Microsoft kills Windows 7 E Editions

That was fast Paul! Let's hope it's true...! And we still have the Amsterdam-version over here!

HOORAY!

So, will all versions ship with the ballot screen...in the US too?

"There is a major downside to this. Anyone who actually wanted a full version will no longer be able to get it for upgrade prices. Good excuse for Microsoft to hike up the prices in Europe." That's the plan, from the man himself, "Of course, Ballmer also explained that the company’s goal is to raise PC prices in the next year. That’s due both to expected popularity of a new class of higher-end and higher-priced netbooks, a new pricing strategy around Windows 7 that the company hopes will result in far more upgrades to premium skus, and a reversal of a strategy in the last year to cut prices to spur demand in emerging countries. “The theory was wrong,” said Ballmer, in that Microsoft didn’t tap enough untapped demand to compensate for the price hit. “You’ll see us address the theory. We’re going to readjust those prices north” with windows 7." Strange to advertise the lowest prices in town and then state that your goal is raise prices.

In response to trieste in a wholly related post about OEM requirements: "and as usual this does not stop you blundering on." Don't be an @$$. It was a valid question: "This does not affect OEMs. They can already put on what they like." Maybe you should actually read the quote in Paul's post before being a d1ck. This is what came from Paul's post: "Under our new proposal, among other things, European consumers who buy a new Windows PC with Internet Explorer set as their default browser would be shown a ‘ballot screen’" Note that that says "**NEW** PC's". So if an OEM decides that YES, they want to make Internet Explorer the default on the PC, they are forced to include the ballot screen, although if they choose another default web browser instead, they don't??! That's what doesn't make sense. I'd hate to be an OEM that sells in the European market. If I sell a computer with Internet Explorer as the default, because that's what I think is easiest and best option for both me as well as the customer from the get-go (this isn't contrived thinking - OEM's all do the same), I have to offer advertising that gives the option to change the default, but all other browsers get a free pass? What they should really do is offer the ballot screen REGARDLESS of the default browser. That would only be the most fair and balanced option. If this is supposed to be for the benefit of the customer, the option of choice should be universal. (We could argue that it already is, because users are already free to download another browser whenever they like, but I'm not going that route with this argument)

I pre-ordered "Windows 7 Professional E" for £89.97 on Amazon UK when it was on such a great promo price. If M$ are scraping the "E" version, what's going to happen to our pre-orders? They're still advertising the "E" edition on Amazon UK...

I was one of the lucky ones in the UK who was able to get Windows 7 Professional at the pre-order price, however at the time an upgrade version wasn't an option and that is what I would have gone for if I could. Will I be able to use the full version to do an in-place upgrade from Vista Ultimate?

OT, but the other thread is closed. Microsoft is taking this "While Supplies Last" thing too far. This is getting silly now. Why can't they just offer the damn thing for the life of Windows 7?

shark47 said: OT, but the other thread is closed. Microsoft is taking this "While Supplies Last" thing too far. This is getting silly now. Why can't they just offer the damn thing for the life of Windows 7? They are bleeding financially. You will soon see the extent they will go to to address the bottom line. Timing is everything. Just as they go after Apple for being expensive, the chicken comes home to roost for all the price cutting that has been done to maintain market share and sell PC's at prices that sacrifice the bottom line. I guess there may be some valid reasons why Apple charges more. They are making money and MS is not. I think the objective as a company is to make money. Eat a little crow and soon we will all forget the past. We will all find new reasons to be trolls for our company of choice.

OS X Snow Leopard pre-order details: Only $29! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B001AMHWP8/ref=nosim/daringfireba... 5 user family pack only $49: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B001AMPP0W/ref=nosim/daringfireba... How much have you been ripped-off by paying the Microsoft tax on Windows 7?

Microsoft is the WalMart of computing. Lots of cheap crap at low, low prices.

"They are bleeding financially." Funny. A couple of bad quarters and they're bleeding financially?