Hidden Fees Discovered For "Free" Windows 7 Upgrade 406
An anonymous reader writes 'Thousands of recent computer purchasers who are expecting to receive free upgrades to Windows 7 when it is released on October 22 may be surprised to learn that some big computer makers are quietly tacking on hefty processing fees as high as $17 to mail out those disks to some buyers.' How about they process $0 to click a link and download a file?
Digital distribution has been needed for a while (Score:5, Interesting)
The RTM of windows 7 has been out for 2 months now? 3 by the street date of Oct 22nd.
This time is of course used for manufacturing, marketing, etc.
Meanwhile they should be offering fully updated ISOs directly on the windows site for everyone and anyone to download - the OS itself contains its own validation so there's no harm in letting anyone download it. Then you buy your key digitally with a steam-like system, this would even benefit Microsoft by serving as a key registration system.
Re:Digital distribution has been needed for a whil (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Digital distribution has been needed for a whil (Score:2, Interesting)
They still might charge you a handling charge. If you look at this week's Staples flyer, they put their Vista PCs on clearance, with a free upgrade to Windows 7..... but then the fine print says you have to pay shipping and handling to get it. Great.
Staples is not an honest company. I recently bought some printer paper from them minus a $25 mail-in rebate. They never bothered to tell me that it's on a credit card and therefore I have to spend the money - I can't just cash it and put it in my savings like I originally planned. :-|
I hope Staples ends-up like Circuit City (bankrupt).
I hope Comcast ends-up like Baltimore Gas & Electric (controlled by the government).
I hope RIAA's building blows up.
Re:similar to Snow Leopard (Score:3, Interesting)
Can you find "Microsoft" anywhere in the title or synopsis? A shiny gold dubloon the the first person who can do that.
Re:hidden? (Score:3, Interesting)
Looking at HP's press release (for example), it's not all that hidden.
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/090625xa.html/ [hp.com]
The program will enable customers who purchase qualifying HP PCs to enjoy the benefits of a new Windows-based PC immediately and receive a free(1) upgrade to Windows 7 when it becomes available in October...
(1) Shipping and handling fees may apply depending on retailer/reseller.
Re:Digital Dist is NOT FREE! (Score:5, Interesting)
If you are paying $2million/year for the bandwidth of a small company that doesn't have a large web site and doesn't do digital distribution, you're overpaying by a whole lot.
It sounds like:
A. you're getting majorly ripped off
B. your company claiming to be spending $2m/year but in fact paying a lot less and pocketing the rest of the money
C. all the computers in your company are a zombies spamming 2 million emails per day and performing dos attacks
D. your employees are undercover couriers for 0day warez scene
E. you're an idiot who really doesn't know anything and you make up nonsense
http://gigaom.com/2008/10/07/wholesale-internet-bandwidth-prices-keep-falling/ [gigaom.com]
Re:Online Distrubution is lacking IMO (Score:2, Interesting)
Retail scheme disallows it (Score:4, Interesting)
Both MS and Apple won't do it since it makes software retailers (dealers) obsolete. Not like they don't have bandwidth or technology to do it, Apple sells petabytes of content every week or so over the net.
In Apple case, they want their country distributors sell it, localized in some cases (like .TR) and with the real prices which translates 1$=1Euro. MS has a way more localized way of doing things, for them, Windows is released in a country when their distributor packs a local language DVD and puts on shelves.
Of course, I hate these old fashion things which only helps DVD plastic manufacturers as much as you do but it is not piracy or anything both are afraid from. In Apple's case, they could even release .ISO without DRM and they would trust their customer base who would still buy the legal one. That customer base is one thing MS can only dream about.
Re:Online Distrubution is lacking IMO (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't see why it would be so difficult to have a website where you can buy Windows 7; download it as a customised ISO wrapped into a CD-burner program
The DVD that arrives by post will be stamped not burned.
You'll have what the geek always claims he wants - a staple, permanent, back-up copy of your initial install.