Microsoft prices Windows 7 family pack
REDMOND, Wash.--Microsoft said on Friday that it will charge $149 for the family pack version of Windows 7, which allows users to upgrade up to three PCs to the Home Premium edition of the operating system.
(Credit:
Microsoft)
The software maker had previously said it would offer the family pack, but had not said how much it would charge. (It actually inadvertently confirmed the family pack by referencing it in the licensing terms of a test version of Windows 7 that leaked onto the Internet.) The family pack covers those moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7.
Microsoft also announced pricing for the Windows Anytime Upgrade option, which lets users move from one version of Windows 7 to another.
Microsoft said that the move from Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium will cost $79.99. That is one of the key upgrades Microsoft is hoping to sell by convincing Netbook owners that they really want more of the Windows features.
Among the other prices, the move from Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional will cost $89.99, while going from Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate will cost $139.99. Although that last move is pricey, it still represents a 12 percent drop in the cost of going from Windows Vista Home Premium to Vista Ultimate.
Because the move involves only entering a new product code, Microsoft said the Anytime Upgrade in Windows 7 can be done in as little as 10 minutes. With Vista, the move also required the use of a special Anytime Upgrade disk.
In the U.S. and 11 other countries, upgrade codes can be purchased at a store or online.
Microsoft noted in some of its communications that the family pack is available "while supplies last." Given that Microsoft would seem to be in a position to make as many boxes as it wants, I pressed the software maker to understand how limited this offer will be. A company representative would only say that it is a new offer that Microsoft is testing and declined to elaborate on the time frame or the number of copies it was limited to.
This post was updated at 3:33 p.m. PST with more information about supply.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
"The family pack covers those moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7. "
EVERYTHING I JUST SAID IS A HUGE SARCASTIC LIE!!!!!!
DIE MICROSOFT DIE!!!!!
Amen
Funny that you mention cheap hardware when I can buy higher quality hardware for PC then you'll ever find in a Mac box.
Source?
Amen
Oh, and once again, why are you bringing up Apple?
Amen
In spite of your dripping scarcasm, it really is hard to find Solitare on a Mac. It's also the sole reason one of our Mac's has Windows installd on it. I finally found something worthy to do with Vista. Solatare legacy support.
You have to admit your comments were only meant to cause trouble and not to be of any help or add value to the conversation. This is one of the definitions of troll behavior. Don't act surprised when people don't respect your comments accordingly.
"Go shop at Walmart."
I do indeed shop at Walmart, as I suspect many hundreds of millions of people do world wide. Did you know they sell Apple products there too? Or are you dismissing Apple products as easily?
http://www.freeverse.com/games/game/?id=38
Why are you bringing up Apple? What is your obsession with Apple? I am not bringing up Apple. Are you jealous of Apple? Are you mad because you can't afford one? Is that it? If you want to come mow my lawn, you can earn some extra income and get one if you want. Just trying to help. Hard times and all. Don't worry, things will get better. Maybe you could become a Walmart greeter?! Good point on the Apple at Walmart thing though. Keep up the good work.
Amen
I brought up Apple because you fixate on it almost entirely here on CNET. I wasn't sure if you were not aware that Walmart, the store whose customers you were mocking, did indeed sell Apple products.
" Are you jealous of Apple? Are you mad because you can't afford one? Is that it? If you want to come mow my lawn, you can earn some extra income and get one if you want. "
I own and am using a 15" MacBookPro now as I type this. I purchased a 32Gb iPhone last week to replace my 32Gb Touch. I also own and use various PC's including those from Toshiba, Acer, Sony, and Dell. I run OS X, Windows XP, Vista, Win7, and Ubuntu.
There's a difference between you and I right there. I use whatever product does the work I need it to do for the best purpose. They all are good and bad at their areas of coverage.
Mocking others for their choice of an OS is simply sad and does not suggest an open mind. It really is okay if people do not agree with you. Don't worry about it so much. You take things waaaay too seriously. :)
Since you don't have any intention of purchasing the product, then any price over free would be considered too high for you. Perhaps you would prefer a bootlegged / pirated copy instead.
The price is quite reasonable. It's right up there in line with Apple's pricing.
(actually, I use that, Linux, OSX...)
Talk about "apple tax", the Microsoft tax is worse!
YES. It's a good deal. For WINDOWS users. The problem with that "Slow Leper Family Pack" that costs $50, is that there are 2 negatives: (1) You have to use a Mac (2) You have to use "OSXtinct-Slow Leper". For any of you "iTards" to complain about a "Microsoft Tax" is short sighted, considering you've already paid an "Apple Tax" for over-priced, underpowered hardware to run it on. A PC w/ more Ram, a larger hard drive, the same exact processor, & a superior graphic processor usually costs 40 to 50% LESS than the closest comparable Mac. Notice how the uptick in Mac sales coincided with the ability run Windows? Windows users usually have no need or desire to rum OSuX.
True enough when you are buying a Mac.
I was waiting for someone to pull a comment like that. Let me tell you something about macs in comparison to PCs, because in the end, Macs cost less. Why?
$800 PC laptop vs a $1300 macbook.
Now, add on extra features to that PC to match the macbook.
Add $100 for an adequate warranty that compares that of apple computers.
Add $200 for the ultimate version of 7 because OSX is already the "ultimate version"
Add $400 for comparable software to iLife
Add $200 for Geeksquad which serves as a Genius bar replacement.
Lets see, that PC laptop costs $1700 for the same features, warranty, and service that the macbook has. Winpc = total fail.
Hmmm...you must be doing something wrong with your "Windows PC's" cause my Win95 box from 95 still runs fine. Though I don't use it anymore. I won't bother to get into the fact that Apple's are PC's too...at least they are now.
[CNET editors' note: Personal attack deleted]
If you have Premium however, you can still download any other VM software and just run another copy of XP in another Window and switch back and forth between the two Windows. It's not as fluid, but it works.
I used to do this with Vista Home Premium and Virtual Box all the time. It should work just the same and pretty much just as well in the end.
I no longer have any software that requires XP to run anyway though.
I prefer either Vmware or Virtual Pc.
I'm not going to pay $300 for an OS. That's almost as much as the box cost me.
I have some other PC's that might benefit from a family pack.
if you want Win7 for your family, get an OEM 3pack
It's not that bad, I've been running MCE2005 on my main pc since it was availible to the public as OEM and I have reinstalled and reactivated at least 20 times( because of hardware upgrades)
I've been through mobo's, cpu's, you name it and it just takes a call to M$ to reactivate.
And It's always been one ONE pc at a time, so not "really" cheating the system(or M$)
GET A FREAKEN LIFE. you are all trolls, shut up know body cares. Macs and PC's are both compelling, both with strong and weak points it's all about personal preference.
THANK YOU!
now on topic. I really like the Family pack deal since i can afford to give it away as a gift to my relatives who are complaing about vista. Thx MS for seeing the light
Thankfully the noisy few do not represent the majority and regardless how loud they are, they are pretty much shouting to a room filled only with other fans and not those other people who actually use the product as it was meant to be.
What did you say?
By the way, I run both Mac's and PC's and use each for what I find their best applications.
This is no different than Chevy vs Ford discussions really, just a new generation of people with a new war to wage.
- by Ricochet44 July 31, 2009 1:30 PM PDT
- Now that's a nice price for 3 PCs. Now if only that could have said 5 for the amount of computers in my home. So maybe 5 is a bit much? =P
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- by lumpoco August 1, 2009 3:14 PM PDT
- No, 5 is not a bit much considering that families now have a computer for every member of the household. A typical family has 2 parents and 2-4 kids. That's 6 computers if I did my math right. My household has 6 computers and two of us use 2 computers; one for personal use and another one for work.
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- by DrtyDogg August 2, 2009 6:48 PM PDT
- Some more simple math for you 1 family pack = 3 installs so 2 family packs = 6 installs. 6 installs = your 6 computers. Everybody = happy.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (111 Comments)And on a side not, I can only sigh at the PC Fanboys and Mac Elitists thinking that their system is BY FAR the superior product. It's simply ridiculous. I have this feeling that Microsoft nor Apple is paying you to advertise their product. So waste your time bantering on the internet with a bunch of people you don't even know and, after simply closing the window, you will probably never communicate with again. Sounds pretty silly to me.