Although the Redmond-based company would not confirm the program publicly, Microsoft did say "we're working with partners on this." Free or upgrade versions of Windows Vista would be available to those purchasing a new computer after October 28, 2006. The coupon system would be valid through March 15, 2007 and the version of Vista would depend on which operating system was purchased. No details for Media Center Edition were given.
Details for prices include:
Widows XP Professional, XP Tablet PC Edition, and XP x64 Edition = a free upgrade
Windows XP Home = Vista Basic for $49 or Premium for $79
A boost to sales of Vista-ready computers is expected throughout the holiday season.
Link: Neowin Forum Discussion
News source: Beta News
Details for prices include:
Widows XP Professional, XP Tablet PC Edition, and XP x64 Edition = a free upgrade
Windows XP Home = Vista Basic for $49 or Premium for $79
A boost to sales of Vista-ready computers is expected throughout the holiday season.
Link: Neowin Forum Discussion News source: Beta News
Seconded (Y)
I agree, but do you get what I am saying? They don't really specify which version is the "free upgrade". Personally I think Vista Business fits perfectly for what I'd like, but I doubt I will even buy Vista (at least not for a while).
I agree; I'd personally only need Vista Home Premium or so, but the problem is that I think it lacks the remote desktop feature (??), so then I'd need the Business edition, but that would make me miss out a number of home user-oriented features. At work, the choice is easier; we'd just need to use Business.
This will probably make me need something like Ultimate, if there's no third party solution compatible with Microsoft's terminal services (it needs to be this; we can't just switch to a third party solution or something like that at work, and we try to move away from VNC for a number of reasons). Feels kind of stupid to have to pay that much for just a few extra tools I need in my particular case though. I couldn't care less about the bulk of Ultimate's features.
Last edited by Jugalator on 08 Oct 2006 - 17:57
And yes, there are some smart people left
this doesn't include that many people, only those who buy new computers after October 28 2006. so which people are still not happy? the ones that aren't included...
But this is just a limited offer, for a limited group of customers in a special situation. What's so depressing about these complaints when MS still keeps their high prices on Vista for everyone else, or when this offer will be over? Is it so hard for you to realize the price is high for average users? And please don't bring up XP's pricing as an excuse, because that wasn't a cheap OS either.
You're right about this; they'd only need Home Basic, and miss out on Aero Glass and all that stuff they don't really need either.
I am advising all friends, family, and clients not to buy any new computers (especially with regards to Vista) this holiday season. Until machines come out with it actually installed, patched, and working with DX10 cards (which don't exist yet, folks), etc. I don't see the point in exposing anyone to the potential upgrade scenario nightmare that exists for anyone who uses their machine for a few months only to find out they've installed Vista-incompatible software/hardware/etc.
For example, how long do you think it will take before Sony gets all of their poor quality bloatware applications bundled on every machine you buy from them ready for Vista? And will the Vista compatible versions ship on that XP machine this holiday season, or, as I expect, will those all need to be patched as well, before/after any upgrade to Vista? Can you imagine the home/end user problems inherent in this approach?
And how will security software be handled? The crapware Norton and McAfee products clearly don't/won't work with Vista yet those are shipped by default on most XP machines. And while they are truly inferior products in every way, shipping an XP machine WITHOUT security software (NOD32 rules) would be madness. So, will the end users have to manually uninstall Norton Internet Security as part of a Vista upgrade? And um, how well does THAT work these days, given the general end user lack of knowledge AND the fact that Norton has had a long history of very poor, often OS crippling uninstall routines?
etc. etc.
However, I think they should make the upgrade a little cheaper. I mean, why make the upgrade from Pro free and not Home? I realize that Pro is more expensive, but it just doesn't make sense to me....the Home deal sounds like a rip off. Oh, I own a license for XP Home and Vista Basic. Wow! It's not like I can use the XP license for anything else as it's tied down to that specific computer.
Also, I wouldn't touch Vista Basic in the first place. If Vista is supposed to tout a new interface, I want to be able to use Aero.
There should be a parallel programme for people who buy XP on their own-- home system builders, people who bought white-box systems and picked their own OS, and similar.
We're gonna be ordering some new PCs at work shortly most likely. I am irked that if I compromise and get some POS HP box, I'll get free Vista later, but if I build them myself with love, I won't.
It's like Office, I have 2003 teachers edition, happy that it does what I want it for.
I jave FP and also puplisher 2003, they do what I want.
It's number crunching with M$, bust out a new operating system every now and again, make use cough
up more money for software and hardware is pee'ing me off.
I will stick with XP for a long time, when my newly built puter eventually does die in a few years time and support finishes for XP Pro totally, then maybe I will go back to Linux.
up more money for software and hardware is pee'ing me off.
wtf are you talking about? How long have you been using XP?You had to pay for it once. Just one time and you've been using it for how many years without having to shell out another dime since for OS upgrades?
Some people just can't be pleased....
MAC OS 10.1 $129.00
MAC OS 10.2 $129.00
MAC OS 10.3 $129.00
MAC OS 10.4 $129.00
XP HOME 4 years = $200.00
MAX OS X .1-.4 = $516.00
I think there prices are in line. Your not buying a new OS every year.
Besides, the point of being a Mac user is that they (generally speaking) don't know anything about the computers they are using and can (generally speaking) afford to pay a premium price for the marketing/design/cache of owning a niche computer. Windows is the world standard, with 98% of the worldwide market, and should be priced proportionally to a more commoditized point.
When XP came out, computers to run it were in the thousands of $, so even XP pro represented a small fraction of the total purchase price. Fair enough.
Now, a Vista Ultimate license will cost more than the computer hardware it runs on. THAT, my friends, is ridiculous.
We gave them the monopoly, and this is what all those people warned us about, isn't it?
In America?? I am amazed (sic).
I've tried installing their latest RC2 Vista, and I can't even get the dang thing to install past the setup screen. That is just truely pathetic. And they actually think this is an RC2 release??? My hardware is mostly new within the past year.
Go ahead and release it like this Microsoft, and I can GUARANTEE you that it will be a total flop.
I also know people who have installed it and can't even access their routers admin screen.
And yes, you and the people you know represent a proper and scientific sampling of Vista test users.
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