WTF Microsoft?

[x88x]

While reading through another thread, something occurred to me.

So, looking at Windows 7 Professional licenses, there are a few different options.

1) OEM license ($140)
2) Upgrade ($200)
3) Anytime Upgrade ($90)
4) Full ($300)

My primary concern is that of target audience. Now, I can understand the first three, but last confuses me. The way I understand it:
The OEM license is for system builders.
The upgrade license is for people looking to upgrade their existing systems.
The Anytime Upgrade is for people specifically looking to upgrade from 7 Home Premium.

As far as I can tell, that about covers all the bases. So who the heck is the 'full' license for? If you're building a new system, you get the OEM license. If you're upgrading an existing system, you get whichever upgrade license is applicable. The only possible reason I can think of that someone would want the 'full' license is if they are expecting to do more than two new builds before the next OS release and they won't be selling their previous system as a unit with an OEM license. That's gotta be an incredibly small market...though I imagine there's not actually any difference between the OEM and Full except in the EULA and packaging, so maybe it's just a brilliant marketing move to con people who don't know any better out of their money. :think:

..and along the lines of conning people out of their money, anyone else wondering how long Microsoft can keep charging such ridiculous rates for their OS? Hell, even Apple only charges $30 for an OS X license. Granted not a perfectly comparable product, but one of the few commercial competitors.

[xr4man]

the home premium versions are cheaper.

i have home running on 3 pcs and pro on my laptop. i haven't found any reason yet that i needed pro over home premium.

[mDust]

Full comes with tech support whereas OEM does not. I've never heard of anyone calling up MS for support issues, but it probably happens somewhere. I'm thinking small companies without much computer experience or an IT department would prefer the full license.

[Okele]

As I understand it, and I could be wrong. OEM is not really upgradeable, and if it is, it has very few licenses for people who upgrade. If someone upgrades, or changes major hardware(CPU/Motherboard,) than the full version makes better sense.

[crenn]

Okele, I've made a new computer except for a hard drive containing Vista Ultimate OEM. I turned it on, Vista adapted itself to the new machine and require reactivation then after it restarted, done. Microsoft might frown on it a bit, but generally if you tell them a component died which required a system rebuild (this has happened and I've needed to call Microsoft to get it activated, they had no issues).

[Technochicken]

Another difference between the OEM and full versions is the number of times you can install it, and on how many machines it can be installed. From what I can remember, the OEM gives you 10 reinstalls, but all the reinstalls must be on the same machine(although they don't really have any way of checking). The full version gives you unlimited reinstalls, and you can reinstall it on a different machine, as long as it is only running on one machine at a time.

As far as OS X being $30, Apple can afford to do that, because they make their money off the hardware they sell, not their software.

[crenn]

There is also another reason why Apple prices OS X for $30, some of it is open source.

I believe OEM has 1 activation, Retail has 10 activation. For more activations, a call to Microsoft is required.

[OvRiDe]

OEM licenses are only valid for a single machine. Once that machine has been decomissioned.. the license dies with the machine.

Full licenses are transferable to other machines. So if you change out computers you can use that license on the new computer, as long as you don't use it on the old computer too.

Also Home Premium will not join an Active Directory Domain. So in a business setting that uses Active Directory you need Pro or Ultimate.

As for Apple OSX. To buy a copy of Lion its $60 if you don't have an upgradable version. Otherwise its 30 to upgrade your current OSX. This is one of the reasons that Apples EULA is so tight about OSX being only on Apple Hardware. If they authorized it for generic hardware the price of OSX would easily rival if not surpass Windows pricing.

Windows pricing really isn't bad at all.. really how much should you have to pay for 50 million lines of code? Even at 300 bucks what is that.. .00006 cents per line?? :P

[Twigsoffury]

should see the price i paid for Windows 7 Ultimate x64

give you a hint, The number starts with a Z if you spell it.

[SXRguyinMA]

I got windows Ultimate 64-bit Full for FREE. I signed up for the Windows 7 House party thing, and I got a copy free about a month before it was even released :D

I bought a 7 Home upgrade for teh wife's computer, and a 7 Home upgrade 3-pack to do both of my parent's computers for $150 for 3 licenses.

[x88x]

Full licenses are transferable to other machines. So if you change out computers you can use that license on the new computer, as long as you don't use it on the old computer too.
Yeah, but that's my point...how often does that actually happen? Microsoft ties the OEM license to the motherboard with, iirc, an exception that it can be transferred if the board actually dies. I know I've complained about it before, but honestly, how many of people really upgrade their MBBs more frequently than once every few years? Even in circles like this one I would bet it's a pretty small percentage. At, lets say 4 years between MBB/CPU upgrades, by the time you do that full system upgrade there'll probably be a new version anyway (well, ignoring XP...that was a special case for release schedules). And how many people wouldn't want to upgrade their OS after 8 years anyway if they're upgrading their system (sticking with 4 years between major upgrades)?


I bought a 7 Home upgrade for teh wife's computer, and a 7 Home upgrade 3-pack to do both of my parent's computers for $150 for 3 licenses.
That's a much more reasonable price point, imo. I'm glad that they've started doing that recently, along with their similar deal for Office.

[dr.walrus]

A full licence is a 'no strings attached' license. All others come with conditions.

You shouldn't strictly be using an OEM licence to build your own computer - part pf the warranty rests on the system builder, meaning you're missing part of the licence.

For example, if you want to reinstall, but you lose your disk, with a full licence, Microsoft will send you one. With an OEM licence, your manufacturer is responsible. And you're screwed.

[Twigsoffury]

For example, if you want to reinstall, but you lose your disk, with a full licence, Microsoft will send you one. With an OEM licence, your manufacturer is responsible. And you're screwed.

I tried that, spent two hours on the phone and spent almost 140$.

And never received a disk in the mail like they said or got the product key (found it using magic jelly bean finder)

Since then i haven't paid for windows.

[mDust]

I tried that, spent two hours on the phone and spent almost 140$.

And never received a disk in the mail like they said or got the product key (found it using magic jelly bean finder)

Since then i haven't paid for windows.

A borrowed or backed-up disk works just as well...all the disks for each flavor are identical. You just need your specific key for a successful install.

[dr.walrus]

I tried that, spent two hours on the phone and spent almost 140$.

And never received a disk in the mail like they said or got the product key (found it using magic jelly bean finder)

Since then i haven't paid for windows.
i was just sick in my mouth a little bit - i've had to shout at the licensing team a few times myself...