Microsoft Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $39.99 (USD?) announced

Microsoft have just announced what I think is a bold but necessary move. They’ve announced on their blog that Windows 8 Pro will be available as an upgrade for all existing Windows users using XP, Vista and Windows 7, for an amazing $39.99 (via download). This is probably in US dollars and whether it will be the same for Australians I don’t know, but if there is a small variance it shouldn’t make much difference.

Starting at general availability, if your PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99 in 131 markets.... Read More

The reason I say this is a bold but necessary move, is a lot of people will be put off with the new interface and would put off purchasing Windows 8. Many people love Windows XP and are still reluctant to move to Windows 7. Some see Windows 8 as potentially another Windows ME disaster about to happen. For me, having users who want to start in the Desktop mode to have to first start in Metro mode already sounds annoying. Microsoft’s low cost upgrade changes all that.

For the first time, if Microsoft’s Windows 8 doesn’t cause too many problems, it may be possible to upgrade all machines in a home or small office environment to the one operating system and to do that cost effectively. That is a huge bonus.

My approach will be to first test Windows 8 on one machine and see what devices continue to work and what devices don’t. For example some printers, scanners, camera software, email clients simply won’t work or be available. Those using Windows XP who still use Outlook Express will lose Outlook Express if they move to Windows 8. They have to decide if the move is worth it.

For me I’m typing this post using a netbook running Windows XP. I chose Windows XP because at the time XP and Vista were the only choices for a netbook (linux didn’t appeal to me) and Vista would have run like a dog. XP on the other hand has proven to be light and fast and even to this day the netbook has been one of my best investments. Will Windows 8 run on the netbook? What won’t work?

As soon as Windows 8 Pro is released to market and I have the chance to install Windows 8, I’ll start recording what does and doesn’t work and make the information available to clients via MyAnswers.

To me this is indeed a very smart move by Microsoft and one that Microsoft needed to make, or otherwise they’d continue to see their market share decline as it has for the last couple of years. This move may just get people to refocus on Windows for a short while and that is what they need.

The upgrade period will run through to the 31^st of January 2013. I’d suggest clients seriously consider at least purchasing the upgrade for each computer during this period, but do sufficient testing to make sure all your existing software and hardware you need to use works with Windows 8 Pro.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problems.
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