Microsoft has finally announced pricing for its upcoming Windows 7 operating system, and is offering some substantial savings for those willing to order an upgrade nearly four months before the software officially goes on sale. Starting tomorrow, customers in the US, Canada or Japan who already own a PC running XP or Vista will be able to pre-order the upgrade disc at around half the price that they’ll eventually sell for.

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Oh, for crying out loud - Windows 7 Ultimate is not part of the new discount pricing?? What a load of crap....

I think all these prices are still way too high.

There should be an option for people who purchased vista ultimate at least, to be able to upgrade to W7 ultimate at a discounted price. If this doesnt change, Vista will be the last os I buy from M$

wth.i got vista utlimate and no upgrade discount...what else are they going to rape us on....... oh yea THE PRICE!!!

Haha, I've heard that one before. In fact, I've said that before. ;P

There's really no pleasing everyone, though, when it comes to MS. I only purchased Vista x64 Home Premium and have been pleased with it. The upgrade for only $50 sounds pretty damn good to me, so sign me up. I mean, really? What're you using in the Ultimate editions that makes the extra $ worth it?

What's the difference between the 3 versions?
Looks like I will be waiting for 7 SP1 before seriously considering it.

The EU commission screwed us up again. No upgrade option for Europeans: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8118749.stm

Stonos, maybe you should read the article you link?
Getting the full version of Windows7 for the price of the upgrade version sounds like a quite awsome deal to me!

"In Europe, the full version will be priced as if it were an upgrade version."

"In the UK, the Home Premium edition of Windows 7 will be £79.99. Ordinarily, an upgrade version would only be available to those with an existing Windows licence. However, as all European versions are full versions this distinction will not apply."

OK, assuming that I've read the article correctly, you can get a full (?) copy of Windows 7 Premium for $50.00. (At least for the time being). If that's correct, it would almost pay to buy a copy, then sit on it until they get "all" the bugs worked out. Or until SP1, whichever comes first.

why dont you try writing an os yourself?

Because, Guest, if someone that had no experience wrote an OS, it'd end up being the copy of a Mac OS.

Writing a full fledged operating system with support for hardware that rivals microsoft would be a task too challenging. There's tons of hardware that windows works with and to make an operating system that challenges windows software-wise would be quite the feat due to microsoft's closed source policy from their developers. There's already too many feature's that microsoft's engineered that barely expands onto the linux platforms already, not to mention it's the most. Right now ReactOS doesn't even compare to the majority of the component Windows comprises, such as .NET and object frameworks.

Chill people, Vista Ultimate is eligible for free upgrade to win 7 ultimate per microsoft OEM website.

Vista Ultimate to 7 Ultimate for free? Where did you see that? Could you post the URL?
Thanks

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic130055.html

Go here, I created a thread with a link for the upgrade. And Vista Ultimate Users get a free upgrade to W7 ultimate.

Not only do I have no intention of buying "Windows 7," I am not buying Vista, either. I'm buying a computer that has Windows XP. How things do change - I don't like XP because of the move to activation but . It blows my mind that they can sell you software and dictate how many computers you can put it on - your OWN computers. (Good thing Microsoft doesn't control books - we'd have no lending libraries.) I still have Windows 98SE on my desktop and it's working fine and I don't even miss Microsoft's "support" - the only problem is with new peripherals, software, and gadgets that don't work with 98.) I want to buy a new operating system the way I do a car - when I decide it's worth it. ME, not Detroit. When it makes sense because my old one doesn't cut it anymore, when it makes sense because the new one has features I want, (with O/S - when I-I-I decide to put up with the learning curve - imagine if you had to spend time learning how to drive your new car), not when someone else decides to foist it on me. I realize I'm well on my way to being an I.T. dinosaur, but I see no reason to have a new operating system every couple of years (which sometimes necessitates purchase of a new computer, too). May end up having to jump ship on Microsoft since I don't see them changing their ways.

that link goes to a thread about world of warcraft on a laptop

fixed, thx.

why should an old fart like me want an update? for some of us we will never get past what we have. i have so much now if i pay to have more my head will explode.