Office 2007 Ultimate Microsoft exec shares some of

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Despite final week;s leak about Windows seven promotional upgrade pricing, Microsoft execs nevertheless aren;t prepared to talk Windows seven pricing specifics.Bill Veghte,Windows 7 Activation, Senior Vice President of Microsoft;s Windows Business, prevented repeated pricing concerns throughout his look on June 8 at the UBS International Technology and Solutions Conference. Veghte, as an alternative, talked about a few of the “philosophy” behind Microsoft;s Windows 7 pricing in the course of his 45-minute Q&A session on Monday morning.Veghte told conference attendees that Microsoft;s pricing matrix is complicated. The company has to take into consideration the different set of circumstances for developed and emerging markets; the enterprise,Office 2010 Home And Student Key, SMB (tiny and medium small business) and consumer segments; and the netbook segments when coming up with a pricing strategy.Veghte dodged questions by UBS analyst Heather Bellini about how much more (if anything) Microsoft plans to charge PC makers and customers for Windows seven, compared to Windows Vista and Windows XP.All Veghte would say was that Microsoft is planning to focus on good/better/best positioning at retail,Office Professional 2007 Key, with Windows seven Starter representing the “good” Windows 7 SKU, Windows Home Premium,Microsoft Office 2010 Standard, the “better,Office 2007 Ultimate,” and Windows seven Professional, the “best.”Veghte also remained bearish on the effect that Windows 7 will have on PC shipments, in spite of the largely upbeat reviews the product has been receiving from testers.“In the short run, these (Windows) product releases impact PC growth rates very, very modestly,” Veghte said. This isn;t unique to Windows 7 or these economically challenging times, he said. The same was true of Windows 95 and Windows 2000.Veghte also hedged when asked by Bellini about the extent to which Microsoft is expecting Windows 7 to return the organization to the higher premium mix uptake that characterized the beginning with the Windows Vista sales cycle. Veghte said that the economic climate, coupled with the continued demand for the netbook class of PCs made it “pretty hard to tell” whether users will be prepared to pay more for Windows seven versions that include more features.Many different users — especially numerous Windows Vista users who feel they should be paid by Microsoft for their trials and tribulations with Windows 7;s predecessor — think anything other than a free upgrade from Vista to 7 will be too much. Some are incensed that Microsoft will be offering users who buy new Vista PCs between June 26 (the expected start with the Windows seven Upgrade Program) and October 22 (Windows 7;s general availability date) a free copy of Windows 7.“That;s just wonderfully magnanimous of Microsoft to give free upgrades to users who buy Vista a month before Win seven;s launch. What about me? I have Vista 64 bought in January. I;ve doled out a hundred and some odd bucks for seven months use. Is that fair?” asked one such user, Dan Dyer.According to industry scuttlebutt, Microsoft could release Windows 7 pricing as soon as next week. What do you think the firm could — and should — do to entice both Vista and XP users to upgrade?