Comments on: Holiday PC buyers get Vista upgrade promise

Program lets people buy now, upgrade to Vista later, as Microsoft tries to persuade holdouts to spend during the peak shopping season.

[djysrv1]

VISTA OEM Upgrades and Support

Microsoft's current practice is to charge $35 for each support call if your PC's genuine copy of Windows XP was loaded by an OEM manufacturer or even a 'Mom-and-Pop" PC retailer. People who bought direct from DELL, HP, Gateway, etc., probably can get first tier support for free from these firms. If you bought from "Big Box" home electronics stores or the "Mom-and-Pop" and the store loaded your copy of Windows you do not have the same option.

The so-called upgrade for PCs bought prior to the release of VISTA could put customers in the same situation. If your Windows XP serial number has the string OEM in it, you most likely will be charged for support. If Microsoft wants better market penetration it might consider a different paradigm for support calls than the one we have now.

[Ryo Hazuki]

What's the alternative?

Like what? Paying for every call?

[cnutsucks]

Who the heck buys a PC?

With parts and options being cheaper, why the heck
http://www.teckmagazine.com/content/view/422/43/
would anyone buy a PC from a store when you can build it faster than they can ship it to you?
Build you own PC and flush these companies and their corporate nonsense out of your life.

[solomonrex]

gee... Why wouldn't I buy HP?

I mean, really, if Vista is supposed to be a selling point, why wouldn't every manufacturer offer Vista upgrades for free? Why is it only HP? That doesn't make any sense. It's not like Dell is going to ship PCs with XP next year, so why wouldn't they all have the same deal this year?

Is MS giving HP preferential treatment or what?

[lonny paul]

Preferential Treatment - NO....

Each PC builder chooses their options for Vista upgrades with MS. It's not preferential treatment by MS, but HP of their customers?

[Ryo Hazuki]

Don't need to

Other companies like Dell and Toshiba are doing exactly the same.

[angrykeyboarder]

Why you ask?

Because that't typical Dell. I vowed to not give them any business when they fired their U.S. tech support people and went for tech support from India, instead.

But even before that, their customer sevice went downhill.

Dell is simply more stingy than HP.

I switched to a "System Builder" for my most recent PC purchase. But if I ever decided to consider one of the big-name makers, I'd go with HP.

I bought my Mom a new (replacement) computer for her Birthday. It's an HP. We've been very happy with it so far (14 months). I'm not surprised HP is providing Vista for free.

[zoe000]

OK that is useless...

It is useless. A upgrade coupon. Will is keep my data? Will the system work? Will Microsoft support me if something goes wrong? I have upgraded my Windows OS few times and never without problems.

I think this Christmas it is going to be Apple all around in my family. All the cool stuff of Vista and then some. Here, Now and proven track record on upgrades.

[Ryo Hazuki]

OK you are ignorant...

Maybe it is. For someone like you. Yes, you can upgrade while keeping your data. It has as many chances of working as if you upgrade an Mac. If the upgrade goes wrong of course Microsoft or the PC vendor will give you support because you are entitled to. If you have upgraded your Windows OS few times and never without problems you must have done something wrong or you don't know what you're doing, I have done that too and never with problems. Good luck fixing flaws and vulnerabilities Apple states they don't exist, getting your favourite software to work in OSX and good luck too for the Random Sudden Shutdowns (http://www.macbookrandomshutdown.com). I agree with the "all the cool stuff of Vista and then some": Vista won't have that Random Sudden Shutdowns special feature. Proven track record on upgrades? Good luck for when you want/have to upgrade your Mac hardware (buy another one).

[toosday]

Now I get it!

So HP offers the upgrade for free; Dell charges you $45. Now I get why HP crept pass Dell to become the #1 seller of computers globally.

If this is marketed correctly (and if the upgrade works well), then this is a very good idea. Not as good as getting Vista out in December, but good nonetheless. No other manufacturer has tried this before, right?

[fdunn3]

How Stupid Is This? End users upgrading...

From XP to a whole new major operating system.
This is going to cause such a consumer backlash when "Mommy" goes to install Vista and gets to the point of having to install all new security software because her old AV won't work with the new OS and she is directly connected to the Internet with no router or firewall between.

Not withstanding the security implications there are going to be many many many systems that will wind up having to use their "restore" disk )if they provide one) and the user is going to be happy until they find out that all of their data went away with the restore.

There is going to be such a consumer backlash at both the system Manufacturers and Microsoft since they promised it would eventually be a Vista system only for the consumer to have either a spambot or a non-functioning system.

Please! Anybody that does not know Windows in and out do not take advantage of this offer as you will only be looking at grief and frustration only because Microsoft delayed their product.

[Ryo Hazuki]

Not at all.

Actually "mommy" is more secure with a Vista with no anti-virus software than with XP with anti-virus software (thanks to the changes in the network stack and blocked access to the core level of Windows in Vista) and she won't be connected to the Internet with no firewall because Vista has a 2-way firewall enabled by default. As long as users do things correctly and follow the instrcutions correctly there is no reason to be "many many many" systems that will wind up having to use their "restore" disk. If you think there will be a backslash on Microsoft than I think you are up to a very bad surprise (at leats for you) since they are offering people the chance to upgrade to a more secure, more reliable, better performance OS free of charge (depending on the manufacturer, that is). I am the one who says "please", don't fool people into staying with a much less secure OS just because you don't know how to upgrade one. Anybody that wants a computer should upgrade to Vista as soon as possible, mainly to avoid security problems for them and for others, as simple as that.

[Dalkorian]

like a worm on a hook

Funny how this comes out right after the disgust people are
expressing about the new limits on transferring vista to new
systems. I can hear it from Redmond now ... "hmm, maybe people
won't notice that we've taken over their entire computer and
removed all rights they thought they had over their own equipment
if we promise to give them a deal."

Here fishy fishy fishy ....

[Ryo Hazuki]

Like conspiracy theorist

Funny how if any company in the world (especially holy Apple) starts a campaign where they give something free of charge it obviously has to be something good for the consumer, as noone forces us to get into or follow that campaign, but if it's Microsoft, oh then it's a hook. Whoever takes advantage of this campaign isn't forced to use the upgrade and can install whatever OS one wants to on it, so there goes your conspiracy "hook" theory. Get a life...

[Dalkorian]

like a worm on a hook

Funny how this comes out right after the disgust people are
expressing about the new limits on transferring vista to new
systems. I can hear it from Redmond now ... "hmm, maybe people
won't notice that we've taken over their entire computer and
removed all rights they thought they had over their own equipment
if we promise to give them a deal!"

Here fishy fishy fishy ....

[Dalkorian]

cute

First I get a 404 error, then I get a double posting. Guess what I
had to say was more important than I thought ...

Sorry for the double post folks, business must be up on these
blogs.

[lonny paul]

Can't wait to get it on my PC

I was about to order a new PC today from Systemax and found that they are offering these upgrades as well which are not mentioned in the article.

The full story can be found at http://www.tigerdirectblog.com/2006/10/25/catalog-sneak-preview-free-vista-express-upgrades/

[ServedUp]

Ho Hum..

I don't even see any worthy reason to upgrade just yet.

Theres not even any appz. out for Vista.

But the CNET review of Vista is exactly what I had expected.
I wasn't all impressed with RC1, either. And as far as I've heard
there isn't even any difference between the two versions. From
the beginning I always thought it did a bad imitation of MAC OS
X with less features (not that theres anything wrong with that)
but it does have a DOS like kind of feel to it. I thought I was the
only one that noticed.

BUT.... it is more steady & secure than XP and Aero is an
improvement over Luna. Sadly, the only two really good reasons
to upgrade.

But when I do end up buying it.

It'll be running on my Mac Pro alongside XP, Linux and OSX set
as my default of course. Thank God for BOOTCAMP!!