As much as I like Microsoft’s recently released Windows Vista as an improvement over Windows XP (though ironically, “vista” means “chicken” in Latvian :P) and using it right now (the pre-release Release Candidate 2 version, having registered for the Community Preview Program back in 2006), it has chronically pissed me off that even though the current exchange rate between the mighty Pound Sterling and worthless American Dollar is 1-to-1.95, the historic “1-to-1” rate for electronics and software compared to the States is still alive and well… thus sparking the following petition by Paul Milne to pressure the Right Honourable Tony Blair, to pressure Microsoft:
There is a huge difference in the price that people in the US and the UK are paying for Windows Vista the new Microsoft Operating System. As an example of this, in the UK a full copy of Vista Ultimate would cost you £350, in the US it would cost you £195. The US version of Vista is exactly the same as the UK version. There is no difference. Therefore I can see no reason for there to be such a huge difference in prices between the UK and the US other than Microsofts belief that the UK customers will pay more than their US counterparts. I ask people to sign this petition in the hope that the Prime Minister will bring pressure to bear on Microsoft over their pricing as it is my belief they are simply overcharging the people of the UK and therefore are ripping us off.
Indeed, this over charging isn’t just endemic within Blighty, as it has also infected our EuroDisneyLand counterparts on the mainland European Union with France and Germany paying an even more rip-off-tastic €550 (£370)! Curiously, in Japan, a full retail copy of Windows Vista Ultimate is an apparently eye-watering ¥47,500… till you realise that translates to £200 (€300), more or less exactly the same price as those in America. So what the fucking fuck is going on? Europe (and apparently Oceania) have to subsidise the cost of Windows for America and Japan? Kill two birds with one stone and give both Mr. Blair and Mr. Gates a good kick up the backside by signing the petition (assuming you are a citizen of her Majesty Lizzy Windsor, naturally).
Here in the Netherlands I’ve seen this suite for €350, which still is quite a huge price if you compare it to the american one.
Does translating of the operating system really cost that much… and the english version did not require any translation at all….
Comment by DoubleJ — 15:09:45 UTC on the 11th of March, 2007
That’s the thing you see, the Vista was designed with all 90-ish full translations and a further 200-ish partial translations from day one. However, the “preferential” US and Japanese market get the lowest price, where as the rest of the world have to pay a premium. :P
Comment by Jonathan Stanley — 15:17:38 UTC on the 11th of March, 2007