I think Windows 7 will be out before people are getting around to ending their time with XP. Microsoft would probably do better and make more money by letting people choose (by people I mean technical type people like us).

The average computer use just wants a computer and an OS that works, but if I want a computer and OS that I am happy with and confident in then I want to choose what I want not what I am forced to, this is why I from now on will always build my PCs.

Dell should do that offer for all customers not just business customers.

This isn't all that new. Microsoft has allowed downgrade licensing for years, and this just seems like a part of that program. The press is really enjoying making a big deal out of Vista because it's been so widely criticized. Though, it's certainly weird marketing to call it Windows Vista Bonus.

It's certainly made everybody sit up and take notice though. It's also been the same on CF, how do you upgrade vista? Install XP.

Most home customers do just fine with Windows Vista - they don't have a problem with it. Home apps generally work fine with it. The problem is that many business apps do NOT work with Windows Vista, and for this reason, it's not even a choice: some businesses HAVE to go with XP.

If a home customer wants XP, they can downgrade just like a business user can, so you still have that ability as a home user to choose Vista or XP... the only difference is, Dell won't preinstall it for you.

Further, the downgrade isn't free: Dell charges something like $50 to preinstall XP for you instead of Vista. They're simply taking advantage of the same downgrade rights that anyone with OEM Vista has.

what a rip off, thats why I'll build from now on.

its not really a rip off you know. £25 quid? thats what? one hour call-out charge for a technician? It will take them extra effort to reimage the machine with xp on it, since it will be done to order, rather than on mass.

For a home user, thats fairly reasonable rates to have someone else do all the work for you.

While they may install XP for you, the media supplied is still Vista, so if you had to reinstall a pc that wasn't imaged, then you would be putting Vista on it from the media Dell supply you.

Something we are having to point out to clients now when we supply them new machines

like I said what a rip off.

If you don't like it, you can go with Ubuntu...

I did.

Great idea!

This isn't why I'd choose to build my own PC's, this is just the cherry on top of the icing as far as buying from PC companies goes. I can do without rip-off prices for cheap **** hardware let alone having to pay for a downgrade.

It's an issue with laptops though, hmm.

Actually, one of my brother-in-laws was a VP at Intel for over 20 years. He retired, then was asked to become the CEO of a smaller, but well-known (you'd know the name, if I said it) IT-related company. He has recently sworn off PCs forever in favor of Apple products. When he was here for my son's wedding, he couldn't speak highly enough of Macs. I think the recent series of TV adverts by Apple reflects this (at least on TV in the US). While the average home user may still be a little shy of Linux, even long-term Windows home users have heard of Apple, know it's been around just about forever, and believe it to be a well-known, point-and-click technology. Ballmer and company may have done Steve Jobs the biggest favor of both their careers when Microsoft released Vista.

And another Mac fanboi is born.

Mac Àihǎozhě: bù zàihū!