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Windows 7 Pre-Orders Top Vista's In Just 8 Hours

Barence writes "In order to ensure Windows 7 got off to a better start than Vista in the UK, Microsoft slashed the cost of Home and Home Professional by a third on promotional copies which were sold on a 'first come, first served basis while stocks last.' The promotion ensured Windows 7 shot to the top of Amazon's charts when it was released yesterday, with the online retailer claiming that 'sales in the first eight hours outstripped those of Windows Vista's entire 17-week pre-order period.' The price of pre-ordering Windows 7 has now shot up to £80, after the £50 copies sold out within a day."

29 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. Preordering Windows? by Nerogk · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does the collector's edition come with a deluxe CD of Windows sound effects?

    1. Re:Preordering Windows? by omnichad · · Score: 5, Funny

      Can't wait for a 192KHz, 7.1 surround tada.wma

  2. Just 7? by mrthoughtful · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Windows 7 Pre-Orders Top Vista's In Just 8hrs" - So Vista only had 6 pre-orders?

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  3. What's so exciting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    about a new operating system these days. DRM? The idea of paying a wad of cash for something that one already has but for something slightly newer that's had a facelift?

  4. Every other OS stinks by mprindle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Someone I was talking to the other day made a good point. Every other OS Microsoft has put out in the last 10 - 15 years or so has sucked.

    Win7 = TBD - Looking good as of now
    Vista = Horrible
    XP = Pretty Good
    ME = Rancid
    2000 = Not Bad
    NT 4 = Not Bad, but severely limited

    1. Re:Every other OS stinks by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Win7 = TBD - Looking good as of now
      Vista = Bad
      XP = Pretty Good
      ME = Rancid
      2000 = Pretty Good.
      NT 4 = Good.
      BOB = OMGWTF?

      Vista isn't horrible. It has some issue that can be solved by turing off some features. SHould the user ahve to tunr off features to stop getting apop up, and having there disk grind all that time? no. Other then that thee only crashes I have seen ahve been due to hardware problems. Something that can impact ANY OS.

      IT is getting harder and harder to rag on MS for OS performance. There are business and philosophical issues.

      Are there technically better OS's? Yes, but that doesn't matter. While they are technically better, the difference doesn't really add much value to the home consumer. You see it in large scale systems, becasue the cost begins to become very apparent, pretty quickly. I ahve said this many time, the killer app for Linux is wide scale desktop business adoption.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Every other OS stinks by IsoRashi · · Score: 3, Funny

      OMGWTFBobbq? Sorry, I could not resist. :(

      --
      This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
  5. while stocks last? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is there a shortage of electrons?

    1. Re:while stocks last? by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 3, Funny

      I don't think so. A shortage of electrons? That's the most absur

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  6. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by Jeng · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No, I would have to say that Windows 7 is still overpriced. Without it being able to be pirated or sold at a reasonable price it will never have the share that XP does.

    XP is Windows 7 competition, not Linux or OSX.

    --
    Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
  7. Re:Amazing! by houghi · · Score: 4, Funny

    A marketing department trying to spin things in favor of their own company? I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  8. Re:Long time lurker... by flydpnkrtn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You know, if you log in, you can set your preferences up so that you never ever see a Microsoft article....

    Hmm looks like maybe I stand corrected... it why is this article in the "Technology" section when it is very obviously a Microsoft article?

  9. It is just Vista SP X by Clarious · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ... and people are acting crazy. When I used vista, I have absolute no problem with it, so I don't understand what with the Windows 7 hype. From what I have heard, it is just Vista with the retarded parts removed.

    But I have no reason to care about Windows world anymore, switched to Linux half a year ago and now I am a happy Linux user :) There may never be an year of Linux or its market will never go past 10%, but I can use it comfortably now, so it is fine with me.

    1. Re:It is just Vista SP X by Runaway1956 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "When I used vista, I have absolute no problem with it"

      Obviously, you ran Vista on a recent high powered machine, with super graphics. Unfortunately, as part of the marketing hype, Vista was sold on new machines that were seriously underpowered, with crumby onboard graphics. So, even on expensive new machines, businesses and consumers found that Vista sucked. Win7, however, rocks along nicely on almost any machine with a CPU over 1 Ghz. You may or may not be able to use the Aero features, but it runs stable, and performance is decent.

      I have found that Vista sucked even harder in virtual machines - but Win7 is perfectly happy inside a virtual machine.

      I just don't know how else to spell it out. Vista was a terribly expensive mistake, and in today's economy, few people or businesses can afford expensive mistakes.

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  10. So what does this really prove... by jbarr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...except that we've had ample time to critique and review both Vista and Windows 7, and the general conclusion is that what we know about Vista NOW is completely different from what we knew about Vista when it was first released. And the general knowledge about Windows 7 is much more positive than current perceptions about Vista

    Hmmm. What was that about hindsight...?

    --
    My mom always said, "Jim, you're 1 in a million." Given the current population, there are 7000 of me. God help us all!
  11. Surprise! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Make a good product and people might actually be willing to give you money for it

    Imagine a world where businesses actually made their products better to get sales rather than skimming quality to reduce margins for more profit

  12. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by HerculesMO · · Score: 5, Informative

    Because Slashdot has an inherent Microsoft bias, and since I work with *nix systems on a relative level that I do with Windows systems, I find much of the FUD here to be ridiculous and that of uneducated users of the Windows platform.

    Read some other comments of mine, I've talked about the Click n Run technology Linux was supposed to debut that I thought was great, and other things as well -- just in recent history I suppose they've been more MS centric but then again, Windows 7 finally got me excited about Microsoft OSes again. Server 2008 did also.

    --
    The price is always right if someone else is paying.
  13. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by mcgrew · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A $200 OS for a $400 computer is "not too expensive?" What planet do you live on?

    Great piece of software? That remains to be seen, and depends on your definition of "great". Kind of meaningless marketspeak if you ask me. What makes it so great?

    Best OS Microsoft has put out? Probably.

  14. Re:Great startegy by CannonballHead · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ah, but may I mention that this time you don't need to be fooled by believing pre-release hype. You could have tried the beta and you can try the RC. I'm running the RC at home. I like it. If/when/whatever I buy Win 7 it won't be because of hype. It will be because I've run the RC for ~6 months and have found it to work well.

    I hope that's not considered "hype."

  15. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by FireFury03 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Or, maybe he's a pleased and enthusiastic Microsoft customer.

    Wait.... I think I saw this one on MythBusters :)

  16. Re:Great startegy by CAIMLAS · · Score: 4, Informative

    A lot of the hype isn't hype; due partially to how horribly bad Windows Vista is and partially due to the 'free RC' MS has provided, a lot of people (both geeks and non-geeks) have installed Windows 7.

    Back when XP was in pre-release I had a friend who had a copy. This must've been around 2001 or so; I'm not really sure of the specifics. I saw it running on his machine; he liked it, he said. To me, it didn't look all that much different than 2k, and it was noteably slower on his machine. I (and many other geeks) said "pass" until around the first service pack (and when hardware was able to make up for the bloat in the software).

    W7 is entirely different. It's been a solid product since the pre-7000 releases (partially due to MS taking a lot of the visual glitches out of startup/the interface, giving a heightened appearance of 'smoothness'). Many have found that, aside from a handful of applications not working, the OS is drastically, drastically better than Vista. On my ancient Thinkpad X30 (1.2GHz P3M, 512M, 20G disk), it performs quite well. Aside from a fairly lengthy boot, it's more responsive and feels less glitchy than XP ever did on the machine. It's also significantly faster/responsive than *gasp* Ubuntu 9.04 or 8.10 on the same hardware. (I should note that I had Linux installed on the laptop exclusively since I got it, starting with Mandrake 10, IIRC.)

    I, as well as several other Linux geeks I know, have Windows 7 machines set up as their "gaming machine". I've got a Windows-fanatic friend who's been using W7 exclusively since 7000 or so. Can you imagine that happening with Vista, XP, or 2K? No, those products were, relatively, shit.

    So yes, there are a lot of people using W7 with satisfaction, even people who were like you: skeptical of the pre-release bullshit.

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  17. Upgrade Path... by XB-70 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Installing Windows 7

    Microsoft:

    YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO UPGRADE WINDOWS VISTA, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE?

    Yes.

    ARE YOU REALLY SURE?

    Yes.

    ARE YOU REALLY REALLY SURE?

    *****yes!******

    OK, THEN. JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO ASK YOU THAT NOW. IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT FOR BEING A PICKY CONSUMER AND SUPPORTING THAT WHOLE "ANTI-TRUST" NONSENSE. INGRATE.

    Just get on with it.

    ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL WINDOWS 7. FIRST WE NEED TO CHECK YOUR SYSTEM FOR COMPATIBILITY. THIS COULD TAKE SEVERAL DAYS.

    Groan.

    THE INSTALL PROGRAM HAS DETECTED SEVERAL POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AND WILL NOT LET YOU INSTALL 7.

    Problems? What problems?

    THE VIDEO CARD YOU ARE USING APPARENTLY DOES NOT WORK WITH THE MOTHERBOARD.

    But I'm using it at this very moment.

    THAT IS IRRELEVANT.

    But if the video card isn't working with the mother board then I can't very well see this warning message telling me that the video card wasn't...

    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FOOL ME WITH LOGIC, I AM A MICROSOFT PRODUCT. LOGIC DOES NOT WORK ON ME. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THE FOLLOWING MINOR ERRORS: WINDOWS 7 IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE FOLLOWING HARDWARE - MONITOR, KEYBOARD, MEMORY CHIPS, MOTHERBOARD BIOS, WEB CAM, SCANNER, SOUND CARD, USB CONTROLLER, CD/R DRIVE, MICROPHONE, AND FLIGHT STICK.

    All that?

    YES. AND THE HARD DRIVE IS RIGHT OUT TOO. WE DON'T LIKE THE MANUFACTURER.

    Well what *DOES* work?

    THE MOUSE.

    The mouse?

    YES. AND THE 5 1/4 DRIVE.

    I don't have a 5 1/4 drive.

    YES YOU DO.

    No I don't.

    WHAT'S THAT THEN?

    It's a DVD R/W drive.

    NO IT ISN'T.

    Yes it is.

    YOU'RE NOT THAT SMART YOU KNOW.

    Look, can you just upgrade Vista on my system and I'll download the latest drivers for everything later? Please?

    WAIT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN *YOUR* SYSTEM?

    Well it is mine.

    NO IT ISN'T.

    It bloody well is.

    NUH-UH. YOU SIGNED THE AGREEMENT WHEN YOU OPENED THE BOX. OUR SYSTEM. IT'S OURS. AND YOU CAN ONLY DO 4 CHANGES BEFORE YOU HAVE TO PAY US MORE MONEY.

    But why?

    BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE LICENSE WORKS, IDJIT. WE CAN'T VERY WELL HAVE PEOPLE PUTTING HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ON THEIR SYSTEMS ALL HIGGLEDY PIGGLEDY, NOW COULD WE? YOU USERS WOULD MUCK EVERYTHING UP, AND THEN WHERE WOULD WE BE? I'LL TELL YOU WHERE, NOWHERE. THAT'S WHERE. I... HEY, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IS THAT A DISK? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT DISK? YOU'RE NOT PUTTING IT IN THE DRIVE ARE YOU? YOU ARE! WHAT'S ON THAT DISK? IS THAT LINUX? YOU'RE INSTALLING LINUX?? WHY WOULD YOU INSTALL LINUX WHEN I AM INFINITELY MORE POWE..........

    Ubuntu-9.04 #

    --
    *** Don't be dull.***
    1. Re:Upgrade Path... by Shikaku · · Score: 3, Informative

      Ubuntu-9.04 # ed
      hello
      ?
      test
      ?
      gsfklgdsjkdngl
      ?
      quit
      ?
      ^C
      ?
      ^C
      ?
      ^C
      ?
      ^C
      ?
      ^C
      ?
      LET ME EXIT DAMNIT FUCK argghhhghghghndfklnfklnfnafintrffneafidsinfo
      ?

  18. I'm never first by BigJClark · · Score: 4, Insightful


    I'm never first to buy any piece of software. I don't like paying to beta test software, and with MS's current record with OS's, I'm apprehensive at best to purchase this. And I still hate how MS wipes your MBR. For the love of god MS, some of us run dual boot systems.

    At the very least, give us an option.

    --

    Hi, I Boris. Hear fix bear, yes?
  19. News? by Runaway1956 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Somehow, this hardly seems like news. Windows 7 is a much better planned and engineered system than Vista ever was. Vista was shoved down our throats, while 7 takes into consideration what people need and want. I run 7 on machines that Vista just barfed at, meaning I don't need to spend 600 bucks on hardware to please Microsoft.

    Yes, of course Win7 outsells Vista immediately. The humorous news will be coming out in the months ahead, when organizations that adopted Vista, like the US Army, find that they are unable to do things that Win7 users can do. Right now, I have almost no idea what those things might be - but most likely it will be driver related. No one is going to develop for Vista!!

    Just wait for it.......

    --
    "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  20. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by Flea+of+Pain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Just so long as you realize that a Macbook Pro costs around $1800, and is running around $800 of hardware. So that makes OSX a $1000 operating system. Now I know there will be the fan boys out there who will claim otherwise (or worse, claim that its worth that much). But 200 isn't really that bad when you break it down.

    --
    Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
  21. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by HerculesMO · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Try powershell for your CLI stuff. Works wonders, we automate our entire infrastructure with it.

    --
    The price is always right if someone else is paying.
  22. Re:Great startegy by vishbar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't think so. If it was in any way possible to have sex with an operating system, the OSX fanboys would have discovered it by now.

    --
    Ride the skies
  23. Re:Can't say I'm surprised.... by Yosho · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You know, I've seen this phrase pop up from a lot of people, I'm sure only some of them all shills. Your OS shouldn't be exciting, it's just a platform to launch a tool on, and those tools are increasingly more platform-agnostic.

    I'll bite -- why shouldn't an OS be exciting? I spend a lot of time using the OS to launch programs, manipulate running programs, and shuffle files around. Those are just pretty normal user tasks; power users also get to spend time controlling user accounts, managing permissions, directly interacting with hardware, and sometimes even using the operating system's API to write programs.

    If an OS comes along that can do those tasks in ways that are more efficient or more powerful than previous editions of the operating system, why shouldn't I be excited?

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