Windows 7’s Price May Be A Barrier For Adoption

@harryhoody:

Microsoft obviously feels that they can make more profit by not following this method. And we, the consumers, are going to pay whatever the cost of Win7, the economic crisis notwithstanding. This is what happens when one company controls over 95% of one industry.

Webran61

@Randy Bryan: I didn't like the last car I bought, I think the dealership should give me a new one for free.

jeremy_mccurdy

@[blogs.zdnet.com])

But, "most people" view Windows software like the engine in their car. You typically don't replace it until you buy a new machine.

And like cars, people hold on to their old clunkers in tight economic situations.

dagwud

Vista raped my mother and killed my father. I demand retribution!!!
Or at least a discount on windows 7

David Millar-Durrant

@Niscrome: what I meant to say: buy a new computer 30 days upon the release of win7 and the upgrade should be free

Niscrome

@scojac: Not going to upgrade soon, anyway...

@Munkii: Wow, I don't know most people then. I don't know one person that has downloaded a cracked version of Windows. I certainly didn't - I actually bought XP (and don't plan on 'upgrading' to Windows 7).

Not trying to harsh your mellow Munkii. :)

(It's wrongly. I don't care if it's an exorbitant price. It's still illegal. And there are other options. If OS X isn't your cup of tea, go for a Linux distro. The Linux community has made leaps and bounds on that platform.)

Just a new computer 30 days for it is released. I believe the upgrade should be free.

Niscrome

Windows 7 is a great OS. Vista is the most hated OS on the planet, right up there with the awe-sucking Windows ME. Vista users should get a free, goodwill upgrade to Win7. I know, it will never happen, but that's what I think...

Randy Bryan

@Kashell: No, but personally I build my own computer and stick with Windows since I have no problems with my windows that would be solved with another operating system.

Ok. I like Windows 7, and it's a huge improvement over my old Vista Pro install... but I'm not going to shell out much hard-earned cash for something I don't need. If I can't get it for the price of a dozen beer, I'll set up Ubuntu again. Plain and simple.

@lhfan04:
Guys, rightly or wrongly, most people don't pay for their copy of Windows. They simply download a cracked version, or get it from a geeky friend. The main reason Linux hasn't taken off as much as it could have is that in their minds people are comparing free unknown Linux to free known Windows.

People will continue to pirate this version of windows just like they have for all the others. (This coming from a guy who shelled out for Vista Ultimate >.<)

@lhfan04: System builders' license for the win.

@[www.urbandictionary.com]

If you have to buy a new computer to get it, then it isn't "Free."

TheFu

@Vin050:
The people doing the work don't get a fair share of the money. The people who market, manage, etc take huge sums of money for little effort and leave the programmers/artists/etc with only a small percentage.

@harryhoody: Uh ... FREE after all the sh$t I had to deal with under Vista.

TheFu

@Chris Memering: That must be one Sticky Circle

madjack1987

@MuglyTheWorm:
Did you even try Win7 yet? It isn't all just eye candy... Significantly faster boot times, better battery management, etc.

DUMB QUESTION...

The Win7RC will shut down every 2 hours beginning next spring, then will be altogether dead in June.

Why not just reset your system clock so your computer thinks it's still 2009?

Granted it might be inconvenient and screw with your calendars. Maybe someone can make a registry hack so that the place Win7 goes to look up whether it should self-destruct just gives it a false date?

AICMFP!

@Gyroscope352: We get Windows for free at college for personal use with MSDN Alliance. Official Microsoft with unique keys.

TheMadMidget

@fate47 shops smart, shops S-Mart: People here make more and are thus able to pay more to buy movies. However, if you use redbox you can get a movie for a dollar a night (and rip it) if you want.

Microsoft doesn't do it because they don't care about satisfying their customers, they just care about making money. They only satisfy their customers when it is profitable to them. If it were to be profitable to them they would do it. Every company would be complete shit to their costumers if it did not effect their profits, especially MS.

cs_student

@aestheticirony: Ah, yet another casualty of the system built to "protect our intellectual property".

You're a dirty thief, aestheticirony. How DARE you *only* pay for Windows XP two times?! That is insufficient!

Steve Ballmer will cry himself to sleep in the barn tonight thanks to you.

@pvtryan2: I'm typically at odds with corporate apologists like yourself, but I'm afraid you have a point. With the exception of a slight dose of missing something.

Linux is not "far behind" Windows. Linux is different from Windows. All technology either excels or suffers from the principle of widespread adoption, which Linux does not have. As it gains more users, support will rise. But aside from the lack of available software, I'd argue that several distributions of Linux are more than capable of handling a public that wants to try something that doesn't cost $300....

...When they're willing to suffer the learning curve. And that's where I agree with you. To a certain extent, people don't yet find the frustration worth it. But as prices go up, and frustrations rise, I think Linux adoption can only go up.

Not to mention, between Vista's many UI changes (which gave Windows users the new learning curve anyway), and the rise of the internet generation who're more comfortable with new tech....well, the doors only keep opening.

As a whole, the consumers aren't voting with their wallet yet...but Linux is slowly creeping in. That's been their strategy the whole time, anyways. Slow and steady.

@OCEntertainment:

your right... people dont deserve money for their work

Vin050

@Bodybybuddha:> "$50 in a night? good for you. For the 10% of us out of work, $200 for OS is a big deal"

Ok... lemme put it another way... that's $4 a month.

The point is... you don't have to buy it. XP still works, so will Vista. Windows 7 is coming... there's no stopping it. If you want to use it, you'll have to pay for it.

Enjoy XP for the rest of your life, or have fun with Linux.

Or, collect 16 quarters a month and save up for Windows 7.

I'm not being snarky... it just sounds like because people are out of work, Microsoft should lower their prices. We'd all like software to be cheaper... but that's not gonna happen.

@tobz1000: Yes I agree, all Vista purchasers should get the Windows 7 equivalent for free.

hyperhead

I love Windows 7, but I'm not sure I'd spend more than $150 for it. In all honesty, I'll probably pirate it until it comes down in price and I can get a legit copy. Not necessarily because I think it isn't worth more than a copy of Vista, but because I really don't have that kind of money to throw around.

jeremy_mccurdy

Thats ok Karmic Koala will be ready by the holidays. I think I'll shell out the extra $0.00 dollars (0.00 Euros) for the upgrade!

cs_student

@YourTechSupport: +1. Or 10.

tobz1000

@Chris Memering: "You dont think high software costs can be partly due to them making up for what the pirated copies wont?"

Yeah, I see what you mean. I mean, a guy I know was looking to get a copy of the Win7 RC, and so I told him I'd give him a copy. It cost me a hundred dollars to give him the-...no. No, wait. That's right. Making that copy was free.

"Also, they have to shell out more money to try and thwart piracy"

No, they don't.

Microsoft is and remains the biggest software company in the world, their CEOs with gigantic bank accounts, their founder the richest man on earth (at least formerly), and you expect me to believe that they're not padding the cost of software? You expect me to believe that their budgets are so tight that if they don't continue to lock down their software and spend million in "public education campaigns", that they're gonna go under? You're sadly mistaken, sir.

The war on piracy is not about economics. Not in the least bit.

Seriously? After Vista I want this for free.

tobz1000

Steve Ballmer's mantra has always been that Microsoft undercharged for the OS. So ever since he took over the CEO position, he's been raising prices for the OS, on the idea that people ought to pay more for increased reliability, functionality, or whatever.

Of course the counterargument is that the rest of the computer has gotten faster, more reliable and more functional over the years too, yet has gotten a lot cheaper. I paid $200 for my 75 MHz Pentium CPU, yet today I can get something in the 2 GHz range for $50 or less. In 1995, it was difficult to find a computer for less than $1,000. Today's entry-level computers sell for around $400. In both cases, $100-$150 of that price was for the Windows license. So Microsoft was getting 10-15% of the purchase price in 1995, and 25-33% of it now.

Personally, I still haven't seen anything that Windows 7 gets me that I can't already get from XP. Maybe in a couple of years, 64-bit capability can seal the deal. But I'm not going to be waiting in line later this year to buy it.

The problem with Microsoft is that vast amounts of people are going to be buying this product by default anyways. They are printing money.

postretro

@Michael Scrip: $50 in a night? good for you. For the 10% of us out of work, $200 for OS is a big deal -- fortunately there are choices out there.

In addition, you're right, most people won't know what it costs b/c of massive licensing agreements for new machines. Hopefully someday, people will become a little more savvy with computers and understand they have choices.

The number one thing that will bring down the price of Windows7 is NOT a consumer boycott or very slow sales (it just won't happen). It's Open Office (somehow) releasing a version with bullet-proof compatibility with Office. That would open the door for many business users to ditch Windows + Office for Linux + Open Office.

People can run OO on Windows, but they can't run Office on Linux. Give them a solid Office replacement on Linux and watch them sprint for the exits.

LouGrinzo

@MassiveFailure:

EXACTLY. Joe Computer doesn't want to install *anything* if possible. People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars rather than install Ubuntu or Windows 7.

The only price that matters is the price difference between buying a Ubuntu PC and a Windows PC from a distributor. Right now (for vista), that difference is about $70.

Would you be willing to pay $70 more for something you're familiar with?

Kashell

@Sean Masters: Oops, note that's "2 DVDs at a time"... but I go through movies pretty fast ;)

Sean Masters

@Hi Fustch: Nice. I haven't been paying enough attention to that. Then again, I'm always stuck a release or two behind because of strange hardware issues.

Andrew Mussey

Windows 7 could cost $399 and I would still pick it up without question. Why? I will probably be using this OS every day (even if only for a couple of minutes) for 3 years. That's $0.364 per day, or two-and-a-half songs from iTunes per week. One movie ticket per month. Cheaper than an annual 2-DVD-a-week Netflix plan.

It's a friggin' no-brainer.

Sean Masters

Well. Let's go over why we'd pay it.
1. Windows Just Works 99% Of The Time, we're comfortably familiar with it.
2. It's supposed to be better than Vista, at least, one can pray, be less of a complete launch disaster.
3. Everything that matters, works with it.

Why we wont:
1. We feel you owe us for the reaming you gave us w/ Vista.
2. XP still works juussst fine. And you can't let go of XP yet because if you do, Linux will tread all over the netbook market, which almost happened before you started selling XP for peanuts. It's not going anywhere soon.
3. WTF!?! You want HOW MUCH!?!
4. Starter Edition will have it's '3 app limit' cracked before launch, or shortly after launch.
5. Oh right, piracy's a bitch.

Unless you feel you need customer support, going with the OEM version of any Windows release has always been much more economical than buying a retail version. NewEgg.com has always done right by me.

copperhead1979

Here's to OEM editions. 'Bout $100 lower price point for the same thing.

wox42

Anybody who hasn't tried the Windows 7 won't appreciate how great it is, I installed it on a laptop that came pre-loaded with Vista Basic, and Windows 7 with Aero is faster than Vista Basic without, and is a great OS to use. Vista was ok, good interface upgrades but sluggish, and Windows 7 is what Vista should have been -- and then some! I'm looking forward to the upcoming era of Windows 7 pc's, especially netbooks

Charles

I would guess that the extensive staffing of MBA's fresh from B School have it all organized at MSFT. I think they will enter the market at a slightly higher than expected price to drive some sales towards the OEM market (for consumers), then after a couple of months they will offer some deals and rebates to get the price down for people upgrading.

I don't think the "retail box" is the big market for MSFT (initially), I think their initial big push will be to get all the businesses on XP and IE 6 to push to Win 7... Because it can run on a machine a few years old it is much more attractive to a company than Vista is.

Personally I like Vista (I have a fairly recent XPS box), but I feel a little like I did when I had Windows ME back in the day...Vista is not nearly as bad as Windows ME, but I get the feeling from the reviews that 7 is to Vista what XP was to ME, in that both Vista and ME were/are both just fillers to carry over some OEM sales until the better version comes out.

My guess is that it will come in at 149, or 199...probably the latter.

i wonder if Win7 will be available in MSDNA for free download as Vista and XP?

didytz

@[cnettv.cnet.com]).

Why doesn't Microsoft and co. do that here with software?
Why doesn't Hollywood do that here? Everyone knows that piracy is bad here, yet they don't try to compete, they just try to squash it. Piracy will be around for as long as there's something to pirate.

fate47 shops smart, shops S-Mart

@reluttr: yeah, I really don't think many people are going to be upgrading to windows 7. Everyone is cutting spending, so upgrading their OS is probably the absolute last thing they are going to do. Businesses are not going to want to adopt it because it costs money, it's early release software, and it costs even more money to have an IT team implement it and re-train everyone.

a vista home premium oem @ $99 cleaned up with vlite. that's my windows7. other than a couple of visual differences, windows7 isn't offering anything that will make me switch.

Most people get windows because it comes with their PC. I am pretty sure that's how most people will upgrade.

MassiveFailure

@Michael Scrip: Agreed 100%. Even at $300, even at $400, this is something you will use probably 5-7 days a week, every week of the year, for 3-4 years and maybe even longer. You don't get that kind of deal from most anything these days.

Sean Masters

@DJ Bushido: You dont think high software costs can be partly due to them making up for what the pirated copies wont? Also, they have to shell out more money to try and thwart piracy, thus making prices higher. Sadly, its a viscous circle. If the software is worth it, I will buy it, otherwise, its looking for a similar free or open-source version

Chris Memering

@DJ Bushido:
DJ Bushido

I agree!! Windows Vista is still being sold in the retail sector. What about those customers? Microsoft is selling an Operating System that will be obsolete in a few years.
$300 for Windows Vista - Ultimate.

Yes, maybe consumers should do more research and know Windows 7 will be released this Fall, but at the same time Microsoft is doing nothing for their customers.

pvtryan2

@sapguy: Yup, MS is the supply side, hence it can price products in excess of standard price equilibrium. More the duty of the government to protect the market from such monopolies, not the customer's.

MS does give good prices on student versions.

@pvtryan2: You should probably prove that MS is purposefully overcharging for its products.

You should also probably swing by Redmond some time, to see just how much overhead it takes to build an OS like Windows. ;)

Sean Masters

Looks like I have until next March to save for a Macbook or iMac then, because paying for vista twice is out of the question. I am really looking forward to owning a MAC anyways. I'll figure out a way to get Win7 on my AMD based laptop. Then move most of my work to the new Apple machine I plan to buy and say goodbye to M$ forever!

Brian Jarvis

Yes, $300 is nothing compared to the quality and convenience of working with Windows. If one calculates all of the wonderful and genuine freeware that is created and provided by the community, $300 really becomes an insignificant amount.

rainbowsky

@MkFly: Considering I actually bought XP after I lost my backup OS disk, and then lost the new one, I was NOT going to pay it again. It was a little sad how easy it was to pirate.

Meanwhile, I don't consider that a crime. I had already paid twice for it =/

@harryhoody: SERIOUSLY. Same with Snow Leopard...I feel ripped off. At least I don't really have to pay for Windows. College FTW (We get Windows for $15 at UMich). And Windows 7 comes out just a few months before I graduate...perfect.

Thank god for MSDN access!

ReneeDeipyle

@harryhoody: I don't know about low-cost, but I think there should be some concession for those of us who put our faith in Microsoft and dropped a couple bones on genuine honest-to-god Vista Ultimate.

If I can get genuine honest-to-god Windows 7 Ultimate for $100-150 on top of my Vista install, I'll do it with a smile. If not, I'll probably do it anyway. With a frown.

$200 for an OS isn't a big deal. It's something you use every day... and you'll probably keep that computer for 4 years. That's $50 a year. I can spend $50 at the bar in one night.

Most people won't even know how much Windows 7 really costs... because it will come on their new Dell or HP.

It's a non-issue.

@sapguy:
sapguy

I agree with you. The invisible hand plays a major role. However at the same time Windows is the only O.S. on PCs. Once Windows 7 is released it will be on every new PC just as Vista was. Consumers will have no choice.

pvtryan2

@Chris Memering: there's only one way piracy will go away..

-software becomes reasonably priced
-purchasing and installing/using becomes EASIER than pirating
-purchasing guarantees reasonable free upgrade-time (3 years?) or cheap upgrades for major releases

because right now, piracy wins on all fronts.. cheap (free), easy, and indefinite free upgrades.

@lhfan04: seriously, especially since you can only use it on ONE pc... It would be one thing if M$ let you install it on 2-5 pc's but instead they try to milk you for extra money.

Like I am going to shell out 200$ for home basic on my home pc, then again on my netbook, then again for my office pc.

reluttr

@sapguy:
The competition is simply hanging onto their current OS. If nobody bought a copy of W7 for 1 week after release, I bet Microsoft would cave like a sandcastle in high tide.

ericesque

@mike_311: I like my linux media, backup, storage, server pc... so I don´t plan on buying windows at all.

I liked windows 7... as a free updrage for vista owners. I'm pretty happy with unix and linux.

@Chris Memering: The DRM bull is another reason for piracy...

Think of it this way, if the customer cant afford it then they wasn't going to buy it anyways, and if the customer cant easily use the software or be guaranteed to get to use what they bought then they WONT buy it.

reluttr

@Hi Fustch:
I'm definitely looking out for it.
If Microsoft wants to charge that much, I say to hell with them. They're not that good.

Karakawe

@pvtryan2: Perhaps you're missing one part of that supply and demand theory. MS can charge what they want because there IS no competing product (your assertion not mine). If they charged $500 for it, I think you'd see better competing products. It's not necessary for consumers to "get in their face", it's sufficient for consumers to vote with their money.

If the market goes where I expect it, then I don't think you need to worry about MS screwing everyone... nobody is going to be buying a new OS when the one they have works.

sapguy

i like vista for my media pc, so i don't plan to upgrade if the price is wrong.

mike_311

"we just can't imagine Microsoft would be so bold"

What is this, April 1?

Brendt Waters

That's why I am more excited for Fedora 11.

7 days baby!

Hi Fustch

It won't make a difference. Most people will buy a new computer with Win7 on it, or they'll wait until they HAVE to buy a new computer and get it for free.

@Matt Vine: Excellent

whiteflea

I'm excited for Windows 7, and I of course want Ultimate, but paying over $300 is out of the question. I'll either settle for a less version, or *gasp* pirate it.

But I'm sure Microsoft will have some uberl33t anti-piracy measure put into place, just like they did with XP and Vista ... oh wait.

MkFly

Everything works by supply and demand. Consumers can play their role in the market if they would just speak up.

I'm sure if Windows 7 does end up costing consumers more (as this article suggests) then more people will find ways around paying for the upgrade.

As a student I am appalled to see how Microsoft purposely over-charges for their product. There are no competing product. Apple has no intention of releasing their O.S. for regular PCs. Linux is still far behind Windows. Microsoft has no competition. Which means they can charge whatever they want until consumers get in their face and complain.

pvtryan2

1. Give Windows 7 (patchable Ultimate RC) out for free until it starts nagging next March
2. Over the course of the year adopters install their life on their Windows 7 RC machine
3. March 2010 - decision time - pay for it or downgrade lose dependent software functionality.
4. Profit

Microsoft is a tribe of successful underpants gnomes.

Matt Vine

This may or may not be a factor. There are probably many people out there who were holdin' over with their XP machines until Vista passed away. Simply buying a new computer with Windows 7 on it would allow them to adopt the new OS. But for current Vista users, paying over $150 for what really is Vista 2.0 might not pass.

Here's hoping Snow Leopard remains at $130...or less.

@DJ Bushido: You dont, but everybody else has to suffer from all of the DRM and restrictions that pirates brought about. Get a job

Chris Memering

well good thing i never pay for anything on the internet.

Dear Microsoft. Windows 7 should be a low-cost upgrade from Vista.

Thank you,

harryhoody

This is why I will be waiting for when they will put Windows 7 in the Ultimate Steal lineup. No way in hell am I paying Over $150.

lhfan04

@shamalama:
That and with the economy, most people won't upgrade until their computer breaks, after that, for the most part, it could be far cheaper just upgrading the current computer the user has when it gets too old and/or something goes wrong. and with XP still a major OS, I don't see it "getting old" as a problem anytime soon.
by that time, microsoft may offer incentitives to upgrade, or make licenses more useful.

atomic1fire

@pvtryan2: "Linux is still far behind Windows"?
False.

Distros like Ubuntu and SuSE have been making linux more popular than ever, and the FOSS communities have been publishing innovative software that was later copied (or has yet to be copied) by Mac or Microsoft. Just look at the compizfusion effects that are standard on any install of ubuntu - Microsoft implemented that in vista, but compiz had been around for years before then, and still did it with a smaller footprint and better graphics performance.

I would credit the low market share of linux distros to two factors: PC or Mac-only software (photoshop, digital performer, protools, maya, etc.), and the unavailability of machines packaged with linux pre-loaded. Ubuntu is just as easy to use as OSX for people that care about stuff like that, more stable than windows, has a good release schedule, is virus and malware resistant, and above all is free.

I use both winxp and various linux distributions, and most of the time I'm using linux, unless I have to do photo editing or I'm playing with windows 7.

Thomas Lawn

If it's too expensive, then as soon as the RC version nags start next year, I'll install Ubuntu and call it a day.

jhendrix84

@cryptowiz: Because you also bought your computer from Apple.

jeremy_mccurdy

@paintbox: "MS is an evil corporate monopoly and the government should step in"

Yes, they are. And yes, they should. But I would modify your quote. Before the class action suit filed in 1998 [en.wikipedia.org] Microsoft could be called evil. But since then, I would say it is the government that deserves that name more. At least the EU is doing something about their long-standing anti-competitive behavior, their's and Intel's. Frankly, I don't understand your attitude. As a consumer of Microsoft products, you stand to gain by a more level, competitive, market.

penguiniator

@paintbox: with money, that is. Ar ar!

paintbox

My my. So this is where a bunch of the nix and Mac crowd hang out. :) If you can't bash MS on quality, you go for price instead. And I'll bet some of you have been using the RC and giving it glowing praise........ that is, until you read this article. Then it's back to... "MS is an evil corporate monopoly and the government should step in and I'm going to torrent it anyway" and "get a Mac" and "Linux is free" etc etc.

Granted, right now I don't have $300 to spare. Not even $150. But if the time comes that I want to switch from XP, it will be to 7, and I will pay for it.

paintbox

@[gizmodo.com] We also know that Win7 will cost more. Something to think about, I guess.

fate47 shops smart, shops S-Mart

@reluttr: You lost me at M$. That's the tip-off that your opinion is suspect. It's laced with hate. Also, with Windows, namely with Win7, you're getting quality which is worth paying for. You bash MS around yet you'll be one of the first to try grab a torrent of something pirated. For shame.

paintbox

@virgilstar: yes, i have one computer with windows7, one with vista ultimate, and one with vista home premium cleaned out with vlite. i reboot maybe once a month and none of my desktops use batteries. windows7 seems to work fine on an old dell 600m laptop but there's no graphics to it. i would use it if i bought a new computer with it preinstalled, but seeing how i build my own it's not likely. the only real difference i've noticed is file transfers in windows7 are extremely fast.
i'm not bad mouthing windows7 at all, it's freaking great. possibly one of the best OS i've tried.

@Matt Vine:

Or... Just pirate it. :S

people just buy pc's with no OS installed! Windows 7 will be readily available via your favorite torrent site...

drnimrod

From the comments it's easy to see that current Windows users will stick with it one way or the other. Some will convince themselves they are getting a good deal. Some will bitch about being ripped off, but will pay anyway. Others will pirate it.

Microsoft will tout Windows 7 as the most secure Windows ever and will tell the world its vast innovations will make them more productive. Meanwhile, users will justify purchasing additional software just to make sure their brand new operating system functions properly and will think this is normal. And in many cases, they will also justify buying an entirely new machine just to give Windows 7 enough room to breathe.

When enough users have switched to Windows 7, Microsoft will release a new version of Office that requires Windows 7 to run, and give it a default file format that is incompatible with previous versions. Microsoft will claim that the new format is necessary to support new features and that the new version will make users more productive than ever. Office users will rationalize that they need the new version to get their work done and will pay more money for an upgrade. In many cases, this will require a hardware upgrade as well, and some users will justify the purchase of an entirely new machine.

Meanwhile, Microsoft will be talking about the next version of Windows and how much better it will be than Windows 7. And users will still have to purchase additional software just to make sure Windows runs as advertised and purchase upgraded hardware to run it.

penguiniator

@Michael Scrip: "If you want to use it, you'll have to pay for it."

Hi, welcome to the internet.

dnRoyston

@pvtryan2: I wouldn't really consider Linux in the running for software "money" giant... seeing as most of the distros are free

Toxsyn

@Munkii:

Disagree most people got windows with their pc purchase...

mricyfire

@dagwud: uh, that's because they have a WGA crack installed. And yes, I've TRIED that and it PASSES validation. I'm not running an illegal copy, but I've tried it. Most people are running illegal copies in India.

ssj4Gogeta

@Matt Vine: I was thinking the same thing while I was installing the RC. But, all in all it only took me about a day to get everything backed up, install Win 7, copy my files back and reinstall my most-needed software, so if the price is too ridiculous, I'll just repeat the same process and reinstall Vista.

Vista works fine for me on my game only machine right now (I use a mac for anything else). So I certainly dont have to upgrade.

Turael

@LouGrinzo: How do I install programs on Linux?

gauden44

@guardianfox: No kidding. I'm a software developer and getting paid less than a lot of waitstaff in my area. Sigh.

n3rv19

@TheFu: Ok, so it costs ~$10.

gauden44

I should at least get a $100 coupon to cover the extra ram I had to buy to get my "Vista Capable" laptop to run at all.

Honestly if the upgrade is any more than $100 for those of us that bought Vista, I think Microsoft will have made a massive PR mistake on par with the Xbox 360 red rings of death. I personally will go 100% Ubuntu (already there for personal computing) and use all of the time I DON'T spend staring at my screen waiting for Windows to load to write Adobe requesting they port CS4 to Linux -- which is really the only Windows-Only program I've got left (I prefer the options of PC Hardware and don't want a Mac).

Good MS Office alternatives coming out of my ears these days and I don't think very many people would argue that Ubuntu wasn't a mature Desktop OS when 8.04 came out.

For those of us with multiple PC's at home the cost of an upgrade is way too much. Why is this when I can buy a five user OS X pack at a decent price from Apple for my multiple Macs?

cryptowiz

Interesting, as 7 has been stripped of some useful things that were in Vista (still angry about Windows' native picture-editing tools such as fast cropping being axed)

The Bigger Unit

Meh. OEM pricing will be better, and that's what I'll go with.

Seriously though - who didn't see this coming? Microsoft previews an OS to rave reviews, people start adopting the betas and RCs as their main operating systems, and profess their love for the operating systems from the rooftops.

You think Microsoft is NOT going to cash out all that hype and popularity? Seriously? I saw this coming a mile away - and will likely wind up buying it anyway, it's just that good.

I think it is a dumb idea. Lets say Windows 7 is affordable. That means many people will buy it. Good for Microsoft. But if 7 is too expensive, seriously, Vista wasn't that bad, XP still runs and there's this thing called "The Internet". I can imagine that quite a few people who would have bought 7 will just download it.

AngeloHalomitosis

Yeah the Mac folk would rather pay $300 for a 500 tb drive. (snort!) And MS doesn't hassle you for upgrade money with near the frequency of $pple.

cliffordthered

I resuscitated a Pentium 4, loaded it up with Win 7 RC and OMG, it runs like a champion. That P4 was choking on XP which simply degrades like crazy and was due for yet another reinstall. So I figured, why go through that pain again, I'll try Win 7. It is utterly fantastic and the RC version is more stable than XP ever was. In addition, the little touches like desktops are a major step up, even from Vista Ultimate. Just overall an excellent experience.

cliffordthered

@OCEntertainment: lol =D

@paintbox: So you'll be happily shelling out $200 for Windows 7, I presume? xD

thank god for torrents

kenboy127

@penguiniator: This is how I see it. People are fine with Win7, so long as no mention is made of the price MS will charge eventually. As soon as that info comes out, or even rumors of it, out come the haters, which include some who've been using and praising the OS thus far. There is a kind of hypocrisy in that. I wish it wouldn't have cropped up in LIfehacker after everything good that's been written already about Win7. I expect this from Slashdot or maybe Digg.... would like to see LH move beyond it.

paintbox

@Vin050: if you are talking about Microsoft, you think the software can have such different pricing? from $89 for Starter to $400 for Ultimate. If they were worried about their employees' payment they would have just just one price to they could "get back" their investment.

The problem is that you are talking about Microsoft who was been found guilty of monopolistic practices every other year. They aren't just about money, but making sure they get all the money possible.

ridgecity

@Chris Memering: no. The high price is to get every penny anyone can afford. Microsoft has such high prices because they have a monopoly. Apple has such prices because they have a monopoly. Adobe has high prices because they "kind of" have a monopoly. Sony has such high prices because they are just plain crazy.

ridgecity

@OCEntertainment: I think you might have hit on the problem there, when you mention a strategy. Linux by it's nature has no unified strategy, and that's been what made it different and perfect for tech types, but also what slows it's adoption by your average grandmother.

@Matt Vine: I thought of the same thing this morning.... But, I am on about 15 minutes in the morning and then shut down and I am on about 2 hours in the evening and then shut down. I think I can live with automatic shut downs every 2 hours - at least for a while.

rausch713

I think you have to recognize that "most people" in one place are not "most people" in another. In Pakistan, it is actually difficult to get a legal copy of Windows. Computers come pre-installed with pirated operating systems. The vast majority of users here aren't savvy enough to even know. So, if Windows 7 is really that expensive, the majority of people here will have it on their computers anyway. Very few of those people will be using legal copies.

For myself, it will make my switch to Ubuntu permanent. :)

NEVER going to upgrade from XP, since I barely use it nowadays anyway. Good riddance.

nortexoid

I shelled out $1700 for an HP DV9000 that had Vista on it which ultimately persuaded me to try out Mac and Linux. I finally was able to work on it a year later when I got Ubuntu installed. I've been doing everything I need to do without Windows for a while now.

I strongly feel that this could be a big turning point for MS & Windows. If they do what's right and offer it as a free upgrade, they could potentially get customers like me back, I think they might be able to turn it around. If they don't though, I don't know about their future.

I'll try 7 if it's a free upgrade to Vista. Otherwise, I've flawlessly functioning OS.

fusion27

@gronne: I paid $90 for the intentionally broken vista, so $10 dollars is about my upgrade threshold.

orlo

@DJ Bushido: I like not paying for stuff just as much as the next guy, but I understand why some software is really expensive. Say what you will about Microsoft, they still hire top shelf programmers. And think of all the man power at high salaries that goes into a product like the next version of Windows.

People who set prices aren't idiots. Prices are planned around how they can make the most money. I would much rather the prices be set for my convenience, but such is the nature of business.

When the OS costs more than the hardware on which you're running it, then maybe it's time for you to look for a new OS. Frankly, I don't "use" the OS; I use the applications that I run on it (#1 of which is Firefox). Fine, there may be numerous apps for Windows that "you just can't do without", but for many/most of them there are equivalent apps for other OSs, especially, and specifically, for Linux. Tired of M$? Try upgrading to Ubuntu or some other Linux with a "coherent" market push behind it. :D If you spend more tine in your browser than anywhere else, then you won't notice much of a difference.

GlennA

@Bodybybuddha: If you're out of work, what are you doing looking to buy a new PC or new version of Windows? Surely you can survive with XP or Vista (or even linux!) until you actually have steady income. If you're looking to buy a new PC, it sounds like it's time to welcome you to netbook-land...

planetarian

@Karakawe: In my case, I'll be paying OEM pricing -- Retail pricing is designed to discourage people from installing it themselves, while those of us in the know buy OEM and save quite a bit.

planetarian

@TheFu: the cost becomes mostly irrelevant when it's part of a PC purchase.

planetarian

@MkFly: simple solution: buy OEM. prices are always cheaper. you'll probably be able to get Ultimate for $200-250 at the most, I imagine.

planetarian

@harryhoody: It is. Just get the Upgrade version. Discount!

In all seriousness, there is no valid reason whatsoever that MS should specially discount people upgrading from Vista. Public perception aside, Vista is a fine OS at this point, even though it did have a horrible launch and vendors absolutely sucked at getting proper drivers out for it. You want concessions, talk to your hardware vendor[s], or make sure you're not trying to install a new OS on old hardware.

planetarian

@ReneeDeipyle: Yeah but how much does that run you? Wish I had access to the MSDN. :P

@rusty: Sure, it's worth it, so why not?

planetarian

They cant charge too much, no one will buy it. Free OS out there and Android will be coming to laptops soon enough. I want Widows 7 and will pay for it if its the right price that is! otherwise i will get it FREE!

pauluk

Seeing as how W7 seems just like Vista but works with my hardware this time and has a fresh new look to it; I will probably purchase W7 (though who knows which version).

Just glad I was able to skip over Vista which did not meet my expectations.

Perhaps it's time for Microsoft to offer the same low cost version in the U.S. that they sell in emerging markets. Call it a declining market edition instead.

kaploink

@n3rv19: Again, exactly the same situation. Software developer making less than 30k per year. Last year was our peak gross revenue, and I didn't see another dime.

frak

@UnderLoK: Exactly the same. I have 3 years before my MSDN subscription lapses, so the price won't be an issue whatsoever.

frak

@didytz: It will be... People do need to develop for it ;)

@rainbowsky: I was waiting for the Windows flame but it never came... Well played, you had me fooled ;)

@Bodybybuddha: He's not alone... Some food and a bunch of beer and just blew past the $50 marker.

$200 for an OS is not a big deal, if you're out of work you shouldn't be buying shit.

@Hi Fustch: It's good to see someone else happy about Fedora/RH... gd Ubuntu fest around here...

@Matt Vine: If this RC is like the old RCs you have to reinstall when you buy a retail copy anyways.

@TheMadMidget: I have MSDN for free for another 3 years.

Even without school there are ways to get free memberships.

@Gyroscope352: ehhh I'll buy you a few beers, hook me up ;) I'm just over in Dearborn...

@dagwud: He is assuming most people here built there own computer I'm sure.

Tough times sure, but people on these sites (LH/Giz/Digg/./etc) drop money on gadgets, computers, and upgrades. Since everything went to hell in a hand basket I've bought 2 computers and have helped 4 of my friends upgrade.

"The news" talks about the average Joe who is better represented on sites like PcRagazine and TomsHardware.

Saying that MOST copies of Windows on custom PCs are hacked is not that large of a stretch. While I'm sure the numbers prove otherwise if you're talking to a crowd of geeks your sources don't apply.

For the record... I should have included ZDNet with forking Toms and PCRag... please

Downloading from the Interwebs is actually Green for the planet. @DJ Bushido:

Fedora 11 is something to be excited about^^ @Hi Fustch:

@shamalama: I hope the prices are decent for the OEM copies. I work at a local computer store, and with XP being discontinued soon (our top selling OS), and everyone who comes in thinks Vista is too pricey, this could make us finally get hit by the bad economy :(

Alex Alber

good point!!!@Michael Scrip:

@UnderLoK: i personally think that MS gets hated on to much.

John Weddington

@askj113: I would hope that someone would mention the un-unifed nature of the GNU/Linux and Open Source community. as bleeding edge as Linux (and it is the highest of the high in tech adoption) its complete lack of organization and failure to adopt anything resembling standards makes it the "wild west" of computer use; where most of your computer usage time is spent tweaking your computer, and lord help you if you're a newb. Mac tends to paddock its users and coddle them in an idealistic sense of supiority through ignorance of the computer.(note: because they ripped off BSD as there core now does not solve the problem.) Microsoft is this happy medium and it has no competition in their tier of the market. thats why they have such a huge market share. Standards,good power user/newb freindly ratio, and decent standards for users and developers. No one has choosen to match MS on this, which is stupid because if someone did, more people would be willing to try it.

John Weddington

I got vista ultimate with my laptop. works great. I've been using w7 since beta 5700 and I love it. Give me a reasonable upgrade path and I'll buy it otherwise I'll stick with Vista.

pomj

@Michael Scrip: Didn't mean to make your comment seem snarky and I do appreciate the response.

Completely agree that if one were to save up - they can have whatever toys they want. However, back to the article, I believe that the high price tag of the OS will be a deterrent for a large number of people if they were to personally purchase the software.

Also, as the article states, schools and small businesses will not be able to get the software as soon as they would like b/c of the high costs. I haven't seen upgrade pricing yet but I'd make two points here:
1) Large enterprises have cut operating costs as much as they can - a large uptick in licensing costs may delay their upgrade plans as well.
2) Small biz, large biz, or school - the bill will eventually be paid by the consumer or the taxpayer.

Higher costs for everyone... why? for an OS upgrade. For something that really doesn't improve the delivery of services or goods. It's just overhead.

Now that I've blown it completely out of proportion, you can now return to your normal lives. :-)

@UnderLoK: Thanks for the advice....?

@planetarian: Although I didn't mentioned I was in the market for either a new machine or OS, I did get a netbook not too long ago. They are awesome for the price point. Thanks for suggestion - I also highly recommend the netbooks.

Before XP there was ME, the idea being to further incentivize upgrading by heightening the utility value of the upgrade. To be honest, the price wasn't unexpected. Microsoft is really starting to look like a crooked Landlord in this sense, using Windows like a ransom strip in the garden of your new house. You can use your garden as long as you don't step on the portion which isn't legally yours to use at the back, that will cost extra, but you can step over it and be very restricted in terms of.

There are laws agaisnt these things in property now (at least in the where I am) perhaps measures need to be taken to legally control the price of Operating Systems in the same way with a structure to control price relative to stability and resource usage on the average PC. Clearly Microsoft is one of the greatest failings of the free market.

Pirate.Deadweight

You seem to be conflating law with morals. Illegal does not necessarily mean wrong (immoral). Especially in a society run by corrupt bureaucrats on the take from corporate controlled lobby groups. Are you an evil person to drive a vehicle without being licensed to do so, despite being capable of and behaving responsibly while doing so? No, but it's still illegal.

JustineDento

I have been one of the "fools" who has up-graded windows every time a new version has come out. I have to say I think Vista was an epic fail, however I have been running the windows seven beta for quite some time now and i am more than impressed. Even if the price tag is high I've become accustomed to the way it operates and I miss the taskbar when using my XP bearing Laptop.

Also I agree with Charles above me : If you haven't tried the Windows Seven RC you probably won't be a big fan. However I have tried it and can't imagine not using it!

:)

MarkBirn