Smooth Move Ex-Lax: Microsoft Ends Windows 7 Family Pack

Microsoft, facing stiff competition from Apple on its launch of Windows 7, let its Windows 7 Family Pack offer expire just when it would be to its advantage to continue the offer.

From the outset, the Family Pack was offered as a limited time discount allowing a household to upgrade 3 PC’s to Windows 7 for only $150.  Each PC would regularly cost $129-200 each without the discount.

Apple markets an upgrade to its OS X for only $29 and many analysts suggested that Microsoft follow suit with lower pricing to attack Apple’s competitive position, especially since the Vista OS was such a disappointment in the PC market.

Dell, HP Customers Upset With Windows 7 Delays

Computerworld reports that Dell & HP customers are angry due to delays in the shipping of Windows 7 media as promised under the Windows 7 Upgrade Option program.  The program is supposed to ship replacement media to customers on or about October 22nd, the date of the Windows 7 launch. Customers are being notified that their orders are on backorder and could take many more weeks.

The Upgrade Option Program is designed to help PC manufacturers address possible slowdowns in sales due to the introduction of a new Microsoft Operating system. Introduced with the launch of Windows XP and replicated for Vista and Windows 7, consumers are able to purchase a PC within some number of months of the Operating System launch and receive the free (or discounted) upgrade to Windows 7.