cr*p it does not apply to me. what about all the existing vista users. Microsoft could score a victory over apple who is charging for it's upgrade, it could basically give it away or offer it at like $50 for existing vista victims, i mean users :-> they have a lot of cash on hand, if they give it away they would not only look good, but they would backup apple into the corner of looking bad or having to also give it away and not making any money, that would drop apple's stock price and ability to innovate, if you deny them access to new cash from upgrades.

Allowing all Vista users to cheaply upgrade would be smart, free would be even smarter. They'd essentially turn the majority of Vista users into Windows 7 users, giving hardware companies huge incentive to create proper drivers, and smaller developers incentive to keep compatibility.

The incentive of a business is to make money, not give away products. There is absolutely no chance in hell that Microsoft will offer free upgrade from Vista to 7 just because some people didn't like it. 0%.

We can only pray that microsoft will charge a small fee for existing vista users to upgrade. We have had to sit through this bullshit, we deserve better from micro$oft.

I paid for vista and never installed it.. never even used the key. They should qualify all people who never used their vista key or went back to XP after using the Visa key for a few months.

How many Businesses are running Vista right now?

Face it, XP still has the largest market share. Free upgrades would give it a large chuck of the market share out of the gate, increasing development support, and would give Businesses a huge incentive to upgrade.

Microsoft would make money when Businesses still running XP decide to upgrade to Windows 7.

However, in order to work, they would have to offer the free upgrade only to people who purchased Vista before the announcement of free upgrade (so you couldn't buy Vista as a cheaper method of getting 7).

just get the system builder/oem version. but wait for the 1st service pack or you'll be sorry.

I'm not saying I necessarily disagree with you but from a business standpoint there is no legitimate argument for giving away the software.

The businesses still using XP aren't going to switch to Mac OS X or linux so the Windows market share isn't going to change. They are either going to purchase Windows 7 licenses and upgrade their business or they are not. In the eyes of Microsoft every business currently running XP or Vista is a potential buyer. Why would you give away software to a potential buyer?

Developer support is going to be fine. Programs that work on Vista are 95% likely to work on 7 and those that don't work won't need major re-codes because the basic kernel hasn't changed much. Most software from the past 5 years will be 7-ready out of the gate. Giving away the software isn't going to change that.

There is just no reason, outside of wishful thinking, for Microsoft to give away the software. None.

They are already sorry so that is your point?

@ Darkk

sorry as in sorry they did not wait till after they patched windows 7 to buy it.

Vista (after SP1) is a fair OS. I haven't had any problems with it and I bought it the 2nd week it was out. Microsoft will not just sell the software for free, they may reduce the price though. I suggest Microsoft clip the price for users who bought their comp with Vista by at least 50, clip the system builders by 25 and sell the rest at market prices... or at least give them free tech support till SP2 for 7 comes out.

I read somewhere that the upgrade will cost like $250, ouch!

Maybe you misunderstood what I said. I'm not saying the upgrade path from XP should be free, just the one from Vista.



You don't think it would enhance the perception of Windows 7 in the eyes of the general public?

All Windows 7 is is Vista with a nice service pack on it. They could and SHOULD release a service pack or some update for Vista users. I think it's stupid that if you knew 7 was coming and you still bought Vista Microsoft will give you the new OS when you knew it was coming. That, compared to us who bought Vista right away without knowing Microsoft would screw us over. It should be those who were in the unknown who should get a break, not the ones who were stupid enough to buy Vista when they knew about 7.

I have 2 legit copies of vista that I never used, instead I just kept using xp. Unless MS offers a really good upgrade price from vista to 7, I am not going to use 7.

If I did not own vista, I would be more willing to buy 7 if they did offer a low upgrade price for existing vista users, although it would not effect me directly. The last thing any consumer dreads is for 7 to be a flop like vista, if MS shows consumer appreciation with low priced upgrades, people would be more willing to buy 7 outright because there is a good chance that history would repeat itself and MS would give them a low priced upgrade to Vista2 if 7 turns out to be a turd pie.

you can get 64 bit premium for 99.99 and it will support the 4 gigs of ram most people will at least get for a new system. not stupid. stupid would be buying windows 7 day one of release and complaining that there is no driver/software support.

Vista SP2 beta was already released. It will be coming out before Windows 7, and will include DirectX 11.



It's for people who are trying to decide whether or not to buy a new computer now, or wait until Windows 7 comes out.

I plan on getting my upgrade for free, except I'm not upgrading and MicroSoft won't be giving it...

This is really funny stuff, sorry I can't help but laugh.

It's Vista SP2 - only it's called Windows 7. You guys and gals are cracking me up. And exactly what makes you think this OS is gonna be any better than the failed Vista?? It's based on the Vista code base.

Yes there is supposed to be a Vista SP2 -- NO, it will not include DX11. But does it matter? Very few games are developed for DX10, and none for DX10.1 so what is the point of DX11?

Mac OS X is doing just fine in sales, in fact it is slowly but surely taking away Microsoft's dominant OS market share.

Apple are releasing a new OS BEFORE Microsoft, it's $179 - one version does all. There will be some real changes in the OS, full 64bit support is one.

People buying new computers are people buying laptops, guess who sells the most laptops -- yes that would be Apple. Heck, if you don't believe me, just go to your local coffee shop and look around, oh you see some Mac laptops....hmmm...what do ya know.

Games are gonna be consoles, the PC is gonna die for so many reasons -- software piracey being one. Apple will survive cause you can still pretty much do whatever the hell you want on OS X. And the we have free open source, most of which works best on OS X or Linux. Yes that is FREE and PC dweebs love the sound of FREE.

Unless Microsoft make some fundamental business changes, they're just pushing out the same garbage.

Funny... there's no possible way for Apple to take over the OS market. Apple doesn't actually want it to; unless that means that over half of the computers sold were made by Apple.

Stop being such a fagtard elitist and realize that Apple isn't trying to have an answer for everyone's needs. They do what they do best... get people like you to buy into their superior image.

I work all day on the glorious 8 core MacPros and I usually can't wait to get home and fire up my real computer. Maybe it's just me but everything is much more responsive on a decent PC.

Funny... there's no possible way for Apple to take over the OS market. Apple doesn't actually want it to; unless that means that over half of the computers sold were made by Apple.

Stop being such a fagtard elitist and realize that Apple isn't trying to have an answer for everyone's needs. They do what they do best... get people like you to buy into their superior image.

Also... you do realize your $179 OS that only has one version also only installs on your Apple hardware so it doesn't really matter to anyone else if it was free or $500 unless they buy an Apple or a Hackintosh.

I work all day on the glorious 8 core MacPros and I usually can't wait to get home and fire up my real computer. Maybe it's just me but everything is much more responsive on a decent PC.

Thank you for that pathetic grammar on my Friday morning. (Y)

Funny how, you, being an expert and everything, has just double posted.

I was saying the exact same thing on an article about Windows 7 looking like a Vista service pack. Yet people were saying my view on the point was stupid. Now that this is official news, people change their mind, bunch of sheeps if you ask me. Anyway, good move from Microsoft, something we don't see often. Grats and thanks to them. That move is superb, yet a cheap upgrade for pre-july 2009 Vista customers, like you suggest, would also be great, otherwise it's kindda is injust to them.

They are not 'giving away' the software, mister business man. If that is official, they actually pre-sale 7 licenses even though it is'nt out yet, giving a temporary OS to the crowd. A move that can actually boost poor Vista sales.

Yea but most people who make comments don't flame for that on this site. I've seen my posts not show up for a good minute or two and then suddenly appear.

I think you're making THG readers laugh more than you could believe.

Apple was in 2007 selling 1 in 6 laptops. Sure, that's great for Apple, but how is it out selling Windows? That's what we're comparing right? MacOS and Windows, not hardware sales? So for laptops, 1 in every 6 come with Mac, the other 5 come with Windows, or throwing Linux a bone.. 1 Mac, 1 Linux, 4 Windows based laptops. Yes, that's better than before, but with the arrival of Netbooks and currently no answer to them from Apple.. that means even more Windows in the market, Linux as well.

You also mention Apple is going to be offering a new OS before MS, so what? Could I upgrade my Vista-based PC to the new OSX? No. So, that really only applies to current Apple users and potential new buyers.

Competition is a great thing, however there is no way OSX is going to over-take Windows anytime soon. Windows currently holds 88.2% of the market, while Mac is almost at 10%, followed by Linux with less than 1%.

Are you seriously claiming Apple's OS is going to over-take MS in the near future or even in 10 years? That I think will have more people laughing at you, than with you.

I still have not had a single problem with Vista, nor have the other 3 PCs in my house. While I can't claim there were no problems, a lot of it was blown out of proportion.

How is this news? every other site had this information 2 weeks or more ago. Good on you toms! way to beat the curve!!

An OS that still struggle to run at it's full potential with 2Gig of ram IS problematic. With Vista it is'nt a stability problem, it's an obvious performance problem. I understand with each new OS it's normal to have it demand more juice. But Vista needs are ridiculous. XP run at it's full potential with 768mb-1gig of RAM, Vista should run at it's full potential with 2gig if you ask me. Yet you really need 4gig to run it with fair performances, and even then, from what I seen, it still does'nt run at it's full potential. I know ram is becoming more and more cheap, but when you got alternative OSes (Linux) that do better OS visual and have about the same features and complexity, if not more, and can do all that smoothly with only 512mb of ram, you know there is cheap ass work somewhere from Microsoft. Saying Microsoft is more easy to use, more compatible and got the majority of the OS market is'nt an excuse to that. It's just a reason why it stays like that. And maybe rumors of that move from Microsoft is due to a fear from them from loosing their piece of the market share. Linux market is growing, slowly, but it's sure growing. BS me all you want to you run Vista smoothly with 2gig of ram cause you 'tweaked' it, I know the OS does'nt run when even with 2gig ram. I got 2gig, current hard drives, and a e6400 cpu and it takes about 5 minutes if not more just to load it. I always turn my HD TV into TV mode while it loads cause it,s so long. Tweaking it means desactivating features, it's just a proof that you don't run it at it's full potential.

I like Apples, but lets face it, Microsoft is deep pocketed and they can bully even the likes of Apple. Apple sells eye candy, that's their market. Windows, though less than perfect, has a strong grip over the enterprise space as well as in the homes. Until Apple can eat away at Microsoft's enterprise dominance, Apple will never be more than an eye candy niche market company. Microsoft will not let than happen anytime soon. They maybe slow, they may turn out buggy software, but they are smart. Remember, Gates buying qDos for 50k? This tactic will continue, Microsoft will continue to buy out, if not bully out the competition.

Eccentric,

I predicted the economic crash. I predict that the 800 Billion stimulus will only INCREASE foreclosure rates because it would be in the banks best interest to do so to get the Fed funding.

I also predict that MS's economic market share as a company (not just the OS) will take 2nd place to Apple -- within 5 years. Windows 7 is gonna be another Mega-flop just like Vista, cause it essentially is Vista. Microsoft can't keep producing Mega-flops and think they'll retain a dominant market share.

Oh oh oh people are laughing at me, oh let me climb under a rock and hide -- what a pathetic statement. I've been around too too too long to give a rats ass about what other's "think" they know.

Your market share numbers are off BTW, not that it matters cause you're stuck in your box of thinking. Embedding and small computer devices is where the money is at -- laptops, PDA, Phones, gaming consoles. Microsoft's biggest problem is where the heck does Vista or Windows 7 fit in the embedded market? It doesn't, cause it's just WAY to slow/bloated. 4GB RAM to run Vista at moderate performance levels, that's insane, that's code bloat, that's Microsoft NOT doing their job.

You obviously aren't a power user to say "I've never had a problem with Vista". Heck, even visiting Tom's web site and it's a 50/50 to see if IE "stops responding" -- usually because it's blocking one of the many ad trackers embedded in tom's web site.