Vista price hikes upsets OEM builders!

Had a look on amazon who confirm pricing for some versions of vista

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_sw_h_/202-1794002-1466211?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=windows+vista&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

Compared to current XP costs:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_sw_h_/202-1794002-1466211?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=windows+xp&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

Of course many will go OEM, but I would expect prices to be increase there also. Some complaints about Vista home being "pointless", and of no interest to most users. Home premium is seen as the largest potential version, and the equivalent of the current XP home.

USA prices:

http://news.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029694,49283313,00.htm

Acer isnt happy:

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39284382,00.htm

More licensing issues:

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsID=7203&pagtype=all

Roll on linux! lol

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Well, I think all of the "flavors" of Windows including Vista can be piled on all of the law suites. This is what happens when you have lawyers working for governments that don't have a clue. Or lawyers working for clients of any kind that don't have a clue. Microsoft gets forced in to releasing a ton of versions most of which no one really wants, the side effect is someone has to pay for all of the manufacturing and warehousing costs for these versions that just sit and rot.

Higher prices shouldn't be surprise. Neither should people stealing and cracking Vista.

Robert

Robert Barnett said:

Well, I think all of the "flavors" of Windows including Vista can
be piled on all of the law suites. This is what happens when you
have lawyers working for governments that don't have a clue. Or
lawyers working for clients of any kind that don't have a clue.
Microsoft gets forced in to releasing a ton of versions most of
which no one really wants, the side effect is someone has to pay
for all of the manufacturing and warehousing costs for these
versions that just sit and rot.

Higher prices shouldn't be surprise. Neither should people stealing
and cracking Vista.

Robert

Click to expand...

I am not amazed at the price hike..some would say it doesnt really matter...but clearly it does. Point here is that for those who want the "vista" experience..so called with eye candy etc...(right or wrong)..home basic isnt going to satisfy those people.

And the price is higher than XP home..which is pretty much mostly what goes out the door to most people now...(ie basic is more expensive already!)

Now I dont know what the OEM home premium will cost as yet..but you can bet it will be a good bit more than current XP home OEM..acer suggest it isnt a good idea..and I have to agree.

It pushes up cost..and as most system builders will tell you..its not easy to compete..I go down the quiet pc route...and charge more for it..simply no point trying to outdo the super budget Dell stuff...you cant beat them...not when they buy that big..

Most work/profit really comes from servicing and upgrades....small builders such as myself just enjoy making them..we dont really make that much from it...apart from the super high end systems...but they are few and far between nowadays.

As ever the business versions are activation free....Ultimate is a mix of both...ie the fully loaded version..and that doesnt need activation..so they say. And this one will be the major target for piracy...in a stange sort of way I see piracy increasing with this version of windows..at a time when microsoft should really be considering taking an apple approach..aka just one O/S...

I thnk they have shot themselves in the foot.....

I dont support piracy..but you cannot help but think that ultimate will be flying all over the internet before it even hits the shelf in large numbers..I think MS have had their day...and peaked...

I continue to trial linux..all that is needed is better hardware support..and we are there...it is getting better..not yet at the stage where I can roll out in large numbers....printers can be a problem.

People really wouldnt mind using linux...just software.hardware needs better support...it is getting there.

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Barry Fitzgerald said:

As ever the business versions are activation free....Ultimate is a
mix of both...ie the fully loaded version..and that doesnt need
activation..so they say.

Click to expand...

As far as I know, all versions will need activation. The ultimate version definitely will.

tigger said:

Barry Fitzgerald said:

As ever the business versions are activation free....Ultimate is a
mix of both...ie the fully loaded version..and that doesnt need
activation..so they say.

Click to expand...

As far as I know, all versions will need activation. The ultimate
version definitely will.

Click to expand...

At this stage I am not 100% sure...maybe it will. not that it will really matter.............

Disturbingly I see almost half the pc's I come in contact with not using a genuine version of windows..and about 80% using high end unlicensed software..photoshop, MS office etc...

It is a real problem...lower vista prices would reduce piracy in the long run

The other issue is the much talked about power users who upgrade often..and can only re-activate once...this is a real problem for many on this forum.
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--
Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida

Greg Gebhardt said:

--
Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida

Click to expand...

I don't tell you how to paint! And you tell me about computers! lol
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The comparison is flawed.

Home Basic with Windows Vista is a good equivalent to Home Edition with Windows XP. It has a basic feature set.

The features in Home Premium are more equivalent to Windows XP Media Center Edition, which costs more today than Home Edition.

Notably, Home Premium provides Media Center features, which are only available on Windows XP MCE today.

A customer buying an OEM machine with the operating system preinstalled (not an upgrade) isn't necessarily always looking for the new Vista experience. They may be looking for the lowest cost, which makes Home Edition or Home Basic good choices. Or they may be looking for more entertainment features, or the new Aero interface, which will make Home Premium a good choice.

Acer sells machines today with either Home Edition or Media Center Edition at different price points, so presumably they understand that there is a difference - in cost and in feature set. Particularly given that they put Home on cheaper machines and Media Center on relatively more costly machines.

• TK

Let's pretend Microsoft is the old AT&T. Heck, let's pretend the new AT&T is the old AT&T. Government burearocracies use Mictosoft OS and I resent my tax dollars going to Microsoft. I think the Government should use those tax dollars to develop its own OS and accessories and make it available to everyone on a Silver Platter (Linux is served on a cra*p platter).
--
Author of SAR Image Processor and anomic sociopath
http://www.general-cathexis.com

Actually, no the point is. Unfortunately... "Live with it. Either pay to get the OS you want or let the computer maker give you what they want to give you." You only have those two choices.

Robert

lptk said:

The comparison is flawed.

Home Basic with Windows Vista is a good equivalent to Home Edition
with Windows XP. It has a basic feature set.

The features in Home Premium are more equivalent to Windows XP
Media Center Edition, which costs more today than Home Edition.
Notably, Home Premium provides Media Center features, which are
only available on Windows XP MCE today.

A customer buying an OEM machine with the operating system
preinstalled (not an upgrade) isn't necessarily always looking for
the new Vista experience. They may be looking for the lowest cost,
which makes Home Edition or Home Basic good choices. Or they may be
looking for more entertainment features, or the new Aero interface,
which will make Home Premium a good choice.

Acer sells machines today with either Home Edition or Media Center
Edition at different price points, so presumably they understand
that there is a difference - in cost and in feature set.
Particularly given that they put Home on cheaper machines and Media
Center on relatively more costly machines.

• TK

Click to expand...

I dont find it flawed...in respect of the fact that home basic OEM will be more than home XP.....

That was the whole point really...sure you could say big deal..wow...but my point is this...we are at the whim of MS....their unique situation is that they have universal support...I would shift a linux pc out the door..trouble is that Joe Bloggs buys software off the shelf and it works on windows and mac...and not much on linux. He buys a printer and wont be able to just plug it in...in many cases....

A situation that is not acceptable IMO..even more so with price hikes. I am not anti MS..but the whole seedy vista affair is really going to do them some damage in the long run. They are taking advantage of their monopoly to inflict more profits...while trimming the OEM's already tiny margin.

You have a choice either play to the tune of MS or Apple...

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Frankly, I don't see the "price hikes" you're talking about. Let's do a quick comparison. I'm in the US, so I'll use the current US retail prices:

XP Home (Full version w/ SP2): $191
XP Home (Upgrade): $99
Vista Home Basic (full): $199
Vista Home Basic (Upgrade): $99.95
Vista Home Premium (full): $239
Vista Home Premium (upgrade): $159

Now, keep in mind that Home Premium includes a lot of new functionality, including features from Media Center, tablet and laptop technologies, the photo library, video editing, and Aero desktop. These are all features that most casual PC users don't need.

XP Pro (full version w/ SP2): $269.99
XP Pro (Upgrade): $194.99
Vista Business (full version): $299
Vista Business (upgrade): $199
Vista Ultimate (full version): $399
Vista Ultimate (upgrade): $259

Business is the version closest in feature set to XP pro (which was intended for business users). Ultimate includes all the media functionality of Home Premium, along with the security and supportability features of Business. OEM and volume licenses are, of course, lower all around.

So if you want the larger feature sets offered by Home Premium and Ultimate, you'll have to pay a bit more. But looking at the numbers, it's only about $40-60 over what it would currently cost to buy a copy of XP. Buying a more comparably featured SKU is actually almost identical in price. If you don't think the added functionality is worth the price increase, then get yourself a copy of Home Basic or Business.

--
Jordan

Why deal with 10 different overpriced versions of Windows XP? Get a Mac...better OS, and one well built version for everyone. Not to mention that it costs less, and is better overall.

In the new year when OSX 10.5 comes out, it will be light years ahead of Vista. Vista's new featuras from XP are basically copied items from OSX. Like the Glass Aero interface, among MANY other things...

no text

Anyone know what the vista student/college academic price will be?
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Rich

Also I think the price of XP has fallen since it has been introduced, so if you compare the price of XP at introduction and Vista it should be pretty even.

The only thing that is there to complain about in my opinion is that Windows in general is very expensive.

Najib said:

In the new year when OSX 10.5 comes out, it will be light years
ahead of Vista. Vista's new featuras from XP are basically copied
items from OSX.

Click to expand...

Care to elaborate why OS X will be "light years ahead" of Vista?

What Apple has shown till now of 10.5 was rather copied from Vista or Win 2003 than the other way around.

People that say that OS X will be "light years ahead" of Vista must definitely know more about what will be new in 10.5 than me, so please tell me what is in 10.5 to get really excited about.

I dont know, but in 2003 I bought XP for $12 and Office for $18 from the university I work for. I think prices have gone up though and it's in the $50-$60 range now. I'm hoping Vista isn't any more than that.

But you will have to buy this service pack for the mac. At least most of windows service packs are free.

tigger said:

Najib said:

In the new year when OSX 10.5 comes out, it will be light years
ahead of Vista. Vista's new featuras from XP are basically copied
items from OSX.

Click to expand...

Care to elaborate why OS X will be "light years ahead" of Vista?

What Apple has shown till now of 10.5 was rather copied from Vista
or Win 2003 than the other way around.

People that say that OS X will be "light years ahead" of Vista must
definitely know more about what will be new in 10.5 than me, so
please tell me what is in 10.5 to get really excited about.

Click to expand...

It's not that OSX "will be" light years ahead of Vista. It "already" IS light years ahead of Vista.

Clearly you have your info wrong. everything on OSX 10.5 are things that even Vista doesn't have. The current OSX that has been available for over a year is what Vista has copied, and hasn't even been released yet!