Want XP? Dell will Give It to You…for $150
By Ed Oswald | Friday, December 5, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Dell has reintroduced the option for Windows XP for its consumer PCs. But if you really, really want Microsoft’s aging OS, you’re gonna pay for it. $150 to be exact–which is up from previous fees to downgrade.
The Texas-based computer maker had been charging up to $50 as late as June of this year, increasing that to a $100 premium around October. Now, the company apparently thinks users nonplussed by Vista will pay even more.
Call me crazy (and possibly slightly biased), but if people hate Vista that much, and are in the market for a new computer, why don’t they just make the switch and buy a Mac? These days more and more applications are getting the port over to Mac OS X, so it’s not like these folks will be missing much.
Anyways, back to the matter at hand. The option, as shown in the screenshot I’ve included, is available on both Inspiron notebooks and laptops. According to press reports, this surcharge covers a downgrade loophole that is available to business customers.
I’m not exactly sure how they’re legally doing this when these are obviously consumer purchases, but I’m guessing this somehow has Microsoft’s blessing or it would not be happening. Essentially how it works is the customer prepays for an upgrade to Vista Ultimate in exchange for a preinstalled copy of Windows XP Professional.
Yet more evidence that Microsoft needs to get Windows 7 out sooner rather than later, don’t you think?
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December 5th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
The extra 150 price tag is because you aren’t allowed to downgrade from home versions of Vista according to Microsoft. Which means Dell has to sell you a copy of Vista enterprise in order to get an XP Pro (home not available) license for the machine.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Head over to the small business section of the site and you get a better deal. Just look for where it says “FREE Genuine Vista® Business Bonus w/ XP Professional downgrade Installed a $99 value.” (watch out, some of them they are charging for the OS’s, some you get both Vista and XP for free)
Then click the customize button to pick your options.
You’ll get XP, Vista, a better machine, better support, and no preistalled crapware bundle.
http://www.dell.com/business/desktops#subcats=vostrodt&navla=&a=80770~0~1791344&page=1
December 6th, 2008 at 7:20 am
XP Home for $86 USD at http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=AA39890
So, why pay $150 ?
December 6th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
“Call me crazy (and possibly slightly biased), but if people hate Vista that much, and are in the market for a new computer, why don’t they just make the switch and buy a Mac? These days more and more applications are getting the port over to Mac OS X, so it’s not like these folks will be missing much.”
Uh…. with the picture you have on this article we have $479+$150 = $629
The cheapest macbook is still $999. That’s why.
December 7th, 2008 at 12:48 am
There are a few other options, you can easily get a legal XP on eBay for around $90, although personally I’d partition Vista and install Linux Ubuntu.
December 8th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
why would i pay a premium for having a cheaper OS in my computer, you got to be an a****le to do it
most shure you got already a XP license ’round there, so go and do the downgrade youself or just pay 50 bucks to someone who will do it for you
i only wish that there were an no OS option, so i can just install some GNU/Linux distro on it and have a great computer in stead of a crap with some of the windows OS (Vista is pure crap and this offer demonstrates it, and XP is to old to have in a newer PC with dualcore and DX10 support) so the best choice is OpenSource
December 21st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Just kill Microsoft already and download GNU/LINUX today. If you loved XP then you’ll love PCLinuxOS. If you want something even more simple, yet robust, use Ubuntu GNU/LINUX. Download the latest Ubuntu Linux liveCD image and burn it to cd then reboot your computer and in 5 minutes you’ll be a linux fan!
October 6th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Your quite right with this writing
October 25th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
I do not disagree with this blog post!!!