【Vista之家译】测试版Vista竟可低价升级正式版

【Vista之家译】测试版Vista竟可低价升级正式版

前段时间，微软称“正在使用那些测试版的用户将会在近期收到有关5月底测试版将过期的警告.”在5月31日之后,用户每次访问Vista不得超过2个小时,这点时间正好可以用来转移数据.“超过2小时后，系统将自动重启,不给你保存数据的机会。”

这个2小时宽限也将在8月28日过期，到时你的系统将完全无法使用。因此微软发布了一个很善意的提示:“在5月31日之前，为了自己，请做点好事把Vista升级了吧。”

据来自Sultan Bill软件销售部的消息称：不管你手上拥有的是Beta2、RC,还是CPP版本,你都能以升级价格购买全功能版本的Vista.。这对于那些还在使用测试版的用户来说,简直是天上掉馅饼了.因为他们的试用版过期时间5月31日马上就要到了。

就像我们曾经报道过的一样，这些升级价格都会比正常的销售价格便宜150到180美元.。这样看来,既然Beta2的用户都能获得这个价格，那微软不是在玩那些全价购买Vista的用户么?

Vista之家特别提供英文原文如下：Microsoft: Vista upgrades for everybody!

Windows Vista is starting to look like those Persian rug stores which are always having a 'closing down' sale. 'Full' prices are set laughably high only to make you think you're getting an amazing discount, because no-one pays the marked price. All stock has been slashed, save $$$, why pay more?

The latest from Sultan Bill's House of Software is that anyone running any pre-release version of Vista code -- from the creaky Beta 2 to the slicker Release Candidate builds and assorted Customer Preview Program (CPP) editions -- is eligible for upgrade pricing on the full version of Vista.

It's the silver lining on the cloud for anyone still using pre-release code, which was made widely available during the long run-up to last year's launch of the uber-OS but stamped with a use-by date of May 31st, 2007.

Microsoft says that users of those builds will "begin to receive warning notifications about the upcoming expiration on May 18th". After the clock strikes midnight on May 31 tardy test-drivers will have access to their PC for only two hours at a time, during which they can retrieve their data. "After two hours of use, the PC will automatically reboot without providing the opportunity to save data."

Those two-hour timed sessions will end on August 28th, after which your beta test PC will be the functional equivalent of a beta VCR, except that it won't be able to record or play TV shows (which sorta gives the beta VCR a killing edge).

The missive from Microsoft ends on a slightly pleading note: "Please, do yourself a favour and upgrade to any edition of the RTM version of Windows Vista before May 31".

As we noted last year, those upgrade prices are generally $150-$180 cheaper than the full package. Most people running any Vista preview will be likely to head for the Home Premium, Business or Ultimate skews -- which sell on their own for $455, $565 and $751 but are offered as upgrade deals for $299, $379 and $495 respectively.

So we're moved to ask if Microsoft set these sky-high prices -- especially the ouch-inducing $751 tag for Vista Ultimate -- knowing that while almost no-one bar a few retail shopping suckers would pay that much, the apparent discount on the upgrade version would look just too good to refuse.

Want to save $256? Spend just $495 on Vista Ultimate instead of $751. Our special price for you, sir and madam, today at Sultan Bill's House of Software!