How much does Windows cost?

[McRat]

If you are a retail buyer, it costs $99-$299? depending on what color the box is.

Now, if look at Dell Computer's website, and price out Ubuntu systems compared to Windows systems, it appears to be $100 for large computer mfrs. (see Vostro 13")

But is it $100? No. I bought 3 eMachine computers for $190 each that included Windows Vista on them. Not refurb, new, from TigerDirect who is a major retailer. And this is not unique. There are other computers in the $200-250 price area as well.

But there is no way a new computer with a nice case and power supply, SATA AMD64 M/B, 2gb of RAM, nVidia, 160gb HDD, DVD, keyboard, mouse, warranty, support, shipping, packaging, etc, sells for $90 ($190 minus $100 for Win) and still have eMachine make a profit, and the retailer make a profit.

So just how cheap is Windows? One oddity is that Upgrades are more than buying another seat of Windows outright. Yes, if you already paid for Windows, it costs MORE to upgrade than to buy another seat. Why would charge less for a new seat? Hmmm...

I'm seeing some Black Helicopters in the Windows Distribution Chain. Is Redmond subsidizing some computer MFR's? For what purpose? Microsoft's current ad campaign is directed at Apple costing too much. Apple pretty much gives away their O/S and office software, $79 and $79 respectively, when Microsoft Retail is $200 and $400 respectively for full function Windows and Office.

Is Microsoft "dumping" in target demographic sectors to stop their competition?

[Lightstar]

Talking about tigerdirect, did you look at Windows there?

Windows 7 Home Premium - $109.97 (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5213932&Sku=M17-7302) This is on the canadian site, I don't know about usa. But if they can sell it this low, it's most likely under $100 for them.

[KiwiNZ]

Its no mystery. For MS it means very low cost to them when OEMs are involved. Therefore they can reduce the cost to the OEM greatly.

[cariboo]

The crapware that gets installed offsets the price of Windows. I just spent an hour decrapifying a HP system.

[KiwiNZ]

The crapware that gets installed offsets the price of Windows. I just spent an hour decrapifying a HP system.

HP are the worse for crapware especially those horrible games

[lisati]

A couple of the games that came on my Compaq machine weren't too bad, until the novelty wore off. Something that annoys me is the trialware. It's ok for a while, until the trial period ends and the software stops working - which could easily baffle the socks off someone who didn't realise that it's trialware and not the full version.

[KdotJ]

The crapware that gets installed offsets the price of Windows. I just spent an hour decrapifying a HP system.

Just like my HP netbook. Full to the brim with crap... I didn't spend an hour like you though...good old GParted sorted that for me lol

[McRat]

I took the HDD's out of the two Win machines with the Vista on them before I started my install.

If I could sell these brand new HDD's with Vista on it for $100 ... hmmm...

I'm guesstimating that the cost of the Vista on these eMachines was $0 or less. Nothing to prove it by, but they didn't come packed with crapware. Very little in fact. And yes, HP porks them up till they squeal...

:guitar: (Deliverance music in the background, yes no banjo smiley, it's a workaround)

[cartman640]

Is Microsoft "dumping" in target demographic sectors to stop their competition?
This is pretty much Microsoft's business plan, they've been doing it since the IBM days, total market saturation is what they want, and it's the key to their success.


Is Redmond subsidizing some computer MFR's? For what purpose?
Quite possibly, for the simple purpose of getting their product out there. Windows is the base on which they sell you all the other crap-ware, (Office, etc). It also makes MS bigger by making independent companies smaller, they can't compete unless they develop for Windows making Windows (and therefore MS) bigger again... one big viscous cycle.

As far as how much it costs, I'm not an OEM (obviously), but I have several completely legitimate licenses for each of Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 Enterprise, for which I paid exactly nothing. Completely free. So I'd imagine OEMs are getting the same or better deal.


If I could sell these brand new HDD's with Vista on it for $100 ... hmmm...
Unfortunately that would be breaking the EULA as OEM licenses are not transferable AFAIK. That and more than a certain number of hardware changes (which is not very many, often a motherboard change is too much) causes Windows to unactivate itself...

[Mark Phelps]

... If I could sell these brand new HDD's with Vista on it for $100 ...

You can sell whatever you want. They're always folks out there stupid enough to buy anything.

But since you don't actually "own" the licenses to the copies of the OSs on the drives, are you going to tell your buyers that when they use these drives in a different machine and connect to the net, MS will deactivate their OSs -- and they most probably will not be able to get them reactivated?

Still, $100 is not a bad price for a drive -- if these are 1TB drives. If they're anything less, you're overcharging.

[MasterNetra]

Well the official prices according to " http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/default.aspx " are:

Home Premium - $199.99 (USD)

Professional - $299.99 (USD)

Ultimate - $319.99 (USD)

Amazon.com
At this time seeing as low as...

Home Premium - $167.99 (USD) (Free Shipping) - Seller: Mac Discount
(There are 164.89 and 165.00 ones too but shipping puts it over the 167.99)

Professional - $159.00 (USD) + 3.99 Shipping - Seller: meli3731

Ultimate - $165.89 (USD) + 3.99 shipping - Seller: Guru

[McRat]

There is a Win7 Enterprise Edition coming out too. Pretty sure it's only for Star Trek groupies though.

The viruses are all called Klingons, and their cloaking devices are more powerful than ever.

The bootup musak has been changed to:

"MORE POWER SCOTTY!"
"I can't Captain, the reactors will blow!"

Instead of the Blue Screen of Death, on the Enterprise, a Green Alien Woman will appear instead. It is a signal you are about to be screwed.

But about the EULA, you do not sign it unless you boot it. I didn't. It was cheaper to buy a computer WITH windows on it, than one without windows on it, hence the subject of discussion.

A WD 1TB Black Caviar HDD (fast drive) in retail box is $99 at Frys...

[rg4w]

Are you looking at just cash costs or also time? The comment above on "removing crapware" really hit home with me - it continues to amaze me that vendors ship systems bloated with all that stuff. I spend more hours maintaining my Win system than using it.

[MasterNetra]

Are you looking at just cash costs or also time? The comment above on "removing crapware" really hit home with me - it continues to amaze me that vendors ship systems bloated with all that stuff. I spend more hours maintaining my Win system than using it.

If you purchase the Non-OEM version of Windows 7, there is no crapware. Crapware is reserved for OEM's provided with new computers, its part of how PC manufactures keep the price of the OS to such a low level. With companies paying the manufacture to put their crap on the OS by default. Its why windows machines tend to be cheaper...that and M$ offers them the OEM for a very low price.

[donkyhotay]

Are you looking at just cash costs or also time? The comment above on "removing crapware" really hit home with me - it continues to amaze me that vendors ship systems bloated with all that stuff. I spend more hours maintaining my Win system than using it.

Not just cash and time costs but another thing to consider is the cost of freedom. I started using linux because I couldn't afford the cost of a legit license. Now I wouldn't take it if it was offered to me for free because I consider the cost to my civil liberties to be too high. Maybe if they paid me I might use it... for awhile... depends on how much money we're talking and how long I have to use it before I can go back.

[swoll1980]

When Microsoft started out, they were practically giving their operating systems away to OEMs. I wouldn't be surprised if it were still this way.

[McRat]

If you purchase the Non-OEM version of Windows 7, there is no crapware. Crapware is reserved for OEM's provided with new computers, its part of how PC manufactures keep the price of the OS to such a low level. With companies paying the manufacture to put their crap on the OS by default. Its why windows machines tend to be cheaper...that and M$ offers them the OEM for a very low price.

Unless you count MSN / Bing / Messenger / IE8 / etc as crapware. Granted it's high quality crapware, but they are systems designed to increase MS profits by their "free" installation.

MS announced that they are supplying Excel/Word to OEM's for $5. But if they preloaded MS-Brand Crapware, the price drops to $2.

[aysiu]

Do you see how Dell "recommends" Windows 7 on every page of its website?

Do you think it's Canonical that's paying them to do that?

[McRat]

Do you see how Dell "recommends" Windows 7 on every page of its website?

Do you think it's Canonical that's paying them to do that?

What is more interesting, is that on the Dell's that offer Linux, Windows is not a listed option, and vice-versa. Seems to be a work-around to a contracted limitation. Not sure MS is entirely pleased with Dell. Not surprisingly, Dell has fallen to third place behind Acer. That'll teach them!

Trivia. MS is still selling XP actively, and quite a few seats. Last I heard Intel Corp was still running XP on their desktops. Many large companies are still on XP.

[ColdFFF]

...That and more than a certain number of hardware changes (which is not very many, often a motherboard change is too much) causes Windows to unactivate itself...

Just for reference, when it does deactivate you are given a freephone number to call to reactivate it (at least with OEM copies of WinXP). From there you just follow the automated service to tell MS what has changed and why, and provided the reason is good enough you are given an activation key to reactivate.

Still, a lot of hassle for what its worth

[CharlesA]

Trivia. MS is still selling XP actively, and quite a few seats. Last I heard Intel Corp was still running XP on their desktops. Many large companies are still on XP.

It isn't cost effective to upgrade to the latest OS when you are using one that works for what you use it for. The budget is what counts the most for Enterprise deployments.

[McRat]

Just for reference, when it does deactivate you are given a freephone number to call to reactivate it (at least with OEM copies of WinXP). From there you just follow the automated service to tell MS what has changed and why, and provided the reason is good enough you are given an activation key to reactivate.

Still, a lot of hassle for what its worth

The activation sequence is Uber-Lame.

I was going to switch the whole office over to Win7 (we are have problems with Vista), so I set up a sample system. I bought a M/B, RAM, CPU, etc, and a seat of Win7 at a retailer.

Win7 crashed at random. No blue screen, nothing. BAM! Go Night-Night. Found that others were seeing it too with that model M/B.

So I replaced NOTHING but the M/B. Well, this time it worked, but Windows pretty much called me a crook. Not very polite. Wait. You have a SN on the: CPU, HDD, RAMx2, and the BIOS. You start calling people crooks if they replace ANYTHING???

Yes, you call MS and they give you a REALLY long number to type in. If you think their 25 char string is retarded, wait until you see this one.

The Win7 seat/HDD is sitting on the shelf now. I bought a Mac and checked it out. And I started to play with Ubuntu.

I'm not leaving MS because I'm a "rebel", "angry", or want "Free Software". I'm leaving Windows because it has been lowering my office productivity for 10 years now. We have been using the same programs daily since 1993 (what works, works), but we can't follow MS any longer as they don't want to deal with small businesses. Their peer-to-peer LAN networking started to fail last year, and that is a critical need for us. Their Small Business Server is a bad joke. It is so crappy that they give it to you for 180 days free. They figure it will take that long to get it running.

[juancarlospaco]

Here is free $$$.

(You see new computers being sold with pirated Windows, nothing you can do)

[Rususeruru]

MS doesn't care about charging for end home users. They want people using Windows so that they are familiar and comfortable with it and won't look to change Office Suites or Operating Systems. They do charge home users because it is a revenue stream but it's peanuts compared to their corporate licensing deals and I've always thought that when you "buy" Windows you're actually buying the tech support for it.

In fact I've heard that they will still make updates for Windows 2k if a corporation is large enough and I don't see them dropping support for XP anytime soon since so many corporations still use it.