There has been a consistent traffic of accusation between Microsoft and Apple about how each company manages to find inspiration in its rival's operating systems, in order to come up with similar features, functionality and capabilities. But while such accusations have always been up for dispute for both of the companies, as well as their supporters, the fact of the matter is that there is one aspect where Microsoft needs to desperately copy what Apple is doing with Leopard.
And that is the way the Cupertino-based hardware company understands to deal with offering multiple licenses for its operating system at
a discounted price. Currently, Microsoft is offering the four mainstream editions of Windows Vista as both full licenses and upgrades. Vista Starter, the SKU that will ship to underdeveloped markets around the world, and Vista Enterprise, available exclusively to Software Assurance customers via Volume Licensing, don't come under focus here. Below, you will find the list of Vista prices directly from Microsoft:
"- Home Basic - Suggested retail price for full package product, $199.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $99.95 USD.
- Home Premium - Suggested retail price for full package product, $239.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $159.00 USD.
- Business - Suggested retail price for full package product, $299.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $199.00 USD.
- Ultimate - Suggested retail price for full package product, $399.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $259.00 USD."
Now, this is nothing new, these price details have been around even since before Windows Vista hit the shelves at the end of January 2007. But, Apple simply has a better offer. One copy of its latest operating system Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard costs $129.00 for a single user. Apple does not offer operating system upgrades, but users have the option to buy the Family Pack for just $199.00, getting a total of five licenses to Leopard. Because it controls all the aspects of the development model from hardware to software, Apple has never implemented anti-piracy mechanisms the way that Microsoft has. It is essentially a system based on trust.
Now, it is obvious that Microsoft cannot do the same with Vista, I mean trust the estimated 35% of Windows users that are pirates. But the offering of a Family Pack, dealing discounted copies of Vista to users is not a half bad idea. The Redmond company has such an initiative in place at the beginning of the year. It was dubbed the Windows Vista Family Discount Program, and it permitted customers that acquired a full license of Vista Ultimate to also buy a couple of Home Premium upgrade SKUs for just $49.99. The Windows Vista Family Discount Program was killed at the end of June 2007, and Microsoft has shown no signs of delivering anything similar.
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