Comments on: “I’m a PC and I’m about to get a major upgrade” http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/ All the stuff about Microsoft and technology you haven't read anywhere else. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:49:37 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Christian Haberl http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76624 Christian Haberl Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:14:58 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76624 @xaml The offer is not US-only, it is actually offered in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, France, and Germany. But you are right, in a globalized world it still seems unfair to limit an offer like that to a few markets. Especially in the E.U., where free trade is a principle between all members it is extremely unfair. While a person from Austria will happily order their German-language 49€ Windows 7 from amazon.de and a French speaking person from Belgium will have no problem ordering their French-language 49€ Windows 7 version from Amazon.fr, or an Irish person from amazon.co.uk - it is extremely unfair for other Europeans who are not lucky enough to speak English, French or German!!! (I just noticed typing this article that the offer exists in exactly those countries that have their own Amazon Online Store - amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.co.uk - interesting, isn't it?) @xaml

The offer is not US-only, it is actually offered in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, France, and Germany.
But you are right, in a globalized world it still seems unfair to limit an offer like that to a few markets.
Especially in the E.U., where free trade is a principle between all members it is extremely unfair. While a person from Austria will happily order their German-language 49€ Windows 7 from amazon.de and a French speaking person from Belgium will have no problem ordering their French-language 49€ Windows 7 version from Amazon.fr, or an Irish person from amazon.co.uk – it is extremely unfair for other Europeans who are not lucky enough to speak English, French or German!!!
(I just noticed typing this article that the offer exists in exactly those countries that have their own Amazon Online Store – amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.co.uk – interesting, isn’t it?)

]]> By: Christian Haberl http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76623 Christian Haberl Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:07:18 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76623 @Oscar pre-order offer in Germany (can also be ordered from other European countries, including my home country of Austria): 49€ for Home Premium, 99€ for Professional including 19% V.A.T. or buy Windows Vista Home Premium with free upgrade voucher for 80,75 (excl. V.A.T.) or Windows Vista Business with free upgrade voucher to Windows 7 Professional for 105€ (excl. V.A.T.), Ultimate for 138€ so we really can't complain here. Here is a link to a price comparison website with the Vista Versions that include the free upgrade voucher: http://tinyurl.com/qzrwnx (in German) Now if you convert this to US-$ it might still sound like a lot, but don't forget that the US-$ has recently lost a lot of it's value compared to other major currencies including the Euro. @Oscar
pre-order offer in Germany (can also be ordered from other European countries, including my home country of Austria): 49€ for Home Premium, 99€ for Professional including 19% V.A.T.
or buy Windows Vista Home Premium with free upgrade voucher for 80,75 (excl. V.A.T.) or Windows Vista Business with free upgrade voucher to Windows 7 Professional for 105€ (excl. V.A.T.), Ultimate for 138€ so we really can’t complain here.
Here is a link to a price comparison website with the Vista Versions that include the free upgrade voucher:
http://tinyurl.com/qzrwnx (in German)
Now if you convert this to US-$ it might still sound like a lot, but don’t forget that the US-$ has recently lost a lot of it’s value compared to other major currencies including the Euro.

]]> By: xaml http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76615 xaml Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:22:31 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76615 The only thing major here is Microsoft's silly/unfair US-only-50$-upgrade policy. The only thing major here is Microsoft’s silly/unfair US-only-50$-upgrade policy.

]]> By: R http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76608 R Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:05:03 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76608 Highly aggrieved can't access the $50 pre-order offer outside the US. It's totally unfair. I'd say $50 was a reasonable price to upgrade from Vista Ultimate to 7 HP. There is no way I could/would pay the full price for it. If anyone figures out a way to get around the restriction, short of appealing to American friends like a douche, please post. Highly aggrieved can’t access the $50 pre-order offer outside the US. It’s totally unfair.

I’d say $50 was a reasonable price to upgrade from Vista Ultimate to 7 HP. There is no way I could/would pay the full price for it.

If anyone figures out a way to get around the restriction, short of appealing to American friends like a douche, please post.

]]> By: dj_cityboy http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76555 dj_cityboy Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:03:26 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76555 ^^ yeah its all a rip off....biggest joke of the year by far!! peas cityboy ^^ yeah its all a rip off….biggest joke of the year by far!!

peas
cityboy

]]> By: Oscar http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76523 Oscar Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:40:01 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76523 Wow, looking at the European prices for Win 7 Pro: $435 (€309), not including taxes. That is a fucking rip-off. (Yes, I realize they'll be available at upgrade price for the first few months, but even then you're paying $400 - that's $200 more than in the US) Wow, looking at the European prices for Win 7 Pro: $435 (€309), not including taxes. That is a fucking rip-off. (Yes, I realize they’ll be available at upgrade price for the first few months, but even then you’re paying $400 – that’s $200 more than in the US)

]]> By: Oscar http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76512 Oscar Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:02:33 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76512 @Mordenkainen: By crippled I was referring to "Home Premium" (and versions below that), which is missing quite a few awesome Win7 features from the more expensive editions - features that are more or less also present in the competing systems (OS X, Ubuntu, etc...) at no extra cost. So you can't really compare a system's upgrade price for an edition that is 'less' than what you get elsewhere. @Mordenkainen: By crippled I was referring to “Home Premium” (and versions below that), which is missing quite a few awesome Win7 features from the more expensive editions – features that are more or less also present in the competing systems (OS X, Ubuntu, etc…) at no extra cost. So you can’t really compare a system’s upgrade price for an edition that is ‘less’ than what you get elsewhere.

]]> By: JessicaD http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76496 JessicaD Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:33:32 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76496 Nicko, You can pre-order your copy of Windows 7 for a discounted price! For more information, see the Windows 7 Pre-Order offer page here: http://tinyurl.com/nldc8p ***Please note that this is a limited time offer and valid only while supplies last*** Jessica Microsoft Windows Client Team Nicko,

You can pre-order your copy of Windows 7 for a discounted price! For more information, see the Windows 7 Pre-Order offer page here: http://tinyurl.com/nldc8p
***Please note that this is a limited time offer and valid only while supplies last***

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

]]> By: Mordenkainen http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76487 Mordenkainen Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:00:10 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76487 @Oscar: Don't buy into the hype, Vista is no more crippled than 7/Snow Leopard is the second coming. For Vista once you turn off UAC (it's not a security barrier by MS's own admission and I'm not a 10 year old) and install SP1 it's quite a good OS. Sure it has quirks but ALL OS have those. I've used many linux distros, been using MS's OS since DOS 3.3 and Apple's System 7 and 8 and they all have problems. They always have and they always will. Does 7 warrant the $50/$100 discount price for those who're using Vista? Yes, absolutely. I'm less sure about the non-discounted price. I wish MS provided 3 or at least 2 licenses for retail purchases, like Apple does. Most people I know have two computers (desktop & laptop) and some 7 features (HomeGroup) can only be used by 7'puters. For XP owners however, the full price is more than warranted. @Oscar: Don’t buy into the hype, Vista is no more crippled than 7/Snow Leopard is the second coming. For Vista once you turn off UAC (it’s not a security barrier by MS’s own admission and I’m not a 10 year old) and install SP1 it’s quite a good OS. Sure it has quirks but ALL OS have those. I’ve used many linux distros, been using MS’s OS since DOS 3.3 and Apple’s System 7 and 8 and they all have problems. They always have and they always will.

Does 7 warrant the $50/$100 discount price for those who’re using Vista? Yes, absolutely. I’m less sure about the non-discounted price. I wish MS provided 3 or at least 2 licenses for retail purchases, like Apple does. Most people I know have two computers (desktop & laptop) and some 7 features (HomeGroup) can only be used by 7′puters. For XP owners however, the full price is more than warranted.

]]> By: Oscar http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090629/im-a-pc-and-im-about-to-get-a-major-upgrade/#comment-76464 Oscar Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:25:25 +0000 http://www.istartedsomething.com/?p=3695#comment-76464 @Mordenkainen: Sure thing. I did not see any $50 in the price list i was looking at, so i assumed he was talking about the $50 Apple license. Obviously I was wrong. However, comparing the upgrade price for a crippled version of the OS that leaves out many of the main reasons to upgrade and is feature-wise a lot less of a deal than OS X or even your stock Ubuntu distro, hardly serves to make a valid point. @Mordenkainen: Sure thing. I did not see any $50 in the price list i was looking at, so i assumed he was talking about the $50 Apple license. Obviously I was wrong. However, comparing the upgrade price for a crippled version of the OS that leaves out many of the main reasons to upgrade and is feature-wise a lot less of a deal than OS X or even your stock Ubuntu distro, hardly serves to make a valid point.

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