The countdown to Windows 7 begins

[SRTDodge05]

We have been monitoring closely over the past several months the fact that Microsoft is going to stop selling Windows XP on all but ultra low cost PCs. The last day finally arrived yesterday and now the countdown to Windows 7 begins.

As we have explained on several occasions, although Microsoft has stopped selling Windows XP, you still have a few options to get Windows XP if you need it. Of course you have the option to downgrade from Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows XP. If that option does not appeal to you or you don’t want to go through that hassle, then you will have to seek out a reseller that still is selling copies of Windows XP.

Many resellers have been stocking up for several months to be prepared for this day and have ample numbers of Windows XP licenses in stock for customers who have to have it. The problem is that starting today the price for Windows XP licenses will start to slowly escalate as in stock inventory is depleted.

Fudzilla

[3 of 7]

I think the price will be a moot point for anyone with new hardware, nobody is going to make drivers for XP if it isn't for sale..
The next generation of chipsets will likely be Vista only.

[SupDawg]

Originally Posted by 3 of 7

I think the price will be a moot point for anyone with new hardware, nobody is going to make drivers for XP if it isn't for sale..
The next generation of chipsets will likely be Vista only.

I doubt that very seriously. It will probably be about 2014 when drivers stop being available for the OS.

[RaiNMaN00001]

I agree, driver support for Win2k is still there, and that OS was released almost 9 years ago. Even Win98 is still supported by the big hardware companies.

[3 of 7]

I'm thinking the EULA and activation requirements for Win2k and 98 made it viable to easily transfer the OS to newer hardware.
Won't XP's licencing prevent that in most cases? ( I understand that VLK's will be around longer though)

[XJ.]

The count down to Windows 7 begins...
Well I hope Win7 will be good, but I'm not counting yet...

[wallijonn]

In the past month the price for an XP license has jumped from about $80 to $139.00.

What MS said is that they will no longer sell XP licenses to OEMs. The OEMs are getting around that by selling machines with a two license sticker so that either system can be installed. Once that inventory of licenses are up then it'll be Vista only. Then the user will have to upgrade to Vista Ultimate to be able to downgrade to XP.

IRC, you'll be able to transfer the XP license should you make hardware changes but if you so as much as change the computer case under Vista you'll have to buy a new license. If true that would knell the end of the enthusiast.

[Rick_EE]

Originally Posted by wallijonn

In the past month the price for an XP license has jumped from about $80 to $139.00.
.

That is the price for a full oem version at newegg right now.

Originally Posted by wallijonn

IRC, you'll be able to transfer the XP license should you make hardware changes but if you so as much as change the computer case under Vista you'll have to buy a new license. If true that would knell the end of the enthusiast.

That is about the same as the oem license for XP now. You really are not supposed to change the mobo with the oem license. IIRC.

[maraud]

Does this make Vista the shortest lived OS in Microsoft's History?

[ctal]

Originally Posted by maraud

Does this make Vista the shortest lived OS in Microsoft's History?

Not even close! Windows ME (Millenium Edition, aka Mistake Edition) was released on Sept. 14, 2000 according to Wikipedia, and was superseded by Windows XP on Oct. 25, 2001. The 13 months 11 days from its release to the release of its successor was nevertheless all too long!

Regards,
-- Al

[maraud]

Thanks Al. Well at least it won't be a record.

[wallijonn]

Originally Posted by Rick_EE

You really are not supposed to change the mobo with the oem license. IIRC.

How many enthusiasts here actually went through the trouble of buying new licenses when they upgraded their motherboards?

At what point was that restriction put in? Probably after May, 2006 when the EULA was changed. I bought my copy of XP 2 days after release, October 27, 2001.

Our intention behind the original terms was genuinely geared toward combating piracy; however, it’s become clear to us that those original terms were perceived as adversely affecting an important group of customers: PC and hardware enthusiasts. You who comprise the enthusiast market are vital to us for several reasons, not least of all because of the support you’ve provided us throughout the development of Windows Vista. We respect the time and expense you go to in customizing, building and rebuilding your hardware and we heard you that the previous terms were seen as an impediment to that -- it’s for that reason we’ve made this change. I hope that this change provides the flexibility you need, and gives you more reason to be excited about the upcoming retail release of our new operating system.

Windows Vista Team Blog : News: Revision to Windows Vista retail licensing terms

I read through the license agreement for Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate (PDF) and saw lots of new language. Much of it just formalizes what Microsoft has been doing under separate agreements for some time, such as the Validation requirements introduced with Windows Genuine Activation.
But I have yet to see anyone point out one significant change in retail licensing terms. Think you can transfer that retail license to any machine you want? Think again. In Section 2, "Installation and Use Rights," the text reads:

Before you use the software under a license, you must assign that license to one device (physical hardware system). That device is the "licensed device."

Sections 15 and 16, "Reassign to Another Device," and "Transfer to a Third Party," are new. You can go read the exact terms for yourself. The sort version is that you may "reassign the license to another device one time" or "make a one time transfer of the software, and this agreement, directly to a third party." [emphasis added]
That limitation on retail licenses is a remarkable change. Previously, a retail license could be removed from one computer and reinstalled on another with no limits. Now, you get to reinstall one time and one time only.
I looked at the license agreement for Windows XP Professional (PDF) for comparison's sake. The difference is … interesting. Section 1, "Grant of License," says, "You may install, use, access, display and run one copy of the Product on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device ("Workstation Computer"). Section 4, "Transfer," describes what you can do with the underlying license:

Internal. You may move the Product to a different Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must completely remove the Product from the former Workstation Computer. Transfer to Third Party. The initial user of the Product may make a one-time transfer of the Product to another end user.

With a retail version of Windows XP, there are no restrictions on the number of times you can transfer the software from one computer to another in your household or office. That's about to change for the worse in Vista, with only one lifetime transfer allowed. It makes the outrageous price difference between retail and OEM copies even more difficult to justify.
Will this affect a lot of people? Not really. Those most likely to be affected are hobbyists who constantly rebuild, replace, and upgrade systems. Presumably, the new two-machine limit will be enforced by Windows Product Activation.

A sneaky change in Windows licensing terms | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

[XJ.]

Thanks wallijonn for doing the heavy lifting!

Damn, that Vista license sucks!!

[INVALiD]

Maybe MS will only lease Windows 7 as part of a software/license agreement as opposed to selling copies outright.
This might be a future trend for them.

If they can get the pricing right it might be successful. If they can manage the add-ons crap like with what Vista has... like file encription, backup, and others found on it's ultimate edition.