Microsoft announces single-version Windows 7
The company found that offering multiple versions of Windows Vista confused customers, and generated what the company calls "unnecessary customer dissatisfaction."
According to a study conducted by Microsoft, buyers of Vista Home Premium reported feeling that they were overcharged, while those purchasing Home Basic felt like they could be missing out on valuable features. More importantly, however, the policy of multiple OS versions generated a lot of confusion. When asked to explain the differences between versions, only 3% of potential Vista buyers were able to do so.
The multiple versions of Vista contributed to a public perception that, compared to Apple's Mac OS X, Vista was a "confusing, disjointed, bloated piece of crap that nobody could love" and that Microsoft was interested only in "squeezing every possible nickel out of every customer."
Offering Windows 7 in just one version "is just common sense," said a Microsoft spokesman. "Launching it in five versions could have compromised what would otherwise have been a very successful launch of a very important product." And that, he said, "would be insane."
(NOTE: This post was voted into the Top 20 Highest Rated April Fool's Jokes of 2009!)
4:42 AM * PERMALINK * 32 comments
Comments:
I hope that this is not an April Fools gag...
There's no fool like an April Fool...Although, this would be the smartest thing Microsoft would have done in a long time if it would be true.
Shenanigans.
I don't think MS is are smart enough or un-avaricious enoughto actually do this. It is however a great and very obvious idea.
A cruel joke indeed...
To good to be true is quickly replaced by could never be so smart.
Thats not Windows 7 in the screen shot....
Also, I highly doubt this is true
this is easily a joke unforunately
great gag. but if windows looked anything like your screenshot microsoft might have chance in luring me back...
crap like this is why you morons ruin the internet every april 1st
OP is a douchebag
sigh
Thank god it isn't going to be like that! Phew!
One can still dream though right?
Actually, they will not be shipping a CD installer with the new versions. You login to Microsoft.com and download a bootstrapper which installs the version and any add-on features. There's a whole host of add ons based on what you need (TCP private IP networking $25, Novell support $65, personal firewall $25, enterprise firewall $299, and so-on.
Windows 7 will sell for $99 plus add-ons. I think it's brilliant. It's to combat Linux being free I guess. My friend in marketing told me they want to have a sub $100 entry price point. They're doing it by stripping it down and selling what you need.
Brilliant!
You forgot to mention...
"... and people who bought the way-more expensive Ultimate version are still sitting around wondering whaen they are going to get anything worth having for the extra money?.
HAHA great April Fools joke=)
Best one yet
"Vista was a confusing, disjointed, bloated piece of crap that nobody could love." - But I love Vista now. Poor Vista, a victim of Microsoft's popularity and some bad judgment ;)
I recommend also to try to install Vista, much better than XP. Although I think Windows 7 is best. I tried installing it in Mac, Photoshop runs faster in Windows 7 than Mac OS
Funny how as humans we have accepted that books come in only one style. Pages tied together, one after another. Yet, when it comes to software, we want new and different all the time, when it really doesn't make any sense. When push comes to shove, the menu system, interface of both Windows XP and Mac X have hit a nadir of ingenuity that works. Why mess with it? We computer geeks should be encouraging some good things to stay the same. But, we get bored and crave a new interface to stare at. I wish Microsoft and Apple would come up with a system that no matter how advance or different their interfaces become, we should have to ability to go back to something that we are familiar with and know very well, and get our work done. What say you, Mike Elgan RawFeed fans?
I agree with this decision. Why nickle and dime when that just makes people angry.
I'm typing this comment using the Windows 7 beta and I will probably buy it when it was released. I never did use Vista.
This is a bad April Fools joke.
this sounds like a total april fools joke, wish it were the truth though.
I bought 'vista ultimate' cause i thought i needed everything for development, and was majorly confused as to which version to get (needed something like XP pro)...
it was the biggest waste of money i ever spent, I just ended up downgrading to XP and now the Vista install CD's sit on my shelf collecting dust.
Microsoft is making wonderful progress getting to where OSX was 2 years ago. Congrats.
mac fanboy
oh yeah windows sucks
Yeah I don't think it's about 'not confusing customers', I think it's a economic strategy.
Less versions -> less bunch of bugs, less different marketing, less loose of $$
yeah see the link at the end of this article? where it says "woulb be insane" ? click it. you WILL be disapointed
I was using windows all in my life and recently i bought a macbook to devolop application for iphone. I can honestly say OSX sucks big time. Let apple boy try windows some time and see how better it is compared to crappy mac os
Truly a pity Microsoft is too greedy to do what would amount to probably be the best boost in sales they could hope for.
It does makes sense whether it's true or not... It would be the first good idea that MS makes in a long ass time...!
Actually, everyone who says this is a joke or shens, That IS Windows Seven. It said in the article that Windows Seven and Mac OS X or whatever looked frighteningly similar.
If only it were true. Microsoft should start to listen to the customer.
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