Even though the retail start of Windows Vista just a couple of weeks away, Microsoft is nevertheless continuing to fine-tune its licensing and pricing particulars.
Sources stated that Microsoft will announce some time over the next few days the business will enable Vista Greatest buyers to purchase two additional copies of Vista Home Premium for someplace among $50 to $99 a piece.
In order to qualify for that so-called "Family Pack" promotion, clients will first need to buy at retail a copy of Vista Greatest, which carries an estimated retail price of $399 U.S. The deal will not be offered to those who buy Ultimate preloaded on a new PC, sources stated; it will be for clients buying and/or upgrading via retail channels only.
Sources close to Microsoft were sketchy about some of the particulars. The exact price of the extra copies isn't clear: Some believe it will be $49.95 per copy; others, $99.95. Vista Residence Premium's current estimated retail price is $239 per copy.
Microsoft is making multiple versions of Vista available on a single DVD, as part of its Windows Anytime Upgrade marketing plan. As a result, users who want to take advantage of the new promotion will be able to "unlock" the additional licenses from their DVD using a software key after paying for the additional copies by credit card,
Windows 7 Professional Product Key, resources stated.
Microsoft officials did not respond to a request for comment on the Family Pack promotion by the time this blog entry was published.
Ever since it announced its Vista pricing and licensing terms last year, Microsoft has been fine-tuning them, based on requests (and outcry) from its customer base.
In November 2006, Microsoft relaxed its policy regarding the number of devices upon which customers will be permitted to install legally a copy of Vista. Microsoft made the change due to complaints between its user — and especially, its power-user — base.
Some Microsoft developers and testers, most notably, Windows-Now.com founder Robert McLaws,
Buy Office 2010, have been advocating for Microsoft to consider some kind of family-licensing program. McLaws has been arguing since last summer that such a plan could benefit both Microsoft and its clients, if done right.
McLaws blogged in August 2006:
"If Microsoft were to make this (family discount program) happen, and every household that has more than one computer were to upgrade,
Office Professional 2010, Microsoft could realize at least $900 Million dollars in additional revenue. … I know not EVERY family will upgrade every computer, but of all the families I know, most have at least two computers in their home, and of those, most would rather upgrade them all at once.
"It’s a plan that has the potential to eliminate families unintentionally pirating software,
Cheap Windows 7, AND it could get Vista onto millions of additional PCs. Will Microsoft actually do it? We’ll just have to wait and see."
Ultimately (no pun intended),
Buy Office 2007, the Family Pack discount is just one a great deal more way Microsoft is looking to continue to grow the Windows revenue stream, in a market where Windows already has in excess of 95 percent desktop operating-system market share.