14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is facing a difficult dilemma: What price tag should the company attach to its Windows Vista OS?
One of the most important aspects Microsoft should take into account is the competition. If the company's price for Windows Vista is too high, it might encourage many users to switch to Mac OS X, or to Linux or even to stick to their Windows XP.
The first beta of Windows Vista doesn't incorporate any significant improvement that would justify the migration to this OS, but perhaps the Beta 2 will change things.
Considering that this operating system will need a lot of resources, 1GB of RAM is the minimum a PC should have in order to be able to run Windows Vista, 2 GB of RAM being ideal. The same goes for the video card.
Although the prices for hardware components will decrease until the final release, many users might not see this as a good enough reason to invest in an upgrade.
That's why, although the price scheme for Windows Vista will only be announced next year, it seems that Microsoft is planning a lower price for Windows XP. In this way, the company would encourage the switch to the new OS.
But what is the right price?