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Yes, Microsoft is walking a tighrope here, you hit the nail on the head.
They realized there will be be big problems with giving a huge discount in other countries. Everybody will want the same deal. Other poor countries will be doing the same thing to wring price reductions from Microsoft. People in the US will be upset at paying more than others. They did NOT want to open this can of worms. They were very happy charging businesses / governments full price in developing countries and letting the rest pirate the software will pretending to be concerned. But that all changed when Linux became viable and was offered pre-installed at bargain basement prices.
Posted by: DonnieBoy   Posted on: 06/24/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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This is all happening because desktop Linux is viable.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Or they may be trying to get into a growing market...  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
But this problem has existed for years, why now?  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Because the gov't buys the computer?  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
The business objective is to deny Linux a critical mass.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Drank too much koolaid  LinuxHippie | 06/24/04
That is what I said, they did this because they had "viable" competition.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
should be scared  Dan__ | 06/24/04
re: bigger than Linux.  ryusen | 06/24/04
name a competitor with more cross platform credibility than LINUX  oldskool | 06/24/04
For now  LinuxHippie | 06/24/04
desktop linux is viable LOL!!  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
Microsoft is not laughing, Linux is costing them millions, and forcing them  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Not really  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
Non-answer  IT_User | 06/24/04
I disagree  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
Disagree all you want  IT_User | 06/24/04
Try using a current version of Linux  voska | 06/24/04
I have  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
Don't waste your time on FC...  techboy_z | 06/25/04
Can't say I care for Fedora  voska | 06/25/04
No wonder  dscherf | 06/24/04
Well, of course. What did you expect?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
It does NOT suprise me, it is happening because desktop Linux is viable  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Viable alternative???? Not according to the EU commision.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
What time frame are you talking about?  IT_User | 06/24/04
Did Word Perfect work back in 1999  voska | 06/25/04
Good to know...  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
Yes, but without a viable alternative . . .  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
But with a viable market...  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
So why after all these years are they changing??  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Changing what?  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
Untill recently, Microsoft refused to do this.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
I agree  voska | 06/24/04
Product activation is only for the honest.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Already accomplished  IT_User | 06/24/04
Wrong Anton...  Tim Patterson | 06/24/04
They do pursue pirates  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
Mike Cox?  IT_User | 06/24/04
So why is it  Arrg | 06/24/04
Yes, Microsoft is walking a tighrope here, you hit the nail on the head.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Global Player  LinuxHippie | 06/24/04
re: first timer's edition...  ryusen | 06/24/04
The reason I brought up the anti-American thing  Arrg | 06/24/04
ALL products are this way.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
Cars, computers, telephone calls, and other things are more expensive.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Sorry, wrong.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
Wrong again there bitty  Rick_K | 06/24/04
Examples  Yagotta B. Kidding | 06/24/04
Ya the meds thing makes me really angry  Arrg | 06/24/04
Americans demand the right to pay more for Microsoft Software!  B.O.F.H. | 06/24/04
If it is any consolation, prices will be falling.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Tell me, when was the last time you were abroad?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
Is your reading comprehension that bad?  B.O.F.H. | 06/24/04
Bitty is so full of it....  Rick_K | 06/24/04
He's also a hypocrite  Fred Fredrickson | 06/25/04
Thailand to get slimmed-down Windows  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
Cheap?  Chris Moller | 06/24/04
Cheap?  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
FC2 cost me nothing  dscherf | 06/24/04
You won't see it here in the US any time soon.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Maybe not  Loverock Davidson | 06/24/04
$200+ for Windows  Bill4 | 06/24/04
Simple logic  Fred Fredrickson | 06/25/04
You have been smoking crack again  Bill_gates_Is_SATAN | 06/25/04
OOPS  Bill_gates_Is_SATAN | 06/25/04
Will they get cheap anti-virus too?  whisperycat | 06/24/04
Still $35 too much.. wink  Xunil_Sierutuf | 06/24/04
Yes, most will just buy with Linux, then load Windows/Office free  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
MS makes its stuff easy to pirate because the alternative scares them  oldskool | 06/24/04
Funny  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 06/24/04
Funny you do not understand the way the world is.  DonnieBoy | 06/24/04
Reject the premise...  Tim Patterson | 06/24/04
Overcharging and Piracy  tic swayback | 06/24/04
You know at that price ($2 a CD)  voska | 06/25/04
economics 101  ryusen | 06/24/04
stop playing stupid already  Jeff Spicoli | 06/24/04
Umm, you imply Thailand forced MS to drop prices  oldskool | 06/24/04
Interesting how you leave out the next line...  B.O.F.H. | 06/24/04
It's the same price American OEM's pay.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 06/24/04
But this is what the individual customers are paying  tic swayback | 06/24/04
Apparently No_Ax does not know the difference between OEM and retail.  B.O.F.H. | 06/24/04
Or the difference between discounts and predatory pricing.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 06/24/04
No, price is under government program only, I think  Anton Philidor | 06/25/04
Is it?  tic swayback | 06/25/04
So I ask you.  Cardinal_Bill | 06/24/04
Hours better spent  Anton Philidor | 06/25/04
Since you used to love...  Cardinal_Bill | 06/24/04
It's not all or none...  techboy_z | 06/25/04
But it works  voska | 06/25/04
slimmed down?  ryusen | 06/24/04
They had the nerve to remove notepad!  Jeff Spicoli | 06/24/04
Nah, just that Merlin can't talk (NT)  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
OEM = $50; Slim XP = $36  Anton Philidor | 06/24/04
So what's the point?  IT_User | 06/24/04
Re: So what's the point?  none none | 06/24/04
Same capabilities in both versions  Anton Philidor | 06/25/04
The point is that...  ryusen | 06/24/04
One can only hope.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 06/24/04
"Single price policy" is pure fantasy  Fred Fredrickson | 06/25/04
Condescending? Linux threat?  techboy_z | 06/25/04
Ready for Linux but Linux is NOT  Bill_gates_Is_SATAN | 06/25/04
Did you use the wrong identidy?  Linux_Developer | 06/26/04
How to ween off of pirated copies though  FilledOut | 06/25/04

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