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May 17, 2009 1:30 PM PDT

Dell says Windows 7 price is possible barrier

by Brooke Crothers
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Windows 7 pricing is potentially an obstacle to Windows 7 adoption for some users, though in just about every other aspect the operating system is beating Vista, according to a Dell marketing executive.

"If there's one thing that may influence adoption, make things slower or cause customers to pause, it's that generally the ASPs (average selling price) of the operating systems are higher than they were for Vista and XP," Darrel Ward, director of product management for Dell's business client product group, said in a phone interview, referring to the various versions of the Windows 7 operating system that are expected to appear.

Ward continued. "In tough economic times, I think it's naive to believe that you can increase your prices on average and then still see a stronger swell than if you held prices flat or even lowered them. I can tell you that the licensing tiers at retail are more expensive than they were for Vista."

In the business market, Windows 7 Professional is expected to be more expensive than Windows Vista Business, the version that Professional is replacing, he said.

Some schools and smaller businesses may not be early adopters due to price. "Schools and government agencies may not be able to afford (the additional cost). Some of the smaller businesses may not be able to enjoy the software as soon as they'd like," Ward said.

Pricing aside, Ward said momentum behind Windows 7 is big compared with Vista. "When Vista came out we didn't have the motivation to do the types of services that we're doing now. We didn't have the clear customer demand for such services," he said. "We do have a visible number of customers, large and small, who are actually waiting for Windows 7 and who have already put plans in place to target the transition to Windows 7, they're asking Dell for help. That demand and this opportunity is stronger than it has been in the past," Ward said.

And Dell is already getting its service organization in gear for Windows 7. "Our professional service organization is beginning to structure service offerings specifically designed to help customers migrate their images, their applications, and their management infrastructure, security capabilities and so forth."

More than half of Dell's business customers are still using Windows XP and these customers will eventually have to upgrade, according to Ward. "XP cannot live forever," he said.

To help users migrate from XP to Windows 7, Dell supports the upcoming operating system's XP mode. "It's one of the things that Microsoft is doing that we think is helpful. Putting an instance of XP virtual machine in the higher end SKUs (models). This is another alternative for compatibility. We'll fully support that in our product and consulting services." he said.

Driver readiness is good, with some exceptions. "Driver readiness--it looks pretty healthy compared to the past. (There are) some things that haven't been worked out. The WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Lab) drivers for AMT VPRO is a little behind," he said, referring to Intel's Active Management Technology, which allows remote access to PCs for security, maintenance, and management.

Generally, however, Windows 7 is much further along than Vista was at this stage, he said. "But if you look at the ecosystem enabling for Windows 7, it is much further along that it was at the same time for Vista," he said.

Brooke Crothers has served as an editor at large at CNET News, an editor at Dow Jones' Asian Wall Street Journal Weekly, and a senior editor at InfoWorld. His CNET blog covers chip technology and computer systems, and how they define the computing experience. He also contributes to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. Follow Brooke on Twitter @mbrookec.


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by baggyguy1218 May 17, 2009 2:03 PM PDT
Send in the Mac clowns...
Reply to this comment
by ckh1272 May 17, 2009 2:10 PM PDT
"by baggyguy1218 May 17, 2009 2:03 PM PDT
Send in the Mac clowns..."

The Windows clowns are already here I see.
by t8 May 17, 2009 2:48 PM PDT
What about the Web clowns?
After all that is the only platform that matters and all you need is a browser.
The OS is becoming irrelevant by the day.
by Perry_Clease May 17, 2009 3:38 PM PDT
"What about the Web clowns?
After all that is the only platform that matters and all you need is a browser."

And a connection, which may not be there when you need it.
by mikestatic1 May 17, 2009 3:44 PM PDT
I see the "I have nothing of value to say" clown started the thread
by slickuser May 17, 2009 8:13 PM PDT
Here is pricing Microsoft should seriously consider:

Windows 7 Crap Starter's Edition - $9.99
Windows 7 Crappier Edition - $14.99
Windows 7 Crappiest Edition - $19.99

Windows Vista Ultimate Crap Edition owners should get Windows 7 Crappiest Edition for free
by Vegaman_Dan May 17, 2009 9:45 PM PDT
@slickuser:



Could you be any less useful with your comments? [CNET editors' note: Personal attack deleted.]
by slickuser May 17, 2009 10:16 PM PDT
open vmmreg32.dll in hex editor. The resource section says Windows Vista SP3!

I've been warning people that Windows 7 is nothing but Vista SP3. Microsoft is just
screwing consumers...
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 6:40 AM PDT
slickuser @ :"Well, my comments are idiotic or not, I dont care"

You wouldn't would you?
Apple zombies are not known for having any sense whatsoever.

slickuser @ :"The pricing I posted is the reasonable price
for Windoze"

That's rich coming from an idiot that keeps paying a fortune for the overpriced, unerpowered crap from Apple, that can't run even one tenth the applications that a Windows PC can run.
Apple moron: "Hey look at me. i look cute because I paid a fortune for an idiotoc logo"
a fool and his money are soon parted.
by Super2online May 18, 2009 6:42 AM PDT
@slickuser

I hope you stop the personal attacks on Windows 7. That's what Apple fanboys do these days out of frustration that Microsoft is putting out an excellent OS. An OS they find difficult to bash and convert users from because of all the positive press relagating them to nothing but mindless dribble.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 6:47 AM PDT
@t8

In a virtual world where others control your data this is a great model. Put it all on the net and trust in others.

You can do that just as you point out. Some don't mind doing that wiht their data. Others worked too hard and for too long to evre give anyone that much control.
See more comment replies
by Mweaver2k9 May 17, 2009 2:07 PM PDT
Great! If there is one thing that will stop me from purchasing Win 7, it's the gosh darn price. Please M$, don't screw over your customers during this recession. Be smart, avoid piracy and increase sells by putting a respectful price tag on the flavors...
Reply to this comment
by timber2005 May 17, 2009 2:41 PM PDT
If only we could convince gas providers to do the same.
by Maccess May 17, 2009 6:14 PM PDT
It's called stiffing the customer. There's plenty of pent-up demand for Windows 7 because of the disappointment with Vista, so they up the price, or make so many versions that the one with features you'll need (many of which were standard with the single version of Windows 98SE), costs way more.

Businesses didn't want Vista becaue it breaks many of their applications, so provide downgrade rights to XP, but only for a more expensive version of Vista (Vista Business), which many laptops don't ship with, unless its a made for buisness model.

Home Users and Consumers can get stuck with Vista Home Basic, or they can buy XP at full retail price. But wait, they didn't exactly fall for that, they went for netBooks with XP.

Well, if that's what customers want, let's give them cheap XP, but let's tell the OEMs that they can't ship with more than 1GB of RAM (even if the computer can handle up to the 3GB limit of XP), or have a processor faster than 1.66Ghz, or have more than one Core.
by Hernys May 17, 2009 6:25 PM PDT
A reqasonable request, but if you think like a businessman, you'll see it is unlikely to happen.
Let's say at current prices adoption is at 30% in the long run (a VERY conservative estimate), with the rest divided between people that stay at XP, pirates and people using other platforms.
Now, drop the price in half. You might see an increased adoption by those three groups, let's say the price drop is so succesful that half the people in those groups buys 7 (which is extremely ambitious considering the many reasons why someone might not upgrade, of which price is only one).
In that scenario, Microsoft would still be making less money (considering cost of goods, distribution, support and retailer margins) than if they maintained current price. So even under the most optimistic scenarios, a price drop is unlikely to make commercial sense.
Now, if adoption was really, really low (even lower than with Vista) it might make sense to lower the price. But with an even moderate success, it is really unlikely.
by lakorai2 May 17, 2009 8:02 PM PDT
Buy OEM copies or do volume licensing or an Open Value agreement with Microsoft. No one in professional IT pays anywhere near full retail for their software or hardware for that matter. I would suggest buying an OEM copy on newegg.com or zipzoomfly or amazon.com. An OEM copy of Vista Ultimate X64 on Newegg.com right now is going for like $180, far cheaper than the $399 retail. YOu could also just get an academic copy of Home Premium for $80 on JourneyEd. Don't have a college ID? Sign up for a cheapo class, get a ID and you're set.

Never pay retail on ANYTHING. SMART consumers shop around and never pay full MSRP.
by odubtaig May 18, 2009 5:16 AM PDT
Although if you're real lucky you'll be at an academic institution with a MSDNAA agreement in which case you'll be able to get it for free.
by revengeofthecow May 18, 2009 9:31 AM PDT
@odubtaig

That happens sometimes. I just graduated from the University of Miami and I used to work in their Tech Product Center. We had download links for the .iso files of Vista Ultimate, XP Professional, and Office 2003 and 2007 all available for free download. Unfortunately many of the students didn't know about this and so didn't take advantage of it.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:11 AM PDT
Nothing like making us pay a higher price for MS misdecisions with Vista. Since 7 is what Vista was supposed to be, you would think they could charge us what they did with Vista when we got what didn't work to begin with.

Well heck they should obliterate Vista and call 7 SP3 and get that era over with.
by aMUSICsite May 19, 2009 3:11 AM PDT
Well they have to make back all that money they lost on Vista bombing out... I guess we better not call it a hidden Windows tax not should we.
by shadfurman May 20, 2009 2:28 AM PDT
I don't know what you ppl are ******* about, MS makes a decent OS and they should put whatever price they value on it. If you don't like it, go get a different OS. Its not THAT big of an expenditure when you consider how much you spend on a proc or a new graphics card. And during a recession is a great time to up the price of a percieved commodity. I don't know why, but people spend more on them during a recession. We can speculate on MS decisions all day, but fact is they have smarter ppl than anyone on here working on this stuff, there is a reason MS makes billions and nobody on here does.
by pentest May 20, 2009 1:04 PM PDT
"Although if you're real lucky you'll be at an academic institution with a MSDNAA agreement in which case you'll be able to get it for free."

Yeah, I got Xp, Vista, VS 2003 & 2008, Project, MSSQL Server and few more things for free through MSDNAA.

Too bad they are still overpriced.
by jture May 17, 2009 2:18 PM PDT
How about not having 'flavors' at all? Micro$oft went overboard with too many varieties of Vista and clearly haven't learned their lesson. Windows XP came in "home" and "pro" - that's enough. Actually, it's one too many. Just have Windows 7, period.
Reply to this comment
by BigGuns149 May 17, 2009 3:23 PM PDT
I disagree with you on XP. Two editions I think is the right number for a desktop OS. Most home users for the lack of a better word are cheap and you could give a two hour presentation showing them all the advantages of the higher tier features and most wouldn't care even if they had a use for the feature(eg. encryption). They want to pay as little as possible.

Business users within reason CAN be convinced to spend more if they are convinced that a more expensive option is worth the expense. A lot of medium and large business customers ARE willing to spend more for a pricier business version to get Active Directory, Domain based networking, drive encryption, etc. Microsoft's success at getting enterprise customers to pay for it bears out the rationale of a business version in addition to the consumer version. If there was only one version Microsoft would either have to make the one version more expensive than the home version in order to make up for lost revenue from business customers(I'm sure all the cnet users who are overwhelmingly home users wouldn't like this) or they would lose money on business customers spending less, which isn't going to happen.

One doesn't need an MBA to realize that market differentiation makes sense for maximizing profits. Merely because one can go overboard with product differentiation (ie. Vista) doesn't mean that the general concept is bad.
by pithenumber May 17, 2009 3:30 PM PDT
XP had more than 2, remember Media Center? starter? what about tablet pc?
by protagonistic May 17, 2009 3:36 PM PDT
I have to say this is one area where I think Apple gets it and MS doesn't. If I could buy a full copy of Windows 7 ultimate, which is arguably the equivalent of Leopard, I would more than likely buy it to put on my PC just to have it available. But I see no purpose in buying a watered down upgrade only version for that price.
by derilium May 17, 2009 4:02 PM PDT
I think three should be good.

One optimized for desktop
One optimized for laptops
One with very basic features
by Hernys May 17, 2009 6:32 PM PDT
SOme people say "lower the prices". Others say "eliminate "flavors". Do you realize that if Microsoft eliminated flavors, they would have to either:
a) charge everyone the most expensive price, and lost a hughe chunk of sales, alienate users and disrupt the market.
b) charge everyone the least expensive price, and reduce their earnings in half (or more).
or
c) charge something in between, and lost some sales, lost some earnings and still don't have any upside other than some good PR?
What you say is nice, but not well thought of. Askign for a single Windows 7 is like asking Volkswagen to sell just one car. In a market that's price sensitive but that has widely varying buying power (from corporations able to pay a thousand per seat to students that can only afford to spend $30 on software) product segmentation is the only sensible strategy.
Maybe seven editions is too much, but two is too litle, and one is suicidal.
You need to have an entry level offering for those that need the security and adaptability of a new OS. You need a high end product to be able to squeeze a few extra dollars for those that can pay a lot (such as those paying $2000 for a new high end machine, where the cost of the OS wouldn't make a difference). You need a mid range product for the majority. And you might even need a separate OS for corporations that can pay a lot more, and that need special enterprise related features.
Do any less than that and you are missing sales or losing money.
by BigGuns149 May 17, 2009 10:24 PM PDT
@pithenumber: There were actually 5 versions of XP just in the USA: Home, Pro, Tablet, Media Center, and Pro x64. Add the Starter edition and the N editions in Europe and there were plenty of editions of XP, but that didn't bother too many people.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:13 AM PDT
@protagonistic

Good point. Point to Mac. Vista Ultimate has a leg up on OS X but OS X covers all the bases save one that Ultimate does (Bitlocker). I'm sure Snow Leapard will have that gap fixed.
by kevinskrause May 18, 2009 11:21 AM PDT
@BigGuns
Concerning market differentiation; the Undercover Economist would suggest that Microsoft isn't looking for clientele that is willing to pay more; but rather; clientele that doesn?t care. Bargaining power comes through scarcity. Check out the menu/prices at your favorite coffee shop, or product selection at the local grocery store. Ask yourself, ?do I feel more special because I have a different colored powder in my white mocha vs café mocha??; or more importantly, ?do I really care about the $0.20 price difference??
by pentest May 20, 2009 1:05 PM PDT
The funny thing is that it costs MS more money to remove features on the lower end versions. Why spend extra to charge less.

MS idiocy in action.
by gerrrg May 17, 2009 2:22 PM PDT
I'm still on XP Pro, but am hoping to upgrade to 7. Just such a hassle to be facing this impending change with all the time involved and cost.

It's an awful shame that Windows is going to charge more for replacing an OS (Vista) that should have never been released in the first place.
Reply to this comment
by HlLLARY CLITON May 17, 2009 2:33 PM PDT
Windows 7 is more expensive than many of the computers it will go on
Reply to this comment
by Hernys May 17, 2009 6:34 PM PDT
How? The OEM licenses rarely cost more than $50 for the high end. I haven't seen any laptops at that price point.
If you are buying retail, that's another history, but you don't buy a retail version of Windows to put on a newly acquired netbook.
by Chapmaniac May 17, 2009 9:37 PM PDT
And your alternative would be...?
Bite the bullet - Windows 7 is going to be everywhere so you might as well get on with it.
by aMUSICsite May 19, 2009 3:16 AM PDT
I think people who say go get an OEM licenses are missing the point....

Average consumer walks into a store and says 'I want to try out this Windows 7'
Looks at reatail box on shelf and sees the price.
Looks at computer next to box and say 'How can they charge more for this than a new machine costs'

You would have to say they would have a point. If the selling point is it's cheap if you bend the rules then it's not cheap.
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 2:44 PM PDT
I was afraid of this, but its really not going to stop me from getting Windows 7.
Reply to this comment
by sharmajunior May 17, 2009 2:49 PM PDT
Here it goes. All over the place there were reports and rumors of Windoes 7 being competitvely priced and here's Dell telling us that the licensng options are more expensive than vista. I don't get one thing, how can windows 7 which has a similar base as vista and took less time to develop as compared to vista more expensive and at a time like this.

I think MIcrosoft wants to go out with a bang. A bang that not many people will hear. If they want to keep their Vista users (I am not talking about the average consumer who deals with the GUI) happy and give everyone another chance at it, they should perhaps bring down the upgrade price. I don't think anyone wants to pay over 200 dollars for an upgrade especially at an OEM like Dell and let alone retail pricing. Its like a terrbile bite in the @ss as they take your money away.

I would say a family pack such as the OSx family pack would make sense. THey had separate licenses for a limited time but they discontinued it.
Reply to this comment
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 3:41 PM PDT
just as was done with vista I feel we will get OEM copys too, which will only cost a fraction of what the real retail price is. I think I will start out low and upgrade as the money becomes available.
by Hernys May 17, 2009 6:37 PM PDT
Why would price have anything to do with development cost?
Price should be related to value. And it is clear that Windows 7 will be worth much more to customers than Vista was.
I don't know if raising the price is a good move or not for them, but if the product is worth it, people will buy it.
by Art Dir May 19, 2009 1:17 PM PDT
Hernys Wrote:

Price should be related to value. And it is clear that Windows 7 will be worth much more to customers than Vista was.
------------------------

Mac user here (not interested in Mac vs Windows pissing contest)

If Apple started offering multi-tiered, variably priced versions of OS X that were confusing as to what exactly you get for your money to boot, they would really damage their brand horribly.

Many people use Vista and love it. Unfortunately, I know way too many Vista users with maddening experiences. MS almost comes out and says Vista was basically a Windows 7 beta. So you pay for Vista, use it with all it's short comings and frustrations (if that has been your experience, and it has been for many) while waiting with baited breath for 7. Then when 7 finally comes out, it's priced higher because it's so much 'better' than Vista. Well, if Vista has been the bane of your life for a while, having to pay a higher price for 7, which is what Vista in many ways should have been in the first place with regard to stability, you may feel you're paying a higher price for a 'fixed' version (7) of a 'broken' product (Vista) you had to pay for as if it was new and improved to begin with, when really it was new and in-progress.

Given Windows commercials targeting Apple's prices, they run the risk of emphasizing that the most unreasonably priced element of owning a PC, is not the PC, it's the MS part of the package. This is more mud in your eye given the recession. I just don't get MS's reasoning. It's like they're dead set on pissing off their customers instead of boosting their own image.

The best thing they could do is offer one fully featured product priced between the current high-end and the current low-end. First off?no confusion about which version to buy for your customers, or risking they end up feeling the victim of bait and switch if they find they need to upgrade later. People who would have bought the bottom end will have to pay a little more, but they'll feel like their getting something for nothing when they get all the features at the "middle" price. People at the middle will feel good about getting the top end for no extra charge. People who would have bought the high-end will jump quicker to get the new 'discounted price.'

I think the fear for MS is that it would cost volume on the low-end. I think it would increase sales in total. The middle and high end people will jump to 7 faster, and the low-end will feel like their flying in first-class at business class prices. The key being that 7 needs to be stable so everyone will feel good about the new version and the new single price.

Perceived value is not based on price alone. Paying more to get something your ultimately happy with is far better than paying less for something you regret buying at all, later. MS never seems to get this important point about how valuable the customer experience as the driving force behind what the customer is willingness to pay, and the case of MS, how fast they choose to adopt the new product. Even the most budget conscious consumer does not always think cheaper is better. Feeling like your "getting what you paid for" and what you got was good is always better for customer and seller alike.
by shadfurman May 20, 2009 2:40 AM PDT
@art
Apple doesn't need to sell different versions cause its apple hardware running apple software. Its a simpler ecosystem of technology and users. I hate the pissing contests too cause as companies they really are not comparable. And where they ARE comparable they're just different styles of the same thing. And what kind of bigot goes around dogging on ppls style difference. (I'm a little guilty of adding my 2 cents to feature wars) regardless, Windows 7 will sell for expensive cause people will buy it, and no one will even notice in a few years. With the rate of inflation and the increasing cost of development and the economic loss on vista, its no big supprise, and if we want to continue having MS products then we've gotta buy um anyway. (and for others, don't bother saying "we don't want MS products", cause I DO want MS products and think they're fantastic. So shutup.)
by punterjoe May 17, 2009 2:50 PM PDT
Win7 may be pricier than it's Vista equivalent, but considering the vast difference in performance and user experience, the price difference may be worth it. Let's hope MS allows an affordable entry point and maybe an upgrade path so Win7 home/personal users can add additional features as they choose.
Reply to this comment
by Pishkado May 17, 2009 3:31 PM PDT
Comparing it to Vista proves nothing. If it did, all a company would have to do to justify any price for anything would be to precede it with an unacceptable product. Then it could say "well, considering the vast difference between [that disaster] and this in whatever, the price difference of our new one is worth it." If you want to justify anything, compare it with XP.
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 3:37 PM PDT
@pishkado:
no, if you want to justify anything, compare it to win2000
by bigpicture May 17, 2009 6:11 PM PDT
Give your head a shake. MS charge a reasonable price for anything?? They are loosing the mobile market share, they are loosing the internet search market share, so they will really put it to whoever is stupid enough to stick with their OS.

The hardware OEMs might be able to leverage some rate concessions by using some Linux version as a threat like they did with the notebooks. That is why Dell is price posturing now.
by twburger May 17, 2009 2:55 PM PDT
I have been beta testing Windows 7 for several months and it works OK. Basically, it's a fixed Vista. However, it offers me nothing I can't get from XP or Linux. It does have a propensity for not supporting older hardware and demanding some fairly high end graphics hardware in order to play the games that were included. I have no plans to buy it or use W7.
Reply to this comment
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 3:34 PM PDT
by your logic i can say linux offers me nothing win98 doesn't. correct? tell me which older hardware that you're using that it doesn't support.....unless you're using something from windows 95 dates which by now needs to be thrown out. (just incase you were not talking about win7, please make your statements clear next time because I don't know if you're talking about xp,linux, or win7)
[CNET editor's note: Profane language deleted.]
by Kwasiowusu May 17, 2009 8:59 PM PDT
@v twburger:" Basically, it's a fixed Vista. However, it offers me nothing I can't get from XP or Linux. "

Right off the bat, Windows 7 runs a heck of a lot more applications than any Linux does. Not to mention Win 7 will play most of the top games from the top games publishers, which Linux won't.
You have it the other way round, dude.
I can run a heck of a lot more apps on Win 7, and have more devices run run on Win 7, than any iteration of linux. Why the heck would I waste my time on Linux or the mac for that matter?
by docster87 May 17, 2009 11:24 PM PDT
@lennie22,
If old hardware is paid for, functions, and basically works - then why exactly should it be thrown out? Just cause it is old? I gather you are the market that MS is aiming for, a person willing to waste top dollar money just for something new & shiny. I get that you don't follow twburger's logic, but I fail to follow your logic...
by docster87 May 17, 2009 11:30 PM PDT
@kwasiowusu,
I believe the comment you put down was talking about HARDWARE and drivers, NOT SOFTWARE and apps. I'm glad you are not wasting your time with Linux or Mac since I doubt you could understand either, you didn't even understand the comment you disagreed with.

Computers can do more, way more, than merely play fancy games. Glad you are a MS fan.
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 6:58 AM PDT
@ docster87: " believe the comment you put down was talking about HARDWARE and drivers, NOT SOFTWARE and apps."

Huh?
A Win 7 PC is BOTH hardware and software. More than that, Win 7 runs faster, smoother and better on ANY hardware than Vista does.
Don't try and change the subject.

@ docster87: I'm glad you are not wasting your time with Linux or Mac since I doubt you could understand either,"

Is that why most computer uers on this planet have rejected Linux and the mac?
Most of the computer using population on this planet (over 90% as a matter of fact), are just too plain "dumb" to understand the "oh so sophisticated" Linux and apple macs, that is why (being smart) they save themselves a fortune and overwhelmingly buy Windows PC's, and leave the stupid 2.9% of computer buyers on the planet, to overpay for a logo, and kid themselves that they are somehow cute and "hip".
It's always a laugh to see those idiotic wannabe Apple poseurs around town, packing their overpeiced funny little toys. They look so darn silly.
As it turns out, a recent study found out that most apple user are in reality, neither cute nor hip.

@ docster87:" you didn't even understand the comment you disagreed with."

Oh yes I do.
You on the other hand, don't have a clue what you are talking about, or maybe you do and are deliberately changing the subject.

@ docster87:" Computers can do more, way more, than merely play fancy games."

Computers are multi-purpose devices. Playing great, AAA games is a very important reason why millions buy computers. To go pay twice as much for an apple mac, which can't even run most of the AAA games out there, is not only silly, it doesn't make much sense.
by docster87 May 18, 2009 10:42 AM PDT
@Kwasiowusu, the comment was on win7 not supporting older hardware, and right off the bat your comment jumps into how win7 runs a heck of a lot more applications than Linux... So I really don't understand how you can claim I'm an idiot for trying to switch the topic since you were never on topic under this comment (in my idiot opinion).
I don't need a system that can run millions of apps, I just need one that runs the few tasks I need. I'm so glad you need personal attacks and name calling to build an argument, I'll try my best to merely switch topics without degrading you or other MS users.
I use a Mac mainly for its ability to multimedia edit and create. In the decade before switching I wasted a ton of money trying to upgrade MS machines to do what I discovered my underpowered Mac could do right out of the box with the included software. Playing games is nice, but way down on my list of what I need my computer to do.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:17 AM PDT
@Kwasiowusu

If you can't think of where Linux or OS X is better than XP/Vista 7, then you really can't speak to the subject. They both have advantages over 7, while 7 has a few advantages over Linux and OS X.
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 11:19 AM PDT
@ docster87 :"the comment was on win7 not supporting older hardware,"

What "older hardware" is that?
I installed Win 7 on my 5 year old HP laptop, without any problems, and it's running better than Vista/XP ever did on that same laptop.

@ docster87 :"and right off the bat your comment jumps into how win7 runs a heck of a lot more applications than Linux"

Read up, pal.
The original post said : "However, it offers me nothing I can't get from XP or Linux."

To which I replied, "right off the bat, Win 7 runs a hack of a lot more applications than Linix or the Mac.
That is enough reason to use Win 7, instead of the mac or Linux for over 90% of consumers, who chose Windows over the mac or Linux so they can run applications they need to run. A computer is but a tool. You buy it to run applicatiions you want to run. you don't buy it to look "cool" or be 'with it".
Get it?
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 11:27 AM PDT
@ by Renegade Knight :"
If you can't think of where Linux or OS X is better than XP/Vista 7, then you really can't speak to the subject."

Are you kidding me?
Lemme know when you get back from screwball land will you?

@ by Renegade Knight:" They both have advantages over 7, while 7 has a few advantages over Linux and OS X"

You got it the other way round. Win 7/XP/Vista have vast advantages over Linux/OS X(Win/7/Vista/XP run every application consumers need for starters, which is what buying a computer is all about for most consumers), while Linux/OS X has very very few advanges over Win 7/XP/Vista. That is why 90% of computer users on the planet have CHOSEN to buy windows PC's instead of OSX or Linux PC's.
Consuners have to work hard for their money, and they know best how to spend ther hard eraned money on computers, not some wild eyed open source fanatic or Apple rent boy.
by monkeyfun14 May 18, 2009 1:22 PM PDT
@docster

There isn't much hardware Win 7 doesn't support a fact about Linux though is its a pain in the ass to get the hardware to work properly.
See more comment replies
by 1812dave May 17, 2009 2:58 PM PDT
"Vast" difference??? Not on the several PC's I've loaded Win7 on. It's a little bit faster but nothing to write home about. No WAY will I pay hundreds of dollars to go from Vista to 7, despite liking 7 a lot. That doesn't mean I'm going to pay a high price to switch to it. Some of you folks have got a lot more money to blow than I do, I suppose! Besides, for me, it's a matter of principle to not be ripped off repeatedly by MS. Vista users should get one hell of a price break for a Win 7 license--in fact it should be less than $50, considering how sucky pre-SP1 Vista was.
Reply to this comment
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 3:26 PM PDT
I don't blow money my friend, and the only thing I blow is air. so if you blow money....any kind of money thats you're problem.

and "less than $50" is rediculous. and yes Win7 is something to write home about, its more than a "fixed" vista to me.

I can see gizmodo the msft hating tards are gonna take this story and explode with it.
by Mergatroid Mania May 17, 2009 5:14 PM PDT
I agree, MS has always charged too much for it's new OSs. I didn't buy Vista, and if they don't do something about the price I doubt I'll buy W7 either.

That's too bad. I was sort of looking forward to something new that didn't suck from MS, but looks like I'll have to wait some more. Seems like some of these companies believe people are made of money. Perhaps the bankers and real estate people maybe, but not most of the rest of us.
by docster87 May 17, 2009 11:39 PM PDT
MacOSX has a built in dictionary that spell checks in real time if one is in a web browser, word editor, spreadsheet, or even a game (oh, forgot, Mac's have ZERO games)... I know XP didn't have such technology and I doubt if Vista has it, and since so many people merely play games with their computers (rather than a gaming console) I doubt if for any price Win7 has an OS wide dictionary feature. I guess that is why so many students and creative types enjoy OSX.

"Rediculous" indeed. Just one little thing Mac's can do that MS hasn't figured out.
by lennie22 May 18, 2009 2:17 AM PDT
@dockstar87:
well I have iespell enabled but I really couldn't bother correcting anything as I was just trying to get my point out pretty fast.

I it really doesn't need to be system wide, just where it counts the most.
by ReVeLaTeD May 18, 2009 12:58 PM PDT
And the reason most users won't see a benefit of going to Win7 is simple.

Windows 7 makes more efficient use of back-end hardware limitations, such as low RAM. If you're running a computer that was "barely sufficient" to run Vista, you're likely to see a substantial improvement in performance if you go to Windows 7. Especially those computers with the horrendous Intel video chipset where Vista Premium was effectively massaged to run with Aero, Windows 7 will likely run without a hitch and faster than you'd imagined.

If you have a computer that was high end to begin with, there's no clear reason to make the jump for the price they're going to ask. You will NOT see an appreciable difference in performance. I have a Gateway FX p7805u laptop, Centrino 2, 4GB RAM, nVidia 9800 GT video card, all the bells and whistles...and I find no real benefit to Windows 7 that would warrant its purchase at this time. About the only feature Windows 7 has that I want is the whole "library" concept, of organizing links to groupings of information wherever they might be - a catalog of sorts. I've wanted something like that since Windows 95. But I wouldn't pay the full price for a new OS just for that feature. If they offer an upgrade for less than $150 I'll consider it.

People have to think about this: IF your computer is so much crap that your Vista is barely running, rather than spend upwards of $400-$600 on a new OS, why not just invest that money in a decent PC? You can get a high end machine for $600 these days which comes with Vista, and you'll see the improved performance.
by Randall Lind May 17, 2009 3:11 PM PDT
Why would Windows 7 cost more then Vista?
Reply to this comment
by Stormspace May 17, 2009 5:51 PM PDT
If you mean, "Why would Windows 7 cost more *than* Vista?" it's simple.

MS is trying to make up lost revenue from Visa sales by over charging for 7. MS has been buttering up the media and generating as much hype as they can for Vista v.2.0 and it's worked for them. Where they fail is not in simplifying the number of versions. There should only be one desktop version with everything bundled into it and create installation profiles for laptops, netbooks, media centers, and desktops.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:18 AM PDT
No reason actually.

MicroSoft sold a Broken Vista. Rather than Fix Vista they came out with 7 and then will charge everone for both the Vista that didn't quite do the job and again for 7.
by digiguy23 May 18, 2009 1:26 PM PDT
To replace the money they are spending on the commercials
by Angmarr May 19, 2009 12:27 AM PDT
Because of new features possibly
by shadfurman May 20, 2009 2:56 AM PDT
@Renegade Knight
I disagree with your assersion that Vista was broken, in fact I see very little difference between the Vista release and previous releases as far as its capability for the times. The biggest difference was a very successful (and liable) smear campaign (and issue with the constant changes pre-release so few drivers were ready), but win95 everyone complained about high system requirements and instability. Win98 I actually though was a pretty good release and was pretty much a fix for 95, but there were still a lot of complaints (completely unfounded as far as I could tell) Windows ME... come on, THAT was a joke, everyone I know just bought 2000 and there were MAJOR compatibility issues (most of my games would not run) Windows XP was a good release also, but for those that don't remember it was flagged as a resource hog. Just win2000 with a prettier UI. All kinds of things, and the features were ignored. In fact, by Vista standards XP WAS a resource hog when it was released. And per dollar for a machine that would decently run XP when it was released VS. a machine that would decently run Vista when it came out... a machine for XP cost a LOT more. Givin the time span between the XP and Vista release I was SUPPRISED at how little the run spec had increase.

I would prob still be running XP if Vista hadn't come on my laptop, or if I hadn't been givin two copies at microsoft confrences, but thats not cause I don't like it, but because I don't upgrade till I start seeing age in an OS, and really... XP is only barely starting to show its age, it was a dang good OS.
by lennie22 May 17, 2009 3:28 PM PDT
its easy to buy home premium then upgrade when the money is right to ultimate. problem solved. most people are thinking that you have to plunk down the all the money one time. you can basically pay for it in installments.
Reply to this comment
by rorosdad May 19, 2009 3:10 PM PDT
So, you are saying that I should finance an OS? It is just a piece of software not a car or a house. Face the fact that MS overcharges for everything. I can get Linux for free and OS X for $79.00 but if I want the "best" (sic..) operating system around I need to either get a loan to finance it or do without. Please....
by shadfurman May 20, 2009 2:58 AM PDT
@rorosdad Then go do it dude, no ones forcing you to buy MS. For one of the most important components of your computer, your sure expecting little.
by Angmarr May 17, 2009 3:34 PM PDT
this should be interesting, 1 Dell marketing analyst doesn't predict everything, but we'll see.
Reply to this comment
by Angmarr May 17, 2009 3:38 PM PDT
oh and considering how PC hardware prices keep dropping like every few months the balancing of software vs. hardware should be interesting too. Its gonna be exciting!
by mikestatic1 May 17, 2009 3:47 PM PDT
My company hasn't gone to Vista and I'm not sure what the plan is for Windows 7... but XP won't live forever. Price barriers may delay implementation (2,000+ employees), but its got to happen sometime. It may as well be now...
Reply to this comment
by Maclover1 May 17, 2009 5:52 PM PDT
Your company probably owns Vista and will own 7 if they have software insurance or an Enterprise agreement.

My company owns has an Enterprise agreement and we are on XP, 2003 server, Exchange 2003, MOM 2005, and we just removed SMS even though we could have went with SCCM. Often its the time and resources needed to migrate that stops everything. All of what I listed, works fine so the incentive to upgrade it all is not there currently as we always have plenty to do.

We will go to 7, probably around this time next year as XP is getting long in the tooth. However I will upgrade our AD domain to 2008 R2, before we do that. No since in having 7 on the desktop with out being able to use all of the new AD features that work with 2008 and 7.
by trose009 May 17, 2009 4:07 PM PDT
Ok. For the sake of this discussion can we stop comparing Windows 7 tiered set-up to Mac's one size fits all set-up?

As far as computers are concerned Microsoft is still primarily a software provider, not a hardware manufacturer. It's okay for Apple to just do a one-sized fits all since they make bank off of their hardware, not their software. It'd be like saying Apple should just make one Mac desktop and one Mac laptop.
Reply to this comment
by docster87 May 17, 2009 11:55 PM PDT
while I didn't like what trose009 wrote, it did make a lot of sense. Mac can sell a one size fits all OS since they 100% control the hardware setups that it'll run on, and Mac is making money off of their hardware sells, so they should be able to sell new OS's cheaper...
Since MS doesn't get any computer hardware sells, they really need to provide multiple versions. That way they get the extra bonus money from those that need the absolute best while keeping the market that just can't afford more than a basic OS - and the more tiers the more customers and money MS can rake in.
Don't like it, but it does make sense to me now.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:21 AM PDT
@docster87

The code is already written. It's a sunk cost. They could charge the same price for 7 and sell 1 version and call it a day. Instead they spin it out as multiple versions set multiple prices and force a situation where all programmers have to program for the Lowest Common Denominator. 7 Basic when maybe they could have done a better job with tooks available in 7 Ultimate.

MicroSoft could have just charged more for the only 7 version over the teird 7 versions and made up the difference and not have a lot of customers buy the wrong one for the job.
by ikramerica--2008 May 18, 2009 1:20 PM PDT
Makes no sense. Why cripple your software? Mac OS X has two flavors: Consumer and Server. It comes in multiple pricing plans: individual ($129) and family ($199 for five licenses) for Consumer version, then 10-license ($499) and unlimited ($999) for Server.

What is really going on is that retail customers are paying for customer support from MS. OEM copies don't offer customer support (you must go through the box builder), corporate licensing means the IT department provides support.

What Dell is griping about is that their OEM license cost is going up compared to Vista. They could give a rat's butt about retail.
by axemaster20 May 17, 2009 4:16 PM PDT
"Pricing aside, Ward said momentum behind Windows 7 is big compared with Vista."

Less because W7 is expected to be good, and more because Vista was bad. I have Vista, and provided W7 actually works and is stable (a tall order for Micro$oft), I'll be switching simply for the purpose of dumping Vista.

Nevertheless, it's probably the last time I'll ever install Windows as my primary OS. I'll be running it virtualized out of the nice, stable Mac OS from now on. That way I can kill it whenever I see fit (probably often).
Reply to this comment
by DHLC May 17, 2009 4:21 PM PDT
Does anyone care to compare the feature/cost/value proposition of Win 7 vs. Ubuntu 9.04 (KDE or Gnome)? I am just askin'?
Reply to this comment
by bigpicture May 17, 2009 6:19 PM PDT
You are asking this to a bunch of rabid Microsofties? That's like disagreeing with a soccer fan in South America.
by Kwasiowusu May 17, 2009 9:15 PM PDT
@ DHLC :"Does anyone care to compare the feature/cost/value proposition of Win 7 vs. Ubuntu 9.04 (KDE or Gnome)? I am just askin'?"

Right off the bat Win 7 wins..cause it can run your vital business applications from the get go, not to mention it has device drivers for practically every device out there. Why go for an Ubunta which won't even run the essential applicatioins you need to run your business, and which is going to give you device driver hell?
A computer is but a tool. You buy it to help you do something, not to fight OS wars. Most consumesr don't give 2 hoots about OS wars or linux.
Whan are the open source crazies going to get that into their thick heads?
by lordmorgul May 17, 2009 11:41 PM PDT
"device driver hell? "

You clearly know nothing about modern linux.
by gsekse May 18, 2009 3:21 AM PDT
You know it's interesting about the whole "Linux doesn't run anything" hype. Recently, I decided to install a PopCap game; The new Plants Vs Zombies game. So I downloaded the trial, clicked on install, my STANDARD unaltered version of Wine started it up in windows mode (all on default settings) with no problems. I liked the game and registered it the same way and have been playing it since. Now I DO run a higher level graphics card which probably is why it works well in Linux. I find that more and more things run naturally in Wine than ever before. The only thing I have not BOTHERED to run is office. I find Open Office to be better. This was proven when my boss couldn't open an older version of a file in office, but then I opened it with Open Office. Every file I have been sent that opens in office, will open in Open Office and work fine. I have not bothered to run WOW on Linux. When I run Guild Wars, I boot to XP, That is the ONLY time I boot to XP. For no other reason do I leave the ubuntu environment.
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 7:55 AM PDT
@ blordmorgul : ""device driver hell? "
You clearly know nothing about modern linux"

Oh yes I do.
"Modern" Linux, like "ancient" linux, has nightmarish device driver support, certainly not even cloose to the device driver support that Windows has.
It's one of the reasons over 90% of computer buyers CHOOSE to avoid the nightmare that Linux is, and choose Windows instead.
by Stormspace May 18, 2009 8:25 AM PDT
I run guild wars in wine on my sempron 2400 and 128MB geforce2 card. I get about 12 fps which is about a third of what I get running in windows, but I find it passable enough to play without a reboot.
by Stormspace May 18, 2009 8:32 AM PDT
@gsekse

I run guild wars in wine on my sempron 2400 and 128MB geforce2 card. I get about 12 fps which is about a third of what I get running in windows, but I find it passable enough to play without a reboot.

Also, in an enterprise environment MS Office scripts are very common for manipulating data, making connections to thrid party applications, and for small custom applications written with VBA. Open Office can't replicate those features and thus the entire idea of Linux in the workplace fails. Office also does not work in WINE last time I checked due to issues with OLE. OOo needs to work on a replacement for VBA, or some type of VBA implementation in order to make most Office docs convert, and even then connectors designed for Peoplesoft, Oracle, and the like may still not work.
by yacahuma May 18, 2009 8:53 AM PDT
WOW, Kwasiowusu, you obviously smoke MS dump. Let me tell you a little story. I have a Gateway MT 6460. It came with vista. I had to upgrade to Xp. The problems was getting drivers for all the hardware. Not even the ethernet card was recognized by the standard Xp. Ubuntu 9 recognized everything and it installed really fast. If MS ever releases a Office for Linux(or people move to Open Office), there will be absolutely no reason to keep buying MS crap.
by Kwasiowusu May 18, 2009 10:23 AM PDT
@ yacahuma :" Let me tell you a little story. I have a Gateway MT 6460. It came with vista. I had to upgrade to Xp.....Not even the ethernet card was recognized by the standard Xp. Ubuntu 9 recognized everything and it installed really fast"

You had to UPgrade Vista to XP?
And Ubuntu recognised network card that XP couldn't?
LMAO!
Now why don't you leave your fairy takes where they belong..in them childrens fairy tale books?
You seem to be pretty good at making things up don't ya?
The fiction department is in the library. This happens to be real life.

@ yacahuma " If MS ever releases a Office for Linux(or people move to Open Office), there will be absolutely no reason to keep buying MS crap"

if if if.
We have been hearing that same garbage about Linux taking out Windows for over 10 years..and after over 10 years in the market, desktop linux is stil stuck at a measly less than 2% of the market.
Hey, are you not the same people who kept claiming that Open Office was "better" than MS Office and it was gonna take out MS Office?
How come you are now yammering on about "if MS Office were on Linux" then?
Go make your own Office suite more consumer friendly. Stop coverting other people's property.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:23 AM PDT
Linux gives you a lot more control. Each generation of windows takes away more of your control over your PC.

That alone should give Linux a leg up for people who believe in security.
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by wahoospa May 17, 2009 4:41 PM PDT
I like Windows 7 very much. I did not like Vista at all. Windows 7 and Vista are almost like twins, (not identical twins) one being the bad one and the other being the nice one and that one having a difference that is really noticeable. I could get along very well using Windows 7. But my use of the computer is limited. I use it to read the news, send and receive email, keep up with what's happening with the internet and the related industries. And occasionally download some files here or there. I don't do any gaming so needing a faster machine/operating system is not a need. My 2.8 ghz P4, 1 meg of ram and Windows XP (bought it when it first hit the shelves) 120 gigabyte hard drive , nvidia 5200 is all I need in the foreseeable future. As for as performance, my hardware and OS is working great. So my demands on a computer system is not all that great. There has to be many others out there with the same uses of their computer, or use their computer less, that do not need to upgrade. I hope to get a couple more years out of what I have because I'm pleased with it. I think XP will do me good for another year or two. So you see not every one wants to or needs to move up to Windows 7 just because it is here and is the greatest system to date. So people please don't get angry with some people that will still be using XP fro a while longer. Heck, I'm still driving my 1999 Chevy Metro. Why should I get a new car when I get 53 miles per gallon, and doesn't use a drop of oil?
Reply to this comment
by Suboculis May 17, 2009 5:07 PM PDT
Windows 7 isnt even close to being twins with Vista. It has a way better taskbar, redesigned media center, service triggering, improved performance for multi core procs. The list goes on and on.
by Renegade Knight May 18, 2009 11:25 AM PDT
Having Run 7 and Vista. Yup,Twins. A couple of skinning features doesn't make it different enough to bother with. Media Center isn't an OS thus they could offer it inside Vista (but likely won't).

When you start with Vista and build 7 out of it. That's going to mean 7 is improved Vista.
by polis12 May 18, 2009 2:30 PM PDT
I am not even going to begin to jump into the Microsoft v. Apple debate at the moment, but seriously, getting 53 mpg on average with a 1999 Chevy Metro is a bold-faced LIE! And if you are using some kind of mpg calculator to keep track, you may want to get it re-calibrated or find a replacement. My father EPA certified that engine and trust me, you are not averaging 53 mpg.
by ecartman0 May 17, 2009 4:56 PM PDT
Well Win7 sure wasn't any faster for me. Matter of fact I kept trying to update Kapersky AV and the darn thing kept freezing. Same with Wow, install went great but update froze the machine. I got a problem with a BETA that I get for free that needs a 50 dollar AV program to run, especially after I hear that the replacement for Windows live will be free. Trying 64 bit tonight but so far Vista works for me, cause I gotta game.
Reply to this comment
by Tedders85 May 17, 2009 6:54 PM PDT
You do realize that there are FREE antivirus programs out there right? AVG works fine for my W7 machine. You cant blame Microsoft for problems with OTHER COMPANIES software. It's up to the other software programs to make sure their programs work.
by sek-oz May 17, 2009 8:31 PM PDT
AVG is fail after v7.5 - our support staff gets tons of calls from people with infected machines shouting "But I've got AVG! Why am I owned??"
by Kwasiowusu May 17, 2009 9:10 PM PDT
@ ecartman0:"Well Win7 sure wasn't any faster for me."

Strange.
Win 7 RC1 has been much faster for me. Even the earlier beta before RC 1 was excellent. I have evsn stopped using Vista altogether in favour of RC1, even if my laptop is dual boot Vista/Win 7 RC1 now.

@ ecartman0:" Matter of fact I kept trying to update Kapersky AV and the darn thing kept freezing. "

Funny. I installed Kapersky AV on several Win 7 computers with no problem whatsoever. Easy as pie.
by BigGuns149 May 18, 2009 11:22 AM PDT
@ Tedders85: Despite all the praises I hear from people about AVG I have met a LOT of people who have been hit by malware that the free version of AVG couldn't remove. While AVG is better than *nothing*, it certainly isn't the fastest AV software (some benchmarks put it slower than Norton!) and it certainly isn't the most comprehensive at removing malicious software.

I hate to break it to some people, but there is some value in buying AV software. Paying for AV software doesn't automatically make one a sucker like some acolytes of AVG's free version seem to think.
by shadfurman May 20, 2009 3:23 AM PDT
@bigguns149 Check some consumer report type reviews of the free AV, pick the top two and install those, manually run them individually, generally gets better coverage than paying for it. Sure its a little more "interactive" but it's also free and your in control more. (I run NOD32, and Avast! but I think there are some new top spot contenders)

Never install Norton, Peter Norton is probably in a constant state of axioty over what symantic has done to his name labled software suite. Norton AV and Norton IS should be considered malware by all definitions. What an ANNOYING program if there ever was one!!!
by dudesmiles May 17, 2009 5:01 PM PDT
hehehe
Reply to this comment
by Reticulata May 18, 2009 4:21 PM PDT
I have to admit... after reading all the comments above and then coming to this one.. I lol'ed a bit.
by Angmarr May 19, 2009 12:28 AM PDT
i second that!
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