Microsoft To Sell Win XP Starter Edition In Russia

Garabito writes "Cnet reports that Microsoft plans to distribute in Russia the low-cost, stripped-down version of Windows XP, called 'Starter Edition.' This release of Windows is aimed at markets in developing nations, and is known for not allowing more than three applications to run at the same time and not being networking capable. This product will not be available on retail, but will be distributed by OEM vendors in new PCs, at an approximate price of US$36. On a side note, the article also states that the MS tax paid by vendors to Microsoft for Windows XP licenses is $70 or more."

Comments

Seems reasonable to me.

[JanusFury]

If someone doesn't have the money for a nice computer with a legit copy of WinXP Pro and all the other goodies, they probably don't have the money to run their own home LAN or the RAM/CPU power to run lots of demanding apps at once. I don't see how this is a bad idea. Sure, it's MS being manipulative, but look at it this way - less features means less security holes!

Well, hopefully it does...

Re:Seems reasonable to me.

[fermion]

It is not only not a bad idea, but nothing new. MS already sells two levels of XP. Home and Prof. This is just a another level targeted at another market. And judging from what OEM charge extra for Prof, it looks like this new edition just follows existing price structures.

The problem is that the editions stil are not customer oriented. There is not way to get the consumser level crap out of the Prof edition. Any commercial computer is exposed to numerous security risks caused by the consumer crap build into into the system level code.

What would be innovative is if MS sold the consumer package for $30, which for all we know, given discounts and incentives is what the likes of Dell pays, had a standard professional version for $100 or so, and then had a customizable commercial version for $200+. Like the MS office products, the money is made by selling corporate liscenses.

What is the point of this thing?

[Toby_Tyke]

Do MS really think Russians are going to stop pirating the fully featured version because they get a copy of this crippleware witht their PC?

When you can get a pirate copy of XP pro for next to nothing, your smply going to bring your new PC home, format it and install your full version.

I don't see this cutting piracy at all. In fact, it will probably encourage piracy.

Microsoft Tax?

[Tim C]

If you don't want to pay for a copy of Windows with your new PC, either buy one without an OS or with Linux pre-installed (there are plenty of people willing to sell you such things), or buy a bare-bones system and/or components and build your own.

Just do me a favour and stop referring to it as a tax, it just makes you look stupid. Income tax is a tax - you earn money, you pay it; you earn money but don't pay it, you're breaking the law. Windows licence fees a tax? Who's going to arrest yo for not paying for something you've not ordered or received?

Baby's first Microsoft?

[smchris]

Introducing a crippled Microsoft eems like an insane advertisement for linux to me.

Hopefully, it has as much market research behind it as Microsoft Bob.

Re:Average Income

[WetCat]

Avg income is about $200-300/month for a slightly skilled worker (NOT IT), for IT and sales its about $600 and up.

Re:In Sowjet Russia

[igrp]

Well, the sad thing is that "Windows for Workgroups 3.11" which is a 1992 or so OS would indeed offer more functionality and be more practical than this "XP Starter Edition".

hmmmm

[inmortal]

interesting, as far as I know internet explorer is very integrated into the OS, so I think opening internet explorer would't count as a task or it does? if so, isn't this also another dirty technique from Ms to attack Mozilla, Opera... (and think also about the messenger... etc etc). Well... just thought it while reading the article, that's my opinion! Cya!

OEM Market

[nbkolchin]

This is targeted for OEM market only. Most computers a selling with a pirated XP preinstalled. Microsoft found a simple way to stop it. This will not hammer prices on hardware and most vendors will use it.

Re:Piracy

[SamSeaborn]

Being from the former Soviet Union myself, I can attest to the fact that piracy is very rampant [...] visit their nearest street vendor and buy the full version for less than $2

Being from Canada, I can attest to the fact that piracy is very rampant too. But people don't buy software from street vendors, they get it for free by downloading it from Kazaa or eMule, or get copies from friends.

Personally, I like to stay legal, but my friends laughed and ridiculed me when I actually went to Staples and paid $150 for the WinXP upgrade. (These guys are well-paid, hi-tech professionals, by the way, not dark-alley street crooks or even poor students. They won't pay for *anything* software-related.)

I like Call Of Duty and was thinking about buying the new expansion pack, then a friend of mine brought a CD copy over to my house "here I thought you'd like this, keep it", and dropped it on my kitchen table.

I didn't even have a chance to go to a store before someone *gave* me an illegal copy. (For the record, I have not installed it, and I'm not yet sure I will.)

Sam