Microsoft Corp yesterday announced the release of its new Windows 7 operating system and said it would offer system upgrades to users of Vista.
The Redmond, Washington-based firm outlined its Windows 7 upgrade guidelines in a press release yesterday.
After the Windows Vista operating system met with harsh criticism and PC users flocked back to the older XP operating system in droves, Microsoft hopes its new platform will attract corporate customers and private users alike and help it recover the losses incurred by the launch of Vista and to rebuild its image.
Microsoft’s product manager in Taipei, Ann Teng (鄧安安), told the Taipei Times by phone that compatibility issues between Vista and Windows 7 have been resolved and that the transition from Vista to Windows 7 would be a “natural one.”
“While we hope participating companies will offer our Windows 7 upgrade for free, some are doing so, while others are not. At this point, consumers need to go on each company’s Web site to find out exactly how much they need to pay for their Windows 7 upgrade,” Teng said.
Microsoft’s Windows 7 upgrade pricing will be determined and paid to personal computer brand makers and contract makers directly, rather than to the software giant, she added.
Windows 7 RC (the trial version) has been widely acclaimed. The software company’s introduction of Touch Pack for Windows 7, a set of games and applications optimized for multi-touch computing, has also generated interest from touch-screen liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panel makers and LCD component suppliers, and the company hopes to hit a home run with the new system.
Previously, the software company announced that the standard pricing for Windows 7 upgrades in the US would be US$120 for Home Premium, US$200 for Professional and US$220 for Ultimate.
At this point, the precise retail prices for Windows 7 in Taiwan are yet to be determined. The first wave of Windows 7 releases is scheduled for Oct. 22, with 14 language versions that include traditional Chinese and English.
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