Is Windows 7 Pricing Structure To Be A Big Stumbling Block?

Though some would complain about the number of PCs covered, because the competition covers 5 machines, with its upgrade package, or the fact that it is being marketed as a limited offer, most people are rather happily surprised that Microsoft is offering budget pricing for the little guy, for the first time. (The Ultimate deal for Vista doesn’t really qualify, as one had to buy the most expensive SKU to get a decent price on the midline product.)

On ZDNet, both Ed Bott, and Mary-Jo Foley have commented on the pricing plans, especially the upgrades, because many people are very, very upset about the upgrade path for anything other than the XP Home, or Vista Home Premium, to Windows 7 Home Premium. It does seem as though Microsoft was just a bit too busy with self-congratulations over the big sellout of the early adopter’s specials, to see that many people are still not made happy by this turn of events.

I was truly wondering why, as it had seemed to me that this was both uncharacteristically beneficent and intelligent for Microsoft to make these offers. That’s until I started looking at some of the comments on the articles referenced above.

Microsoft truly does seem to have shot itself in the foot this time, as it has forgotten that the Windows Home Server product, was designed to be remotely administered, as it is supposed to be (many people don’t have monitors or keyboards attached to a WHS system, once it is first set up). Let me be clear, the ability to remotely administer the WHS system is not a part of the Windows Home series of products. This means that one would have to have a machine that hangs back with an older operating system, say XP Pro or Vista Business, to do the administration chores, or, turn loose of much more money to be able to have the latest and greatest (Microsoft’s description) operating system while still being able to use your other Microsoft product as it was intended. One would think that Microft’s druthers would be the sale of another copy of an operating system.

As a matter of fact, there are many reasons why someone would want at least Windows 7 Professional for a home machine, above and beyond having a WHS to care for.

There also seems to be a very large group of home users who, having been greatly disappointed by Vista Ultimate, want to obtain Windows 7 Professional, and find that the upgrade path is not directly there (that is, for an in-place upgrade) plus they are being asked to take one for Microsoft with the pricing structure. Look at almost anyplace there is a discussion about upgrade pricing; there is a very vocal minority who are livid about the fact that their upgrade path from Vista Ultimate must be to Windows 7 Ultimate, and they, by and large, believe that Microsoft should, ‘do the right thing’ and fork over the free upgrade.

If you read the referenced articles, you see that, somewhat amazingly, Microsoft zealot Ed Bott tends to agree that these people have a legitimate complaint, and it should be addressed.

Of course, you know the word on the street about opinions…

§

•

There are three reasons why lawyers are replacing rats as laboratory research animals. One is that they are plentiful, another is that lab assistants don’t get so attached to them and the third is that they will do things that you just can’t get rats to do. Blanche Knott