Windows 7 X64 Microsoft introduces a new freebie

Slowly but surely, Microsoft is looking to grow its consumer base by giving away entry-level SKUs of its items. The latest freebie: Office Accounting Express 2007, the new, low-end of its not-so-popular small-business accounting software program line. Microsoft made the Express edition of its small-business accounting product accessible for cost-free download, starting on October thirty, via a no cost, “no-strings-attached” license, according to the company. The Workplace Accounting Express SKU is interesting for a couple of reasons. First — although Microsoft officials (obviously) aren’t portraying the positioning of the item this way — the Office Accounting desktop software is a loss leader for Microsoft,Windows 7 X64, with potential revenues coming in from the add-ons that Microsoft is hoping customers will purchase on a subscription basis. Among the paid, add-on services for the free of charge Express item: • ADP Payroll: $169 per year. Electronic filing readily available for an additional $60 per year. ADP Total Payroll Service: “Customized price as specific pricing depends on the number of employees,Office 2010 Standard, frequency of payroll and additional services requested." • Credit card processing through Chase Paymentech: $9.95 per month. • PayPal payment services: CCP Plan for $9.95 per month, plus $20 per month in bank-processing charges. PayPal Payments Pro credit card processing is obtainable for a monthly fee of $20. • Marketplace services: Up to 80 absolutely free listings/downloads per month for Basic; up to 200 listings/downloads per month for $9.95; each additional listing/download after the 200th costs an additional .05 cents. • Equifax credit-profile service: Pay per use. Small business credit reports on your own company,Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise, from $4.95 and up. Credit report with score: from $39.95 and up. The Express SKU also integrates directly with a number of other,Office 2007 Enterprise Key, paid Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office,Office Pro Plus 2010 Key, Dynamics Point of Sale and the forthcoming Workplace Online. The Workplace Express 2007 item also sports the same upgrade scheme as Vista will with the Windows Anytime Upgrade capability. Microsoft is including both the Express and the Professional versions of the Workplace Accounting product about the same disk. By purchasing an upgrade key from Microsoft or a reseller partner, users will be able to move relatively seamlessly to the $149, more feature-rich version of Workplace Accounting Professional. (Office Accounting Professional 2007 is the successor to Workplace Tiny Small business Accounting 2006.) As explained in Microsoft’s fact sheet, “beginning Oct. thirty, 2006, Workplace Accounting Express 2007 can be converted to a trial edition of Workplace Accounting Professional 2007. In early 2007, Office Accounting Professional 2007 will be accessible for an estimated retail price (ERP) of $149 for a full edition or $99 (ERP) for a edition upgrade for Microsoft Modest Company Accounting 2006 users.” Office Accounting Express 2007 is the most recent member of a growing family of Microsoft items aimed at nonprofessional/home programmers and users. Microsoft created Visual Studio Express available for free in April 2006. The company also offers a no cost, entry-level edition of SQL Server, known as SQL Server Express. Microsoft also has produced available for download a new Workplace Accounting software developer kit (SDK) and a utility that facilitates transaction transfers from Intuit’s Quickbooks to Workplace Accounting. Wonder what other software the Redmondians will offer for free next? Maybe they should have considered making Windows Vista Home Basic totally free, given the growing sentiment among partners and company watchers that it’s worth next-to-nothing ….