Microsoft leaks Windows Vista pricing

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Microsoft on Thursday accidently leaked pricing for the company's much anticipated operating system overhaul, Windows Vista.



In an inadvertent post to its Canadian Web site, the world's largest software maker revealed that it plans to charge $199 for a Windows Vista Home Basic license, with additional licenses fetching $179.



Windows Vista Home Premium will cost $239, the company said, with additional licenses costing $215.



Microsoft will also offer a $299 Windows Vista Business edition and $399 Windows Vista Ultimate, according to Web blunder. Additional licenses for these higher-end bundles were reported at $269 and $359, respectively.



By comparison, Apple Computer has traditionally released a single edition of its major Mac OS X operating system upgrades for just $129 dollars. A family pack with a five-seat license has historically retailed for just $199.



On Monday, AppleInsider reported on an in-depth comparative analysis of Apple's Mac OS X pricing strategy and Microsoft's Windows pricing strategy.



The analysis found that, despite Apple's lower OS pricing, the Mac maker is able to gain more profitability per user from its OS software than Microsoft because it releases upgrades at a more frequently and stable pace.



The Windows Vista price list was removed from Microsoft's Web site within hours of its appearance. However, Amazon.com is already taking pre-orders for Windows Vista Home Premium and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, with preliminary ship date of January 30, 2007.
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 47
    Do we know that those amounts are in USD, as opposed to Canadian dollars... seeing as the posting was on MS's CA site.
  • Reply 2 of 47
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Engine Joe


    Do we know that those amounts are in USD, as opposed to Canadian dollars... seeing as the posting was on MS's CA site.



    The Canadian Dollar is about 10% cheeper (you get about 1.11 Canadian to 1 US$)
  • Reply 3 of 47
    Amazon.com is already taking pre-orders for Windows Vista Home Premium and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, with preliminary ship date of January 30, 2007.[/QUOTE]



    Oh now there's a good idea.
  • Reply 4 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Even still I think it is quiet humorous that for Windows you have to the folllowing:



    - Windows Vista Home Basic $199

    - Windows Vista Home Premium $239

    - Windows Vista Business $299

    - Windows Vista Ultimate $399



    I mean come on that is freaking insane. Ok now for comparison on the Apple Operating System:



    - OS X 10.4 $129.00





    Now lets see we get everything for 129 where Windows users have to decide and for the basic version of Windows Vista you have to pay 70 dollars more for an OS that has less features than OS X 10.4



    wow . . . .



    -iGrant
  • Reply 5 of 47
    What exactly accounts for the differences in the versions of Vista, and for that matter XP Home and Pro?



    Does micro$oft hobble the lower end versions of its OS?



    Are there fewer "features" or just more bugs?
  • Reply 6 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malckwan


    What exactly accounts for the differences in the versions of Vista, and for that matter XP Home and Pro?



    Does micro$oft hobble the lower end versions of its OS?



    Are there fewer "features" or just more bugs?





    I know that WIndows Xp Home had almost no newtorking capabilities whatsoever which was a huge pain when I was a windows user. If you went to school or anything, you could not network easily, there were ways but it was a complete pain.
  • Reply 7 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bageljoey


    The Canadian Dollar is about 10% cheeper (you get about 1.11 Canadian to 1 US$)



    Exactly. Thus my question - which dollars are quoted here - USD or CAD? If they're in CAD, then we need to adjust the numbers to make a more fair comparison to Apple's prices.
  • Reply 8 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Engine Joe


    Exactly. Thus my question - which dollars are quoted here - USD or CAD? If they're in CAD, then we need to adjust the numbers to make a more fair comparison to Apple's prices.



    Even after you adjust the price, the Apple OS is going to cost less than the Windows Vista Home Basic . . . . #%^#$ that is a long os name Windows Vista Home Basic



    Ok I have an idea



    Windows Vista Home Basic - WVHB

    Windows Vista Home Premium - WVHP

    Windows Vista Business - WVB

    Windows Vista Ultimate - WVU



    - iGrant
  • Reply 9 of 47
    I know someone's gonna bring up the ol' "but Apple has charged $129 for five updates for a grand total of $645 which is much more than Vista's Ultimate Edition"...



    ...but...here's the difference between Apple and MS:



    Apple releases multiple updates in a 5 year time span essentially letting the consumer decide which ones to buy. The hardest of hardcore Mac fans will have paid for all 5 and have spent $645. Normal people, on the other hand, will probably have paid for 10.2 and 10.4. Or 10.0 and 10.3. Or just 10.3. Or just 10.4.



    MS releases Vista five years after XP...so you can't really skip Vista, unless you want to be stuck with XP for another 3-5 years. And if you've been with XP for the past 2 years...we're looking at a 5-7 year span of time where your OS hasn't seen very many feature updates or brand new features.
  • Reply 10 of 47
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Why does anyone care on a Mac site?
  • Reply 11 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kim kap sol


    I know someone's gonna bring up the ol' "but Apple has charged $129 for five updates for a grand total of $645 which is much more than Vista's Ultimate Edition"...



    ...but...here's the difference between Apple and MS:



    Apple releases multiple updates in a 5 year time span essentially letting the consumer decide which ones to buy. The hardest of hardcore Mac fans will have paid for all 5 and have spent $645. Normal people, on the other hand, will probably have paid for 10.2 and 10.4. Or 10.0 and 10.3. Or just 10.3. Or just 10.4.



    MS releases Vista five years after XP...so you can't really skip Vista, unless you want to be stuck with XP for another 3-5 years. And if you've been with XP for the past 2 years...we're looking at a 5-7 year span of time where your OS hasn't seen very many feature updates or brand new features.



    Its funny you mention that because I have never thought of the difference between 10.3 to 10.4 as updates as much as upgrades such as Windows 98 to Windows 98 SE . . . .



    -iGrant
  • Reply 12 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1


    Why does anyone care on a Mac site?



    Because alot of use have to use Windows even thought we are Mac users. I am a college student, yet I am about to buy a MacBook so I can install Windows so that I can do my assignments for all my ITEC course, because they all primarily in Windows.
  • Reply 14 of 47
    I already signed up on amazon for Leopard. Sure as hell doesnt mean im going to be buying it when it comes out. Normally I get my OS about the time they hit the third release(10.X.3). Mostly due to lack of money. Also I let apple work out whatever initial kinks it has on launch.
  • Reply 15 of 47
    ericblrericblr Posts: 172member
    I also found the following on the US version of Amazon.com...



    http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind...803061?ie=UTF8
  • Reply 16 of 47
    Wheres the education store on amazon? I wanna know where to get leopard cheap. And I am a student therefore I deserve it (kind of sarcastic)
  • Reply 17 of 47
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kim kap sol


    MS releases Vista five years after XP...so you can't really skip Vista, unless you want to be stuck with XP for another 3-5 years. And if you've been with XP for the past 2 years...we're looking at a 5-7 year span of time where your OS hasn't seen very many feature updates or brand new features.



    As an upgrade for existing computers, Vista can generally be avoided. I think the way most buyers will switch to Vista when the computer they have is old enough to not do what they want anymore, and just buy a new computer. The new computer will happen to have Vista on it. It's probably best to hold out on Vista until Service Pack 1 anyway. Likewise, it's probably a good idea to wait a few months before getting Leopard if you do anything of value with a Mac.
  • Reply 18 of 47
    igrantigrant Posts: 180member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM


    As an upgrade for existing computers, Vista can generally be avoided. I think the way most buyers will switch to Vista when the computer they have is old enough to not do what they want anymore, and just buy a new computer. The new computer will happen to have Vista on it. It's probably best to hold out on Vista until Service Pack 1 anyway. Likewise, it's probably a good idea to wait a few months before getting Leopard if you do anything of value with a Mac.



    The sad thing is I actually liked Windows XP Pro back when it first came out before all the different service packs hit. . . .



    -iGrant
  • Reply 19 of 47
    hypoluxahypoluxa Posts: 694member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1


    Why does anyone care on a Mac site?



    Exactly. why the frig do we care?... Vista will be a bloated and bug ridden virus tainted OS...
  • Reply 20 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Caribou Killa


    Wheres the education store on amazon? I wanna know where to get leopard cheap. And I am a student therefore I deserve it (kind of sarcastic)



    Umm ... go to the Apple store online, select the education store and get it there. Costs you 50 bucks less than the retail version. Thank goodness they're shipping Leopard in Spring, I graduate in May and would like to pay $79 instead of $129 one last time...
Sign In or Register to comment.