Vista price cut

[Camy]

Microsoft has said it plans to cut the cost of its Windows Vista operating system sold at retail outlets. Although no exact date has yet been given, Microsoft said price cuts would be introduced in 70 countries.

In the US, the cost of the most expensive version, Vista Ultimate, will be reduced to $319 (?161) from the current retail price of $399. Analysts said Microsoft was aiming to boost the number of customers upgrading to Vista, which was introduced in 2007.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7270757.stm

One wonders why?

[Bruin Fisher]

Microsoft has said it plans to cut the cost of its Windows Vista operating system sold at retail outlets. Although no exact date has yet been given, Microsoft said price cuts would be introduced in 70 countries.

One wonders why?

Hmm,, maybe, just maybe, they've caught a cold - they want the new OS version adopted universally, but the punters are ignoring it in droves. I've recently started using it on one of my machines and while I haven't found it as bad as some are claiming, I do find it obstructive and not a big improvement on XP. I really must master Linux - it just seems so much better....

Bruin

[JamesSavik]

One wonders why?

Supply/demand. They can't sell it at that price.

Corperate IT guys are having trouble selling it to their users who are running XP without trouble and don't see the need to toss everything and spend a month getting up to speed on a new OS.

[DesDownunder]

If Microsoft pays off my mortgage I might consider using Vista on Sunday mornings while my religious friends are in church, praying for me.

[Madrigal]

In order for Vista's obtrusive processes to be less-so, I had to downgrade the graphics to Windows 98 level. I think I might just go back to XP... this just isn't worth it! ;O And I will spread the word not to fall in their traps... ugh.

Maddy (:

[The Pecman]

Leo Laporte, longtime computer/talk radio pundit, has declared Vista to be "a bomb," at least in his recent shows. Both he and PC Magazine columnist John Dvorak are using Mac OSX Leopard. Even PC Magazine just gave Leopard the nod for "operating system of the year" in a recent issue, way ahead of Leopard.

But just to be contrary, I'm working exclusively in Windows at the moment (for an audio project where the tools I'm using only work in Windows). But: I'm doing it on an Apple Mac Powerbook laptop.

I think Vista is not that bad, but I have seen problems with people who try to upgrade from XP to Vista. If you buy a brand new machine with Vista pre-loaded, the problems are much more managable.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Deleted

[DesDownunder]

I read reports that Microsoft is to bring forward the release of Vista's successor from 2010 to 2009.

In addition they have reduced the cost of Vista.

Neither of these two events would seem to indicate Vista as the most popular OS produced by Microsoft.

With the pending release of XP service pack 3 and the announcement that its service support life has been extended by 5 years, (Home version) I think we are as close as we will get to seeing Microsoft admit Vista was one big mistake.

[JamesSavik]

Bill Gates retired just in time.