Comments on: Global pricing strategy or rip off Britain? http://gizbuzz.co.uk/2007/global-pricing-strategy-or-rip-off-britain/ Technology, Computers, Web 2.0, Google, Microsoft, and just about anything else Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:11:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Peter http://gizbuzz.co.uk/2007/global-pricing-strategy-or-rip-off-britain/#comment-17408 Peter Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:10:26 +0000 http://gizbuzz.co.uk/2007/global-pricing-strategy-or-rip-off-britain/#comment-17408 "Microsoft is able to charge so much more simply because the software market in the UK is more expensive, and it is taking advantage of people." Add that to the fact that Microsoft have what is essentially a monopoly on the desktop OS market, and that's why Windows is so expensive. I mean seriously - over £300 for a consumer OS is extortionate. The only thing we can really compare Windows to is Mac OS X here, and it's £90 for the single, fully-featured version (granted - it's always an upgrade as every Mac ships with <em>a</em> version of OS X, but still). <strong>EDIT:</strong> The >£300 figure is Ultimate Retail and not representative of <strong>all</strong> versions of Vista. “Microsoft is able to charge so much more simply because the software market in the UK is more expensive, and it is taking advantage of people.”

Add that to the fact that Microsoft have what is essentially a monopoly on the desktop OS market, and that’s why Windows is so expensive. I mean seriously - over £300 for a consumer OS is extortionate. The only thing we can really compare Windows to is Mac OS X here, and it’s £90 for the single, fully-featured version (granted - it’s always an upgrade as every Mac ships with a version of OS X, but still).

EDIT: The >£300 figure is Ultimate Retail and not representative of all versions of Vista.

]]> By: Simon Dickson http://gizbuzz.co.uk/2007/global-pricing-strategy-or-rip-off-britain/#comment-17381 Simon Dickson Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:47:53 +0000 http://gizbuzz.co.uk/2007/global-pricing-strategy-or-rip-off-britain/#comment-17381 I noticed the same statement... and did a bit of research. If Bill Gates is really blaming the price difference on exchange rate movement, then he must have fixed the price of Vista in March 1985. Eight months before Windows 1.0 was released. Full details over on my blog. Although, for the record, I'm not accusing him of being a liar either. I noticed the same statement… and did a bit of research. If Bill Gates is really blaming the price difference on exchange rate movement, then he must have fixed the price of Vista in March 1985. Eight months before Windows 1.0 was released. Full details over on my blog. Although, for the record, I’m not accusing him of being a liar either.

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