For students, Windows 7 will equal Snow Leopard's price

[AppleInsider]

For a limited time, students will be able to purchase Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system for $30, roughly the same price as Apple's competing Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Microsoft this week launched win741.com, a Web site devoted to promoting Windows 7 to students. By clicking the "Buy" panel, users with a valid student e-mail address are offered a deal that the software maker says is "too sweet to pass up."

"For a limited time, eligible college students can get the sweetest deal on Windows 7 - for only $29.99 USD," the site reads. "That's less than most of your textbooks! Hurry -- offer ends January 3, 2010 and 12 a.m. CST."

The offer applies to the Home Premium and Professional versions of Windows 7. Students are allowed to purchase one copy of either from Microsoft's online store. Similar offers are available in the U.K, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Korea and Mexico.

Rather than mailing a disc, the software will be made available for students to download in either 32- or 64-bit versions. The Web site's FAQ recommends that those looking to do a clean install of the operating system buy a Windows 7 backup DVD.

For all non-students, Windows 7 is less expensive than Vista, but still much higher than Snow Leopard. A retail Home Premium upgrade will cost $120, $40 less than Vista, and the standalone version is $200. Professional will cost $200 for an upgrade, or $300 for the full price. And Windows 7 Ultimate is $220 for upgrade and $320 for the full copy. Upgrades require Windows XP or Windows Vista to be installed on the machine. Windows 7 is set to launch Oct. 22.

Launched on Aug. 28, Snow Leopard has been viewed positively by critics as a worthwhile, bargain-priced upgrade to Leopard. And customers have responded in kind: New sales figures have shown that the latest Mac operating system has sold twice as well as Leopard, and four times better than Tiger.



Though at least one study has shown students are more likely to pick a netbook than a Mac, Apple's marketshare among students is much greater than it is overall. Apple has been aggressive in courting students with programs such as the "Field Trip to the Apple Store" for K-12 students in the U.S. and Canada.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Nak]

has sold twice as well as Leopard, and four times better than Leopard.

Do you mean twice as well as Leopard and four times better than Tiger?

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by Nak

Do you mean twice as well as Leopard and four times better than Tiger?

Yes, they mean Tiger.

Really, if most of Windows' user base were students, this would be news. As it stands it's a nice discount for a certain segment of their market, nothing more.

[blondepianist]

I think I'm going to get this for my MacBook! I have to use some form of Windows for work, which uses IE specific sites. I really hate XP (even with my shiny custom theme), but wasn't going to pay $100+ for what little time I spend in Windows.

[al_bundy]

0nly idiots buy a copy of Windows at retail. they even had a story this week how $50 of every PC purchase is for the windows license

[Maximara]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Yes, they mean Tiger.

Really, if most of Windows' user base were students, this would be news. As it stands it's a nice discount for a certain segment of their market, nothing more.

This story is on the level of 'dog bites man'. I got my Microsoft Office for Mac 2004 for $50 at the university bookstor when it was new. Microsoft has always given insane discounts to students.

[lilgto64]

Well not exactly - I bought a new printer to replace my trusty old Apple LaserWriter 630 Pro - which only supports Apple Talk - which somehow got left out of Snow Leopard.

Actually it was a used printer and I only paid $200 for it but had to replace a few parts - and it is much bigger than the 630 - with duplex and 11x17.

[fishstick_kitty]

This isn't really comparable to Snow Leopard, since SL at $29 is just an upgrade...the windows thing is the full clean install version for that price.

[supersheep]

Most universities here in switzerland are MSDNAA clients or have similar agreements with microsoft. This means most students get windows for free anyway. I guess this isn't much different in the states, is it?

I have the official windows7 legally installed for weeks now... (not the RC) and I didn't pay a cent for it.

[wolfneuralnet]

I checked this out on the site - there was no way I could see to get the professional version - only the Home version, which is lame.

Let me know if someone else figures it out. This is actually better than our school licensing prices. Great for running under Fusion if you are still using XP.

To the poster who said Snow Leopard is just an upgrade price, go do some research. It can be installed on any machine.

[cico]

Originally Posted by supersheep

Most universities here in switzerland are MSDNAA clients or have similar agreements with microsoft. This means most students get windows for free anyway. I guess this isn't much different in the states, is it?

I have the official windows7 legally installed for weeks now... (not the RC) and I didn't pay a cent for it.

Same here in Italy.. Well, not that I have it installed anywhere, I just have some .isos in case of emergencies.
Can't believe this doesn't apply in the US, and with that I mean that I would bet money on american students already being able to get MS products for free...

[jpellino]

Download and install a whole new OS?
What could possibly go wrong...

[rbonner]

Just checked, my boy's can't get the same deal since they are in high school. It's interesting to me that the deal does not go down to the pre-college level, or maybe Microsoft thinks that they are either already hooked or too far away from a purchase.

They like Windows 7 for the games experience, DX10, and a breath of fresh air after Vista! I would buy them a mac in a moment if they would be able to play the games they play.

[CU10]

Academic licensing stinks - what happens when students graduate?

[JupiterOne]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Rather than mailing a disc, the software will be made available for students to download in either 32- or 64-bit versions. The Web site's FAQ recommends that those looking to do a clean install of the operating system buy a Windows 7 backup DVD.

Why oh why can't Microsoft just do something right and simple. This sounds like a great deal for students, but why make it complicated? Just send out a DVD in a simple sleeve! It's almost like this is an afterthought after seeing SL's pricing.

[gimpymw]

Originally Posted by fishstick_kitty

This isn't really comparable to Snow Leopard, since SL at $29 is just an upgrade...the windows thing is the full clean install version for that price.

Snow Leopard is a full version. You can do a clean install with SL.

[ThinkAdrian]

At least MS did SOMETHING right!

[tundraboy]

Originally Posted by rbonner

They like Windows 7 for the games experience, DX10, and a breath of fresh air after Vista! I would buy them a mac in a moment if they would be able to play the games they play.

Ever heard of Boot Camp?

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by lilgto64

Well not exactly - I bought a new printer to replace my trusty old Apple LaserWriter 630 Pro - which only supports Apple Talk - which somehow got left out of Snow Leopard.

Actually it was a used printer and I only paid $200 for it but had to replace a few parts - and it is much bigger than the 630 - with duplex and 11x17.

LaserWriters were wonderful. Full Postscript.

Although not much by today's standards, they were great back in the day.

[JupiterOne]

Originally Posted by ThinkAdrian

At least MS did SOMETHING right!

Not at all. They did something NICE by offering this.....and then made it unnecessarily complicated.

[Rob55]

Originally Posted by gimpymw

Snow Leopard is a full version. You can do a clean install with SL.

Confirmed. Did this last Friday after putting a new HDD in my iMac.

[DKWalsh4]

Although I techinically graduated last December, my University email is good through this December. You better believe I'm all over this! Checked the site and my email is valid

I never would have bought 7 at full retail price, keeping my Boot Camp installation to Windows XP. But at this cheap I'm definitely upgrading. (Besides, I've been trying out the Win 7 RTM in Parallels, and it runs very well I must say.)

[genevish]

Originally Posted by JupiterOne

Not at all. They did something NICE by offering this.....and then made it unnecessarily complicated.

Well, it's not even exactly "nice". They realize what a fiasco Vista was and they want to make sure everyone upgrades this time, so they are pushing this release hard: Discounted versions, massive ad campaign, etc...

[DarkAngel]

I understand that maybe AppleInsider's target audience is the US, but you should realize it is not exclusively the US.

When you post something like this, "For students" it looks like it's for all students. Like...everywhere in the civilized world. But it's not, it just for those in the US. And believe it or not...the US is not always the center of the world.

Sorry about the rant, but it's something that happens alot and this time I had to say something.

Snow Leopard's price is basicly for everyone. You live in Mars and have Leopard? Great, here's an cheap upgrade for SL.
So this is apples and oranges...since the "equal price" is a promotion, for a very limited number of students.
(On the other hand, you get a full version of Windows 7 versus an upgrade for Snow Leopard.)

A simple "For US students, Windows 7 will equal Snow Leopard's price" would be much nicer.

[urbansprawl]

Well, I really don't see how this will matter because:

a) People with Macs may or may not upgrade to Snow Leopard, but they aren't going to change outright to Windows 7. Might snag it for bootcamp but that's not making it a primary OS. I use it only to play LOTRO on my MacBook Pro.

b) People buying a new computer right now are gonna get a Mac or get a PC with Win 7 on it soon so they won't be buying this (unless bootcamp of course).

c) People who upgrade to Win 7 probably weren't thinking about switching to a Mac anyway. Hold on to them Microsoft, hold on to them.

The least Microsoft can do is TRY to get less people to just pirate their OS. Windows for the consumer has always been overpriced anyway. I have a legal copy of Windows 7 and I will admit that it's better than Vista, although it did BSOD in the middle of my game once. Still feel more comfortable in Snow Leopard.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by fishstick_kitty

This isn't really comparable to Snow Leopard, since SL at $29 is just an upgrade...the windows thing is the full clean install version for that price.

Snow Leopard is able to do a clean instal too I believe as well (correct me if I am wrong I have yet to try this) as a simple upgrade to an existing Leopard.

Edit : I see this true.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

LaserWriters were wonderful. Full Postscript.

Although not much by today's standards, they were great back in the day.

I have two in the garage, free to anyone willing to pay shipping or collect (Sarasota FL).

[jlowry]

Any one notice that the domain is registered by a @mac.com email address?

[bszaronos]

A couple things about Snow Leopard.
1) one version
2) one price
3) anyone could buy at this price
4) price was so low, that pirating it didn't make sense.

If Microsoft wants my money, follow Apple's lead.

[Ireland]

This site is so biased, the site clearly says $29.99, not $30.

#s

[DKWalsh4]

Originally Posted by jlowry

Any one notice that the domain is registered by a @mac.com email address?

out of sheer curiosity, how do you check this?

[troy.banther]

The main differences between Apple and Microsoft, more often than not, is that Apple is proactive and Microsoft is reactive.

That said, I see Microsoft approaching a Windows 'Terminal' Edition. There is only so much refinement that can be done to the NT code base. This also includes the graphical user interface. The GUI of Windows 7 reminds me of a blend of traditional Windows, KDE in Linux and some elements of OS X.

I'm sure if there is any further 'improvements' in Windows it will be from someone else's innovation.

I don't see why Microsoft couldn't offer their product for $30 to everyone on a non-time limited offer. Actually, Windows is probably worth about that much but people will continue to pay outrageous amounts for it over and over again.

I seriously doubt this will happen since billionaires need more money.

Downloading should clog bandwidth pipes on campuses unless a smart IT member blocks it and burns a DVD for students, staff and faculty.

[jlowry]

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

out of sheer curiosity, how do you check this?

By looking up the whois. I noticed that the site states "This site is hosted by The Rice Company on behalf of Microsoft", so I went to look up the whois, and saw that the administrator contact was an @mac.com email.

[Chintan100]

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

out of sheer curiosity, how do you check this?

Go to www.whois.com and enter any domain name you like...

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by lilgto64

Well not exactly - I bought a new printer to replace my trusty old Apple LaserWriter 630 Pro - which only supports Apple Talk - which somehow got left out of Snow Leopard.

Snow Leopard dropped support for a 15 year old printer?

[lilgto64]

Originally Posted by dr_lha

Snow Leopard dropped support for a 15 year old printer?

And support for the Classic Environment.

Actually I have not missed the Classic Environment for a while - and I could setup a print server on an older Mac that cannot be upgraded to 10.6.

And I used the lack of Apple Talk to justify the new printer as I have always wanted one that could do 11x17 - my old LN17 printer (without PostScript chip) will go to my parents' windows network and the 630 will go to my daughter's network (of older Macs).

Overall I am ahead of my parents - I got them new Windows machines, they are in Real Estate including Appraisal and the software they use is either Windows only or the the windows version is WAY ahead of the Mac version - and in their case I accidentally ordered a 64 bit system with 64 bit Vista and then had to upgrade and or replace his three main apps - still working on getting one of them working properly a week later.

[doyourownthing]

who would pay 30 dollars for windows 7?
or better yet, who would even install it, if it were free?

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

I have two in the garage, free to anyone willing to pay shipping or collect (Sarasota FL).

What's the text dpi on them?

Too bad they're unsupported in SL.

But such is the forward march of technology.

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by doyourownthing

who would pay 30 dollars for windows 7?
or better yet, who would even install it, if it were free?

I'm with you on this. Bur for those who want to make use of Bootcamp for whatever reason, they might as well get it legit.

[Dlux]

Just to clarify, SL is $29 for existing Leopard (10.5) owners, but the only way Tiger users can legally obtain it is through the Box Set price. So while the $29 install DVD may technically work as a clean-install for all Intel-based Mac users, it is legally only available for 10.5 users.

(I know that many Tiger users will get it anyway for $29, but for the sake of discussions we should be precise about product comparisons.)

-----

On a different note, where do all these people get 'legal' copies of Windows 7? I wasn't aware it was for sale yet.