Windows XP at Rs. 1000 in India

Microsoft Corp. plans to release a low-cost version of its Windows software for India in an attempt to check high piracy levels, the legal affairs head of the world's largest independent software maker said.

"We will launch more value products at affordable prices in India soon to reduce software piracy levels," Bradford Smith told reporters late on Friday in Hyderabad, where Microsoft has a software development facility.

The low-cost Windows starter version for India will be available in Hindi and English at 1,000 rupees, which would also help reduce entry-level personal computer prices to 10,000 rupees, he said.

Smith said Indian piracy level was around 73 percent.

Microsoft's practice echoes that of global publishers, many of whom print lower cost versions of books whose sale is restricted to India or South Asia.

Source: *hindustantimes.com/news/181_1507031,00020020.htm

W

Good news but as MS puts it ,it is only for starters.
I read that this s/w has very limited features like Screen Resoultion max being 800X600 :shock:

Also one cant run more than 3 applications at a time :evil:

So ,have ur pick ppl......
Wish they reduce the price of Win XP pro and other s/w...

tht's a dummy . a joke for indians , real users of computer will find it obsolete and would return to their pirated versions !

check this thread on the win starter edition too :
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=257767#257767

N

hmm.. I don't think it is going to reduce piracy until they come down on prices for the Home and Pro Editions

Thinking Indians blindndump

Hmm.. You should read XP Starter Edition Factsheet and Paul Thurrot's Review ..

Simplified task management. With Windows XP Starter Edition, first-time home PC users can have up to three programs and three windows per program running concurrently. Further simplification of the operating system includes setting a maximum display resolution of 1024x768 and no support for PC-to-PC home networking, sharing printers across a network or more advanced features such as the ability to establish multiple user accounts on a single PC.

Just look at the Hardware requirements :O .. Thats just equall to Win ME :

YUCK only three programs and three windows??? While i am writing this i am running 4 programs and 13 windows are open. Will anybody prefer such craps??
Microsoft is going nuts

Man wat is the use wen u cant use it to the fullest its a hopeless and useless OS thats wat it is they think indians are idiot or what

prakash kerala said:
Thinking Indians blindndump

i agree with u m8...i think ms still thinks that india is a backward country and here nobody knows anything about comps...

well if this is what i get for 1000 rs....then still i would prefer the pirated one.no way this is gonna curb piracy.

and I think there will be splash screens saying buy windows full version.... to test the real power blah blah(i mean like we have in some softwares)

i have their so called wud b releaed version....resolution limit 8x6 no systemrestore no multi processing limit....after sp2 inlcusion size < 200 mb (guess wht they did) and there are n number of features they withdrew....y wud anyone purchase? even if they original cd sales at rs 500 i wont purchase

i would better use Win 95

Huh.....
MS really suck!
Its a shrewd marketing.

ppl here are not ready to buy Rs100 Movie ticket, they insted pay Rs20 for a rented pirated vcd....
i dont think Rs1000 for Xp will be a huge hit, esp when everybody knows that it's the "lite" version.

M$ is just dumping as much as it can and make as much as possible with XP, cause Vista is nearing release. So XP will very soon be an obsolete software, before which this gimmick will help it make as much as possible and also give an illusion that M$ is affordable.

Who would buy a 30k machine to run just three applications at a time. Fools would applaud this move.

Cannot stop Piracy i India.

why dont they sell windows 98SE for Rs. 200/- or Rs. 150/-?? i dont know what others think... but while buying a new computer for a new computer user.. i would love to buy windows 98SE for 200 or less....

dont know why but i stiill feel that this wasnt such a bad OS to get obsulate... :cry:

saurav_cheeta said:
why dont they sell windows 98SE for Rs. 200/- or Rs. 150/-?? i dont know what others think... but while buying a new computer for a new computer user.. i would love to buy windows 98SE for 200 or less....

dont know why but i stiill feel that this wasnt such a bad OS to get obsulate...

lol they might even be ready to shop those two OS's for Rs50!!!!!!! but wht use since they have withdrawn support for them a long back :))

G

why would people buy a software for 1000 ruppes when most of us get it free.. ..
i mean for many people who get comps they usually get windows xp free anyways..
and sheeesh wtf does the gov want to allow MS to sell original copies here?? loot them nah .. isnt it better to loot and tax the americans then tax our own brethren into buying a pathethic peice of shit

U

Come on, this release is aimed at people who have never used computers before, do you think the 3 processes and 800x600 limit is of so much importance? I feel this is a welcome move, it will allow people to buy a computer for about 10k legally, even if windows application compatibility is necessary for them. If anti piracy laws were made a little stricter, I am sure this will become very popular.

Just take a look at the poll started by tuxfan about Windows XP SE vs Linux, even in this forum, where computer experience is high, there are some people who would choose windows starter edition over linux, if there was no option of piracy.

F

Whatever they do, Piracy will still prevail in India.
This version of windows will find nice place as an OEM but It can't be hit as a Stanalone product.
To bring down piracy levels in developing countries such as India they should bring down prices of their entire range.

R

microsoft is always greedy for money.their products r quite hiher than the rest but the quality of their products r not so gr8

K

More the charge piracy will continue -- you make windows for rs 100! then also it is costly as for piracy u need a blank cd and a writter!!

Piracy is the Policy which m$ secretly preaches,for the Popularity of their Products..... :twisted:

M

I agree with ujjwal. It will be a big boon to many people. Think about some schools in villages for eg. it will help them to purchase 2 computers instead of one. They don't need to run 10's of applications at a time. They just need something to learn even if its a restricted version. And how many experts will we get in those regions who'll be ready to teach OSS? Well though we people here won't even give it a second look but we shouldn't be narrow minded Windows SE is a good move by MSthough its a pure biz strategy by MS but still if it can help then why not?

i strongly agree with ujjwal .. win xp se is jsut for beginners and they are also shipping it in indian languages .. its just gr8 and is worth all the 1000/- bucks .. newbies wont run 10 apps at a time anyways .. atleast people will come forward and buy low cost pc's and geta feel of them..

Too many hiccups.. too many glitches... too many restriction... WONT GIVE A TRY AND WONT ADVICE IT TO ANYBODY...

But must say.. bold move by Microsoft