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Microsoft Expands Low-Cost Windows to Mexico

Posted by malebolgia on 29 June 2005 - 15:05 · 71 comments & 5546 views

Microsoft said Tuesday that it is expanding its Windows XP Starter Edition to include Mexico, with plans to eventually offer the low-cost operating system throughout Latin America.

The software maker said that the Spanish-language Windows XP Starter Edition will be made available on new PCs starting immediately in Mexico and Argentina, with a goal of offering the OS throughout Latin America in the coming months. XP Starter Edition is similar to other flavors of Windows XP, but is offered only as part of new low-end PCs in developing countries. It also has some limitations, such as the ability to run only three programs simultaneously.

News source: C|Net News.com

AMD said Intel’s illegal and unfair actions include the following:

Intel has forced major customers into exclusive or near-exclusive deals;
Intel has conditioned rebates, allowances and market development funding on customers’ agreement to severely limit or forego entirely purchases from AMD;
Intel has established a system of discriminatory, retroactive, first-dollar rebates triggered by purchases at such high levels as to have the practical and intended effect of denying customers the freedom to purchase any significant volume of processors from AMD;
Intel has threatened retaliation against customers introduc ing AMD computer platforms, particularly in strategic market segments;
Intel has established and enforced quotas among key retailers effectively requiring them to stock overwhelmingly, if not exclusively, Intel-powered computers, thereby artificially limiting consumer choice;
It has forced PC makers and technology partners to boycott AMD product launches and promotions;
Intel has abused its market power by forcing on the industry technical standards and products which have as their central purpose the handicapping of AMD in the marketplace.

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(8 replies) #1 Posted by jubber2002 on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:05: Wow Microsoft can screw many people over a deal with some sort of "limitation". I think food or money would be better for those countries.

(6 replies) #2 Posted by Magallanes on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:10: Why the people will buy a limited version, when they can have the complete version for free?.

<taco bell language ON>
jajajaja, y creen que por hacernos una "rebaja" a cambio de darnos un producto que no sirve de nada, vamos a comprarles?. Pa'mi que los de marketing son unos boludos.
<taco bell language OFF>

(9 replies) #3 Posted by lbmouse on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:21: Great business plan...

1. Create an operating system
2. Break it
3. Sell it to developing nations
4. ?
5. PROFIT!!!!

Further proof that some companies have no soul.

(1 reply) #4 Posted by Mr. Dee on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:21: When are they going to offer a Windows Server 2003 Starter Edition?

(8 replies) #5 Posted by SoNiCfReAk on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:34: Linux can save these people!

(1 reply) #6 Posted by Lasker on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:38: mmmm who's going to buy this crap??? only people with no brain, linux is by far superior to this crap starter edition and is free for anyone, if I'm from a developing nation with no money I will go for the cheap one

(4 replies) #7 Posted by seebaran on 29 Jun 2005 - 15:54: Why the heck are some of you so cynical? They are offering a sound solution. Can't big biz do something nice without their motives being question?

(1 reply) #8 Posted by Nexus on 29 Jun 2005 - 16:33: I'll buy it for 20 Pesos

(4 replies) #9 Posted by TwoTailedFox on 29 Jun 2005 - 16:50: A low-cost feature-limited edition, or a free hacked copy with a 640 PID?

I know which one I'd choose.

#10 Posted by M2Ys4U on 29 Jun 2005 - 17:37: Microsoft: Ripping off and locking customers in one poor contry at a time.

#11 Posted by tiwaris on 29 Jun 2005 - 17:54: I am searching for a copy of this starter edition. This version would be great to run on vmware on top of linux

BTW, most of the limitations should be easy to break, unless hard-coded.

(2 replies) #12 Posted by Zerbs on 29 Jun 2005 - 18:00: What I don't understand is why Microsoft doesn't have a starter edition in the U.S.? I'm sure there are people here who would prefer a low cost standard Windows system over the complexity of Linux, with all its different flavors and uncertainty. Maybe then some of the hoards of Windows 98 people could upgrade without spending over $100.

#13 Posted by bsharp on 29 Jun 2005 - 18:36: I think this will be good news for the people. I know A few guys from INDIA and they say they love Windows. Mostly all they had to work with was Linux or BSD and they hated it and only the rich have windows. And for Microsoft to see that all contries are not as welthy as its own and cut them a deal is a good thing I think.

#14 Posted by Ironman273 on 29 Jun 2005 - 20:18: If you take a look at the cars in Mexico, you'll see that (of the cheaper ones that are also offered here) they don't come with airbags or catalytic converters. This helps keep the price down. It's a matter of economies.

Also, some of the comments on here, if translated to car terms, are basically "Why would I buy a car with no airbag? I'll just steal one that does have airbags, it doesn't bother my conscience. LOL!!!!111!!!1!!!1"

(1 reply) #15 Posted by Vakerorokero on 29 Jun 2005 - 20:56: Man, and I just got Windows x64 retail and Media center 2005 for $1 each. That what i get for not waiting for official releases!

Microsoft is trying for people to change their free pirated version for a very cheap Windows on their computers. The only people that actually pay for windows are enterprises and even them don't upgrade.

What you people are saying that the poor people get free software like linux are very mistaken. poor people get pirate versions. Rich people actually buy licenses. American get to buy upgrades each year. Mexicans just get the product again with the upgrades installed for $1.

American get most products cheapers is because you have different methods of goverment collecting. That's why the imini is $599 in US and $700 in Europe and $800 in latin america.
Cars get all upgrades over there because have lots of choices and the market needs to offer the best they got.

Over here in Mexico, the the big companies tried to corner the market using their money on politicians to keep away European brands and Japanese brands so they became the ones using that method of "takingawayforabetterprice" but thanks to NAFTA all your used cars keep ending up here for silly prices compared to new models. And thanks to the Vicente Fox goverment all the brands from everywhere are here and are taking away from GM and Ford the market. Even the VW have to change their ways of offering little cars for big money because they lost the 4 cylinder market.

"The secondary aim of this product is to deter piracy in places where people cannot afford Windows. However, the main aim is to prevent people in wealthy countries buying a cut-cost fully functional version of Windows; rather than reduce the price of regular Windows they will instead exploit the guilt of a few poor people in mexico and make them buy the crippled edition."

It won't change anything. Is harder to find a Original copy of Windows Xp than a pirate copy. Let alone the Crippled version. The only original thing I buy here are Apple products. (imported for US of couse for the american price). which are considered a luxury over here and just for bragging. Everyone buys their computer piece by piece.

Thanks to the Bush administration you are probably going to have to comply with microsoft since you will be target as terrorist if you used pirate Windows.

#16 Posted by - diego - on 29 Jun 2005 - 21:07: sucks...

nobody here in Argentina is going to buy that windows..

#17 Posted by ArtOf_War on 29 Jun 2005 - 21:14: I live in Mexico and:

- A lot of people buy their computers (new) through the phone company with internet acces and stuff like that and I don't think the phone company would offer this on anything but the lowest end model

- A lot of people would screw this and just get a pirated version of XP Pro

- Unlike some guy above said most computers are actually able to run XP

#18 Posted by Vakerorokero on 29 Jun 2005 - 21:23: when you need windows xp support you buy the 5 dvdr set of "Windows help for MIcrosoft licensed Program schools" for $5 which I think is $10,000 dollars. we pay $5 because dvdr are more expensive.

Dude, You are mistaken. this is Mexico, no one goes to jail for buying pirated material. Most of the time you don't go to jail for selling it. American do need to be afraid of that because you got the RIAA and the the Hollywood guys and Microsoft trying to control you (which it does). Isn't illegal software and Mp3, "tools terrorists use to fund wars again the people of America"?
we don't believe that. Poor people don't use computers. Poor people here in Mexico go to live the American dream, like most latin americans. Poor people that need computers go to use PC on Cybercafes for 60 cents an hour. the most of us use the markets to buy our software which is the big problem microsoft has. and the rest of us use edonkey to find our needs. A very little segment of mexicans (which is the 10% of filthy rich or saudiarabian rich so you understand) are the ones that buy original brands and original software. no one else.

(1 reply) #19 Posted by Skyfrog on 29 Jun 2005 - 22:32

(2 replies) #20 Posted by Colonel_Angus on 29 Jun 2005 - 23:12: "Windows XP Starter Edition - Windows for the brown man."

-Bill Gates, June 2005

(1 reply) #21 Posted by TheSarge on 29 Jun 2005 - 23:52: I wouldn't use this "Starter Edition" crap if you paid me. That would just be stupid.

#22 Posted by Cask1 on 03 Jul 2005 - 17:40: Well they are attacking MExico not because the country of poor, but because piracy here has reached really high levels. Like some people said, I don´t know anyone who has a legit copy of windows xp, unless it came preinstalled with their computers (like me, I have a legit XP Pro copy that came with my toshiba laptop). Every piece of software can be found in markets, from games to things like autocad. Movie and music piracy is also a major concern. I think I so the Workprint version of Episode III before I even saw it on the net, and it already came with Spanish track. And people buy it, and you would think this places are hidden or something, but they are not, they can be found anywhere in MExico City.

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