads were about, they were successfull because everyone knew that apple made computers, but the ads told everyone what they did, and how they did it differently to windows - they informed and educated (to apple's way of thinking) - 'Hi PC, you're having problems x,y,z... On the mac it's done like this...easy').

In this way like OS X, all the features are there, but it's the user who decides what they want, microsoft charge one price, and this takes out the indecision of what is the best version for the user.

MS already know which functionality sets are used by each demographic, such as most home users will never need the advanced networking which a system administrator will need access to, enterprise admins, would probably love to have multimedia apps and games removed from users machines etc.

I know that there is the school of thought that says why pay for what I don't use, but if you then need it, why have to pay again for what you do have, because it includes what you don't have?

I'd be happy to buy Windows7, not basic, not ultimate, not enterprise, not whistle onlyon the night of a fullmoon but only where it falls on a tuesday edition.

I just want to buy Windows7, and I want the advertisments selling it to me by telling me why it's so good.

I'm a PC

And I'm a Mac.

Mac: Hey PC, why you looking so happy?

PC: I'm running on windows 7

Mac: Which version, basic, ultimate, pistaccio? bet it was expensive right?

PC: no, Just 7, and it costs the same as OS X

Mac: Yea, but like vista nothing works, and it's going to crash all the time, Oh and lets not mention the system requirements!

PC: Nah, we let millions the public download it for free to test it for us on all their different systems and requirements, and they told us what worked and what didn't, good bad etc.

Mac: You lost weight PC?

PC: yea, 7 runs easy on a netbook as well so i'm a lot slimmer now.

Mac: PC... is that my designer roll neck you're wearing....

 

[SIW2]

You wouldn't expect 7 be be significantly less than Vista was a few years ago.

Very few people buy the Full Retail product. Mostly it is oem pre installs, then Upgrade discs, then System Builder, and finally a small number at Full Retail price.

My guess is the big push will be for people to "upgrade " from XP and Vista.

You can expect keen pricing on upgrade discs.

There would have to be - if upgrade disc for 7 Pro was half the Retail price - say, $150 - there won't be too many takers.

If M$ want people to upgrade , they need to price that very low.

 

[dmex]

I feel that yes perhaps these figures are speculation, but also it saddens me that Microsoft still hasn't learnt from the past.

Why have all these different flavours at all?

I know there was many people very angry about that decision to make multiple versions, including me

The Apple Anti Vista campaign was a success that you could only dream about, look how it killed Vista stone dead - clever marketing made people say 'Vista, no way', and yet when you asked them why not more often than not they couldn't give you an answer.

Microsoft sent me a Vista Advisor t-shirt some months ago, I used it twice and the amount of bull**** I heard coming from completely random people who would stop me while walking down the street was enough to make me burn it. Not out of spite for Microsoft or Vista, just from pure anger about the amount of mis-information poeple believe

Also, looking at sales of PC's with Vista included, lets face it, nobody touched the basic version with a bargepole, it was either home premium, business or ultimate.

To this effect, why are Microsoft not looking to a single copy of 7 with all functionality therin and perhaps lets the user select which version or functions thereof they want to install at that stage?

Surely this must/would be a more cost effective solution from a production point of view, only one cover/box design, only one type of media to inventorise?

Microsoft already do that to some extent, If you dont enter your cdkey during setup you are presented with a menu listing every edition of Vista or Win7 and you are able to select any edition to install from that menu. I think they keep the retail boxing different as to not confuse people about what they are buying and it also helps if they want to upgrade their edition later because they can continue to use the same media they originally purchased

Price it to match OS X and you have the rug from out of Apple's feet in one fell swoop. (not that this is an anti Apple thing, as I love apple I really do and i've seen them become the success they are through some very clever marketing

lets take the I'm a Mac vs Microsoft's I'm a PC campaign, the MS fightback was too little, too late, but it missed the point- lots of people telling you they were a PC was not what the Apple ads were about, they were successfull because everyone knew that apple made computers, but the ads told everyone what they did, and how they did it differently to windows - they informed and educated (to apple's way of thinking) - 'Hi PC, you're having problems x,y,z... On the mac it's done like this...easy').

The I'm a PC campaign was a direct result of the Apple adverts, I think Microsoft's intention was to take the entire force out of Apple's adverts by encouraging people to admit "Im a PC" like that doocie does in the Adverts.

Their latest two adverts didnt bother attacking Vista and I doubt they can continue to keep doing that much longer, If they do then its going to hurt them bad :sarc:

I just want to buy Windows7, and I want the advertisments selling it to me by telling me why it's so good.

I'm a PC

And I'm a Mac.

Mac: Hey PC, why you looking so happy?

PC: I'm running on windows 7

Mac: Which version, basic, ultimate, pistaccio? bet it was expensive right?

PC: no, Just 7, and it costs the same as OS X

Mac: Yea, but like vista nothing works, and it's going to crash all the time, Oh and lets not mention the system requirements!

PC: Nah, we let millions the public download it for free to test it for us on all their different systems and requirements, and they told us what worked and what didn't, good bad etc.

Mac: You lost weight PC?

PC: yea, 7 runs easy on a netbook as well so i'm a lot slimmer now.

Mac: PC... is that my designer roll neck you're wearing....

Yeah I hope they can up with some better adverts too

At least you can upgrade your OS to Windows 7, If you used a Mac you would need to buy a completely new machine just for an OS upgrade. Thats just sad and probably why theres a global credit crisis considering the price of one Mac let alone a few thousand