Putting a price on Windows Vista
I’m hearing a small amount of chatter that Microsoft is planning to dramatically reduce the price of Windows Vista next year to $99. I’ve done my best to track this story down, and as far as I can tell it’s not, shall we say, reality-based. One Web site (which I will not name or link to, because they have zero credibility in my opinion) wrote a speculative piece arguing that the price of Windows Vista should by $99, because anything else would be too much. Over the weekend, a relatively new blog focusing on Windows Vista wrote a similar story, which appears to be just a rewrite of the original, minus any proper sourcing. (I’m not linking to this source, either, until they establish some credibility.)
The original story shows up on Google News and a few other people pick it up. They link to one another, and a few of them embellish the story with details that appear to come out of thin air. Pretty soon you have a half-dozen sites all repeating a rumor that’s based on nothing. Seinfeld would be proud.
And really, is this news? Currently, an OEM copy of Windows XP Home Edition costs around $90. An upgrade version costs $99. If the rumor-mongers are true, the news here is that Microsoft doesn’t plan to increase prices for the most popular version of its operating system.
This rumor also ignores the biggest question of all: How many versions of Windows Vista will Microsoft sell? Currently, you and I can choose from at least four: Home Edition, Professional, Media Center (OEM only), and Tablet PC (with tablet hardware only). A few months back, eWeek reported on a speech by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at an analysts’ meeting. According to this story, Microsoft plans to introduce a number of new versions for Windows and Office next year, including an enterprise version of Windows Vista. Will all those versions cost $99? I don’t think so.
If anyone has heard this “Vista for $99″ rumor from a credible source, with a plausible story behind it, please leave a comment.
We must have been reading the same er, crap. I heard a rumor that microsoft vista will be subscription based, that is, the user would pay a monthly fee.
Since I’m not even close to being a geek I want to know if this is true now, so I can consider my alternatives. I hate being nickel and dimed to death.
No truth whatsoever to that rumor, in my opinion. Microsoft does not have a software distribution model that would support a subscription-based OS.
I think that a $100 price tag is very plausible because Microsoft is trying to stop people from downloading illegal copies of Windows. If Microsoft made Vista cost a whole lot of money, how would this help sway people into buying a legal copy?
A low price tag would make sense especially as the average user will need to upgrade hardware.
Why bother to upgrade OS and hardware if its going to cost a fortune?
Also the competition is much greater now with the revitalisation of Apple and Linux becoming more popular.
I agree. In an age of expanding software piracy, a high price on the next version of the world’s most used OS would be a silly move.
Hi i am from Romania. In my country, and other countrys, 100$ is preaty expensive. I’ve heard that Microsoft will release a very light version of Windows Vista, which most of us hope it will not be more then 50$. In my country piracy is very very high and this will make an oportunity to low it down. I am testing Windows Vista beta 2 now and i think it is made for beginners very easy, and for profesionals very impresive.
I love now Microsoft because they released a free version of Visual Studio 2005 Express, which is 100% compatible with Vista. Hope it will work with the light edition.
Bye now
I agree that big business should make it’s software reasonably priced. I was looking to get a web page designing program and was surprised to find that they are all several hundred pounds.
For a while I was even thinking about pirating a copy but found a reasonable editor relaesed for free under the GNU free software licence, I think more projects like this should be encouraged as the only thing it can do is to benefit us all.
Having said all of that I can’t even imagine how much work it would be to get something like Windows Vista working and i think that they should be suitably rewarded for a good job (if it is any good)
The question is what is the best price balance between putting people off and making a profit for thmselves.
I can’t see Microsoft charging too much for a Vista upgrade. After all XP is a very stable platform and I for one won’t spend alot to upgrade. When XP came out, it was replacing the worst OS ever, Millenium. Windows XP is an excellent OS that I would be perfectly happy continuing to use for many years to come.
I am sure many users will agree with this.
David
Personally, I am going to hold off upgrading to Windows Vista, no matter what the price. I currently have Windows XP Media Center 2005 and I find it to be a very stable OS with everything I need…so why would I need to upgrade? I recommend just waiting until Microsoft patches up some of the inevitable problems that are going to arise with a new OS, then getting it, especially if the price is set too high. I still haven’t forgotten the introductory price of Windows XP Professional….
I agree with a lot that has been said by earlier posts, however, it’s not just ‘our choice’ of whether or not we upgrade to Vista. Hardware manufacturers will have a say so. Example, upgrading to a brand new video card that has poor limitations/drivers written for XP but has top notch support in Vista.
In my case, I have a brand new Laptop. Everything works wonderfully under XP. So I do have a choice in the matter. Even though my laptop is Vista Capable, I don’t have any plans on spending any significant amount of money on a new OS. Their will be plenty of others who will run out the day Vista is released no matter what the cost.
David
Like some people have said, if the price is above, say, $150, I’m downloading a pirate copy myself. I think it’s worth upgrading to Vista because, as much as I hate Microsoft, I do want to be able to re-establish my trust in them. It’s quite rich that I am using XP Home right now but we won’t go into the hypocritisism.
Vista is new, it’s fresh, it has a whole load of new features which I am just itching to try out for myself. If they priced any of the versions to high, it’s literally asking for software pirates to do the distributing for them.
its definetly a lie , dont get me wrong ppl but actually it is nothing under 200 bucks
Madalin: Yes, there will be a limited cut-price Vista called Vista Starter
DOWN WITH MICROSOFT DOWN WITH THE MONARCHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just purchased a brand new Dell ready for Vista. I’ts got XP Home now cuz I didn’t see any reason in spending money on Pro when I’ll be changing over in 5 mo. anyways. But you can bet your ars that I’ll buy a leagal copy. The problem with the pirate copies is that you won’t be able to get any security or system updates via windowsupdate.com since they’ve added the auto verification “feature.” I don’t know about paying 99 dollars though. I’m expecting to pay up to 400 for either the Home Professional or the Ultimate versions.
Not only you’ll upgrade to vista, but think of the other software you’ll need. Like Office, Visual Studio and other third party software like Flash, Antivirus, Games.. etc. Not to even mention you’ll have to buy a new computer several times in order to exploit vista to the best.
Microsoft will gradually discontinue support of XP.
Just like that did with 98.
Making XP in a few years virtually useless.
And we will all be forced to pay the price.
Eventually. We just won’t want to tolerate
XP, just as it occured with 98.
Very high in the begining of it’s life-cycle and
decreases in price as Vista goes through it’s life
cycle.
Sorry I see the first full version of Vista near
$400.00 USA.
As part of my job I have to test emurging products that are likely to become a standard within our organisation. Windows Vista in all versions is likely to be shipped with OEM computer suppliers like Dell, IBM, HP etc in 2007, so people that buy new computers are likely to get Vista and not XP, although for most of 2007 I believe there will be a choice from most suppliers.
It is also safe to say that computers these days are obsolite within 3 years, so if you have a computer nearing this age, you are likely to miss out on technologies that become available through the introduction of an operating system with the power of Vista.
All my testing of Vista to date has left me very impressed. We have gone from Beta 1, Beta 2 and are now on RC1 which is proving to be stable and in a word “cool”. I think even the most sceptic of the MS haters will take their hats off to this new OS and be impressed by the friendlyness its usability.
To sum up. If your hardware can handle Vista, spend the money as you will be impressed. If you can’t afford it, wait until your PC dies then use it as an excuse to get a new one with Vista installed.
Pro Vista.
I don’t see m$ lowering their prices and I especially don’t think they would lower the price to keep people from pirating their product. I think they will offer a handicapped version for $99 and milk the businesses for as much as they can while saying they are making it cheap by offering different versions of the same product. However they did introduce a new volume licensing which might help them keep their market. Because now with Novell Redhat, MS might actually see some resistance as business try Linux as a lower cost alternative to Vista.
well there will be a sub 100$ version of windows vista called windows vista starter , which is a very no thrills version of vista.
Frank, the Starter edition is only for sale with new computers and only in so-called developing countries: Russia, India, Brazil, etc. You can’t buy it in the United States or Western Europe.
well i hope that there is not a starter kit because i just bought windows xp again because i lost my old copy.errrrg. so, im going to have to save abunch if its any where in the price rang of 400…yikes
There is no rush to buy or upgrade to Vista for most of us. Really there is no need to even think about wasting any money for those who have the XP operating system.
If the price is reasonable much less than $90 for the curious it may be ok otherwise just wait and see.
Dayyan James says that a computer become worthless after about 3 years. Well I have a collection of computers from Windows 95 up to XP still running with no problems. All this means that you can keep a computer for many years.
Obviously and unfortunately Windows ME and 2000 cannot be upgrated to Vista Home or any other Vista systems.
My advise is to wait for the market prices of the Windows Vista anf then to make a decision on what to do.
If the price is too high for the new ones I would try to get a legal cd to upgrade it to Vista if the price is right or if not to just keep using the XP for years to come ot until the prices go down and they will eventually.
Save your money if you can because your XP can last years and can be upgated in time.
Hello
have you ever tried to drag&drop many files/dirs (> 10’000, > 10 gb) from one physical hd to another physical hd (not just another partition on the same hd !) under vista – and have you been successful to do it ?
simmons
ps: otherwise look at http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1193072&SiteID=1