Windows 7 Free Upgrade is Not Totally Free

Windows 7 Free Upgrade is Not Totally Free: "

I have said time and again that Windows 7 is what Windows Vista should have been and because of this Microsoft should offer free upgrade to the latest operating system at least for Windows Vista Ultimate users. Microsoft does offer free upgrades but only for users who have bought their computers and Vista licenses within a specified period, around June of this year. This was given to make sure users who are planning to buy Windows Vista but are putting it off since Windows 7 is around the corner would have reason to buy immediately because of the free upgrade.

The free upgrade turned out to be around $12.99 and $17.03 dollars which is the cost for Microsoft to ship over the disc to the user. According to Edgar Dworsky who is the editor of the Consumerworld.org and Mouseprint.org the cost of sending the media via mail is just around a dollar.

Obviously the cost also includes the operating expense Microsoft is spending to send the disc which includes the employees within Microsoft, contractors, etc. who are involved from writing the disc, packaging until it is sent over to the user. In total cost, the user is not paying for media disc or the license upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 but just the shipping.

Microsoft should have cleared what this shipping mean and the things charged to it. While I understand the rationale of Microsoft, what I do not understand is their failure to communicate this right from the start when they launched their marketing campaign titled “Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program”. The campaign aimed to ensure that PC sales would continue to hit the cash registers despite Windows 7’s around the corner release date. This program allow users who purchase a PC with the Windows Vista operating system between June 26, 2009 to January 31, 2010 can get their free Windows 7 upgrade.

Most of the major computer makers have noted that they are giving away the free upgrade to users and only Acer is offering the upgrade without a single dollar to shell out. Dworsky says that his research found out that vendors Dell Compaq, HP, Sony and Toshiba are waving fees for some users while some are being charged between $11.25 to $14.99 dollars. Lenovo is the biggest hitter asking buyers to shell out $17.03 dollars.

Lenovo, on the other hand, nails every buyer with a $17.03 fee for the Windows 7 upgrade disc.

This may be small fees compared to the amount the user paid to purchase a computer running Windows Vista; but nonetheless, money is money and the bigger companies themselves didn’t want to shoulder around $15.00 worth of the disc’s shipping, handling and miscellaneous fees.

Whether this is a case of miscommunication on the part of Microsoft or not, we wouldn’t know. But one thing is certain, when we say its free make sure its free.