Australians locked out of Vista discounts

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Dan Warne23 January 2007, 1:25 AM

There will be no Vista family discount, no Vista downloads and no Vista Anytime Upgrade for Australians, Microsoft has confirmed. The official reason they're not available in Australia? Because they're not available in Australia. Oh,that'swhy...

 

Microsoft Australia has confirmed that Australians will not be allowed to download Vista through the Windows Marketplace, take advantage of the "Anytime Upgrade", or buy with family discount.

A spokesperson said the family pack discount, which allowed purchasers of Vista Ultimate to buy two additional licences to Vista Home Premium for only $US49 each, was not available in Australia because "as many Australian software promotions only run in Australia - this is one that only runs in the US."

In relation to the Anytime Upgrade scheme, where a user of Home Basic, for example, could pay a one-off fee to transform their Vista installation into Home Premium on the spot, the spokesperson said, "Microsoft Australia is currently evaluating the suitability of deploying Microsoft Windows Anytime Upgrade in Australia, but we have no announcements to make at this stage."

And what about the ability to get instant gratification by downloading the Vista DVD?

"Windows Marketplace exists in various geographies around the world," the spokesperson said. "Those geographies that already have Windows Marketplace will have the download ability. Australia has not had Windows Marketplace to date and as a geography without Windows Marketplace it would be hard to offer a download via Windows Marketplace."

Microsoft Australia would not give any reason why the family pack discount, Anytime Upgrade or Vista downloads were blocked to Australians.

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Anonymous:

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Bryan:

Honestly, American's shit you at times don't they, and it would seem American companies moreseo. That is totally pathetic that these features are not being offered to Australians, and indeed others around the world suffering a similar denial of service. It is annoying that the family pack isn't being offered either, why is it that only USA and Canada should be offered this?????

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Vasilis:

Hello i am very piss off with microsoft because we miss out on windows anytime upgrade offer which i wanted to use but bill gates made all australian's very piss off.I hope you are reading this bill gates because you are a big asshole and i will never buy any off your OS systems ever again and also to put a note on that Also Windows Vista OS boxes here in australia are all rip off's specially your Windows Vista Ultimate Edition $751AU what do you think we are Bill Gates made out of money here in austrlia bill gates. Next time thing before you release prices here in australia and offer's as well in future.

Thankyou i hope this will help you think again about your services.

29 February 2008, 8:36 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

julzzw:

Why is it that there all these companies make excuses like "Australia does not have this, therefore we can't do that". Doesn't Australia have the population to make starting a service like this in Australia feasible? I mean, it took long enough for the iTunes store to come here, and it will be a while for things like the Apple iPhone and the Microsoft Zune to come as well.

Really, with George Bush and John Howard being good friends, doesn't this make Australia close enough to America?


29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Discosis:

MS is holding out for Telstra to offer it a cut of the revenue they'll bring in from the GBs of data of Vista downloads. :)

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

T:

Microsoft is as far from it's customers is as the Earth is from the Sun, they don't have any semblance of consistency, the dollar rules, that I can understand, but the animal is like a huge public service beauracracy, faceless and full of contempt, does as it pleases when it pleases.

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Aubrey:

Of course, this is all down to Ashton Mills. If he would just shut up about what a piece of rubbish this Vista really is, our geography would get more favourable treatment from Microsoft. As a second class and bolshi geography, we deserve all we get. So get with the program, Ashton. Just write a few nice articles about Vista and maybe the nice people at Redmond will send you a laptop. Your editor is clearly not mentoring you properly.

And stop comparing Vista to Linux! Vista is NOT meant to be a replacement for Linux. Its an entirely different market. Vista is for people who want their computing experience crippled and controlled by a US company and who don't mind paying through the nose for it (and upgrading their hardware to get the full experience that only shiny icons and pseudo transparency can provide).

Aubrey
Recovering Windows-aholic (six months since my last boot and feeling better about it every day)

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Michael Casha:

Honestly speaking vista is great :) It's prices however aren't.

Why does it seem that Microsoft can give free copies to America... cheaper copies to America.... family discounts to America.... the list is endless.

Microsoft wonder why piracy is such a big thing.. but if the product was say, $50 I would certainly purchase it. There is no way I'm paying $700 for an OS.

Sorry Microsoft but I won't be a customer of yours any time soon.

29 February 2008, 8:36 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Matthew:

"as many Australian software promotions only run in Australia - this is one that only runs in the US."

Can ANYONE tell me about ANY of the software promotions offered by Microsoft Australia that are even HALF as decent as those offered in the USA? Oh wait, we can upgrade to Vista after purchasing a retail XP for only $29! Thank you Microsoft Australia, i feel all warm and fuzzy now...

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Terry Tremethick:

The new MD for MS Aus needs to take a long hard look at how supportive we have been towards them. She needs to make it happen for us.

We have raided shonky pirate places for years and supported anti piracy, now MS needs to give back to the OZ public!!!!

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Toosmoky:

Well, that seals it. I might have looked at Vista if I'd been able to buy and download online and buy copies for my other two PCs at a reasonable price.

That's bad enough but full HD-DVD playback only being available in 64-bit Vista is the final nail in the coffin. Why should I believe that 64-bit Vista is a viable proposition when 64-bit XP drivers are damn near non-existent? Lexmark and Epson can't even be bothered making 64-bit XP drivers for my printers.

My PCs run just fine on linux and as much as I like PC games, I'll be buying a PS3 and running linux on it too.

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Anonymous:

Are you serious microsoft, those prices are HUGE not really, uh lets say Micro.

Id be so much better off with Linux, why? BECAUSE ITS FREE.

XP has cracked the sh*ts at me and im at the final draw deciding should i even bother paying that much.

Compared to the small prices Americans have to pay, i was looking at an American Forum before and they thought there prices were high, wow wait till they found out, OUR PRICES.

With software like windows, all they have to do is make 1 copy and then duplicate it a billion times, for less then 2% of the cost so why jack the prices up so high, they are only going to get richer almost at any price.

29 February 2008, 8:37 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Ian Smith:

For some reason MS Australia have always had their policies disadvantage Australians. Even free products in their live range http://ideas.live.com do not become available until you change your computer browser from Australian English to US english. I have also been in the Beta for Onecare 1.5 but when they offered the discount for being a tester the link will not work if you are in Australia. Some of this stuff is just plain wacky. I have a business version of vista from my work and have the money to activate ultimate but no MS want me to go and purchase a completly new boxed upgrade at a significant cost compared to other countries. All I need is a basic Ultimate key and the small software download as All vista DVD's have all versions on them. We are in the 21s't centry and have broadband and credit cards, whats the problem! I am not a pirate and have money for you at virtualy no cost to you but I am not going out to buy a boxed version at excessive pricing when I already have Vista that half the world can upgrade at a reasonable price.

29 February 2008, 8:30 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Revenge:

I have just loaded one copy of Vista onto computers and they are both activated.
Step 1: Load machine 1 and activate over Net
Step 2: :Load machine 2and try to activate over Net. Of course you are refused. Ring the 1800 number provided onscreen. You are put through to a call centre person in India.
Step 3: Lie. Say that your have changed HDDs or that your machine burned out and you are installing on a new machine. You are asked to promise that it is not loaded on any other computer. Lie - of course it isn't!!!
Step 4: They activate it for you.

Under XPyou were often able to activate a second copy after 3 months or so - it seemed as if MS reset the activation clock.

Is this dishonest? Yes.
Should Australia be provided with the family upgrade option? Yes.

29 February 2008, 8:30 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

ShadowKnight:

I find it astounding that Microsoft have gone down this ignorant path yet again. Clearly they were intending to offer us something, I mean I have it tracked on my website that there was a second licensing option link (that never worked) on the WindowsVista.com.au website (the screenshot is here). The heading was "Additional Licenses" with a text of "If you already have a new PC with Windows Vista, there’s an easy way to get licenses for up to five additional PCs that you own". So what happened? Why are Australian families penalised?
All I can draw in conclusion is that Microsoft do not want me to upgrade the XP machines in my home to their "flagship" O/S. I will now look to converting to Ubuntu Linux.

29 February 2008, 8:38 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Daz:

Microsofts promises of Support and Deals with their New products, seems to just burn huge holes in the aussie battlers budget. To purchase their software that they insist is the best on the market with security and features,is more than the average take home pay for a week and they expect us to support Microsoft and their OS XP, VISTA, and whatever they decide to churn out in the next 5 yrs. Australians have always been smarter than the Yanks but our cleverness seems to be brought out by the yanks. maybe we should create a Uniformity of Complaint to the PM and the US embassy in Australia about the way Microsoft is not being a fair player to Australians and refuse to buy anything thats made in the US or owned by a US company and sold in australia. I sure wouldn't support America like little johnny howard does.cause all he knows is how to kiss ass. Seems like fair trade and prices is out the door when it comes to MS. and BILL (GREEDY ) GATES. Australians locked out of Vista discounts, support for XP will be gone soon so who's screwing who???

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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