By Simon Bisson, ZDNet UK, 24 July 2009 09:14
NEWS
Microsoft plans to offer a 'family pack' for Windows 7 that can be used on up to three PCs in the US, but is not sure whether it will be sold in the UK.
The software maker acknowledged it would sell the bundle, which allows three installations of the Home Premium version of the operating system, in a blog post on Tuesday. However, in a conference call on the release to manufacturing of Windows 7 on Wednesday, Microsoft executives acknowledged that the family pack may not be released in Europe, including the UK.
John Curran, director of the Windows Client group at Microsoft UK, said in the call: "We're evaluating that, to see how attractive it will be to the market and how effective, as it's been designed for upgrades, and in Europe we will be having the 'E' versions, which are full versions."
Microsoft had already included references to the family pack as part of licensing terms in a test version of Windows 7 that leaked onto the internet.
Windows users have been calling for a family pack since before Windows Vista, and Apple has offered a family pack for Mac OS X since 2002. With Vista, Microsoft had a promotion for a time that allowed those who bought a copy of the Ultimate edition to buy up to three copies of Home Premium at a discount. Apple's family pack covers up to five machines.
Microsoft did not say in its blog post on Tuesday how much it will charge for the family pack. Earlier this month, Microsoft ran a deal in the US where people in the US could order Windows 7 Home Premium for $49 and Professional edition for $99, but that deal has ended. A similar promotion in Europe is still going on, although it has sold out in some places.
Those who bought Windows Vista Ultimate complained that so far Microsoft has yet to offer a discounted way for them to move to Windows 7 Ultimate, feedback that Microsoft has said it is taking under consideration.
Comments
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1. Matt H
If we in the UK aren't offered a family pack I doubt I'll bother with Windows 7 full stop! I either stick with Linux or give Amazon.com a whirl....
This is beginning to feel as though Micro$oft are punishing us European customers due to their being rapped across the knuckles by the EU!
2. James Button
So I have to guess if I want to pre-order.
Then again, I'm not allowed the full (non 'E') version because I live in the UK.
And I have to pay £99 for a pre-ordered copy of the Pro version.
@ $1.4 per £, that's 40% more cost for a less capable version than they get in the USA.
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How about the EU do something about the price hike for non USA customers rather than aiding the other browser sellers from making the core software for a PC cost even more than it would have if we just applied the £1.4 per USD excahnge rate that is usually applied to computer items that are imported to the UK from the far east by purportedly American organisations.
3. Steve Niemiec
So no Family Pack for Europe? How shortsighted is that? As low cost laptops and netbooks become ever popular the company is in great danger of consumers moving away from Windows 7 as they see just how good Linux is. If the pack isn’t available, they aren’t going to spend 50% of the hardware cost on a new operating system. Indeed, once they realise free software does what they need it to, the battle could well be over for Microsoft. It’s getting close to the tipping point already, look at their latest financial results.
The company needs to encourage the take up of W7 if they have any change of re-unifying the laptop market.