MS - overpriced

[nach]

Anyone remember Bill Gates's dream of having a downloadable version of a MS product? Bill should think again about what he said, because why can't the community have a downloadable copy purchased from the Microsoft web site for say a third of the price.

It would save MS alot of time and money trying to prevent users from downloading a warez version and then there is all the crap with the CD key and registration and so forth.

Wake up to yourselves MS and your greedy ways and lets have that version of our favourite MS software for a fraction of the shelf price direct from the manufacturer. As for the really overpriced shelf copy they can shove it where it fits unless they believe like me that money grows on trees.



<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Nach on 02/06/04 11:00 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[BunnyStroker]

It would be nowhere near 1/3 the price.

The packaging and distribution costs of software, particularly for a company with the scale of Microsoft, are really not that high. The bulk of what you pay to Microsoft for Windows XP goes directly to their development costs and sweet, sweet profit.

Besides - Windows XP, for example, is at least a couple hundred MB. The cost of setting up and maintaining servers to handle thousands of people downloading a several hundred megabyte program isn't exactly chump change, either.

<b>1.4 Ghz AMD T-Bird underclocked to 1 Ghz...just to be safe!</b>

 

[nach]

Heh, thats why microsoft products cost so much, even the head honcho can't run the place like he wants.

Cool, I mean the shelf price for XP and other MS product is still a little high, I guess that's why we resort to OEM versions with hardware if we want to pay our way. When I was doing uni books I used to have a student card which can get the version with student edition stickers on the package at good discount.

 

[blah]

Yeah, me student too, I run everything evaluation copies only which you can find at any educational institution's FTP all over the net.

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...

 

[blah]

""The cost of setting up and maintaining servers to handle thousands of people downloading a several hundred megabyte program isn't exactly chump change, either.""

Are you still on pipe? or I can tell you that you are ...pid. MS can use any educational institution's FTP for free if they have no 'monie' to get $1000 server running.

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...

 

[jihiggs]

whats that got to do with ms distributing their software to customers, that arent in college.

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[blah]

hehe, another one on pipe, gg

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...

 

[Misterhat]

We need millions of cheap Windows CD-roms to market halls, kiosks, record shops, service stations etc. priced about 10-15 dollars/euros. Noboby dont need use pirates after that. MS can sell Windows them like recors, and sell every year new version: Windows 2004, Windows 2005....

 

[ytoledano]

So basically you mean that users would purchase licenses and be able to download the program from M$ servers? Well, that already exsists today, kinda. You can buy just the license of WinXP and then install it from a disk you have (even one you burnt yourself) as many times as you have licenses. So, these still cost a lot and you don't even get to download anything from the Internet and still have to use a CD.
The only reason I see that something like you said will happen is if Bill Gates (the visionist - who else) will see this as a step towards PCs being only drones and all the data being stored on the net, I believe he's even be willing to lose some money if only to introduce people to software which is only online (first they had to convince people to pay for something they can't see and can copy effortless, now they have to convince people to use something they don't even have "trust us, it's there").

POST is way overrated, the black screen and beeps should be enough for most people.

 

[arkus]

Yeah, there's no way there'd be any price reduction, what sort of economic sense would it make to drop the price, when already millions of business are falling over themsleves to get the latest version of M$ s/w all the time? And even if the price did drop by a third, people would still say it's overpriced, copy it, hack it, etc etc

Now, here's a thought.... I'm not saying I think the price of Microsoft products is justified, but imagine how many man hours have gone into the creation of say, Windows XP, then look at the price. Imagine how many man-hours goes into the production of a typical manufactured band's pop music CD? Yes, there's a big price difference, but I bet you get more bang for your buck from M$ than you do from <insert latest crap teen band here>.