With Windows 7 on our doorstep, Vista buyers still are getting hassled. Many bought Vista with the hopes of a new os, ending XP’s good, but long rule. In Microsoft’s rush to get the new product out the door, they missed several key points. Those users got stuck with a slow, incomplete, and largely incompatible operating system with a pretty GUI, but even that wasn’t very usable. A good portion of them swapped back to good ‘ol XP.
Microsoft has now decided to fix their blunder, but they’re still not giving any relief to those who got stuck with their failure. Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, is giving a free copy of 7 to anyone who bought Vista over the Summer. Now, if you buy something from the store, and it doesn’t work properly, you expect it to be replaced, right? And if all of that item do not work, you expect they should be recalled and replaced by a working product, right? Microsoft doesn’t. Vista was defective, and all of us who got caught buying a new computer within the last couple years deserve some kind of refund. I would be happy if they’d give us half off a new copy. I’d even upgrade to a higher version, having liked what I’ve seen. Instead, I’m getting stuck with XP until somebody starts handing out old computer parts with Windows 7 keys on them (I have many still from XP.) Microsoft really should be a bit more on the ball with consumers.
Another group that I’ve been a member of is the beta testers. I have tested, and sent recommendations and bugs from the beta from release to RTM. What do I get for it? I get an expired copy of an OS, and a bunch of upgrades I really can’t afford to see working. They get a whole bunch of free testing and to tease the community with thier new OS. Beta testers should be given at least a little bit of a discount. They lose a little off each purchase, but encourage more of us to buy the product. I don’t think I’ll be sending Microsoft any more data. They want info, they can pay for it.
Speaking of paying for things, I think the price of 7 is a bit high. In these times, they can’t expect people to even be able to afford the basic 7 package. They have made the basic package slower (unable to run more than four programs) and not very good looking, along with removing many of the features. It’s still expensive. Lower price means more people can afford it. It reduces the desire to pirate it and increases the number of upgrades (purchases). To get a failry usable version of 7, it’s a $200 price tag.
Although 7 has its perks, I think the company selling it needs a little bit of an attitude adjustment. I’d say wait to get 7. In as little as six months we may see some changes in its pricing and availability. Hopefully, those of us stuck with these useless Vista stickers will get some relief too.
