"Mike Hall - MVP" <mikehall@remove_mvps.com> wrote in message
news:%23As6BnOuIHA.5580@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Canuck57" <dave-no_spam@unixhome.net> wrote in message
> news
HOXj.276267$pM4.195619@pd7urf1no...
>>
>> "Mike Hall - MVP" <mikehall@remove_mvps.com> wrote in message
>> news:eJxDSbGuIHA.4528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> "Kerry Brown" <kerry@kdbNOSPAMsys-tems.c*a*m> wrote in message
>>> news:2E5A8BF6-8DA4-4129-B7D7-A88CF082CEB9@microsoft.com...
>>>> ":: Alias ::" <iamalias@TAKEOUTgmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:ulQE10CuIHA.4560@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>> Kerry Brown wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yes you did. You knew that Vista would require high end hardware
>>>>>>> long before it was released.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don't need to use *anything* to discredit Vista. It does a very
>>>>>>> good job all by itself and doesn't need my help.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I build systems for $600.00 (not including a monitor, but with Vista
>>>>>> Home Premium) that run Vista very well. That's hardly what I'd call
>>>>>> high end.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> A price does not tell us anything except that you buy cheap hardware
>>>>> to build computers. Six hundred US dollars wouldn't even cover the
>>>>> cost of buying retail Ultimate in Spain.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm actually very particular about the hardware I use. You are living
>>>> in the past. You mentioned earlier in the thread that 2GB of RAM is
>>>> high end. I don't know about Spain but here in Canada 2GB of name brand
>>>> DDR2 RAM is $60.00. Here's a typical configuration that will run Vista
>>>> very well and is easily under $500.00 for the hardware which is what I
>>>> consider to be decent quality.
>>>>
>>>> Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L motherboard $85.00
>>>> Intel E2200 CPU $95.00
>>>> 2x1GB Kingston DDR2 800 MHz $60.00
>>>> Seagate 250GB SATA-II hard drive $65.00
>>>> LG GSA H55 DVDRW $40.00
>>>> Gigabyte X1BPD case with 400 watt PSU $85.00
>>>> Microsoft Value Pack keyboard and mouse $30.00
>>>>
>>>> Total cost of hardware $460.00. This is retail prices, all recognised
>>>> brand names. If you're not particular about where you shop you could
>>>> probably get it even cheaper. It's hardly high end. It will run any
>>>> edition of Vista 32 or 64 bit with no problems. The system will be
>>>> stable, all drivers are easily available. OEM Vista Home Premium is
>>>> $125.00, Ultimate $205.00. A decent 19" wide screen LCD would be
>>>> another $200.00. The complete system with Vista Ultimate is $865.00.
>>>> Maybe you should move to Canada. It sounds like your decision to live
>>>> in Spain has impacted your computing experience. In any case cost is
>>>> relative to where you live. The system specs would not be considered
>>>> high end anywhere yet Vista runs with no problems on it.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Kerry Brown
>>>> MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
>>>> http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Kerry
>>>
>>> Prices for everything are higher in Europe than in North America, and
>>> taxation plays its part.
>>>
>>> Don't let Alias fool you into believing that Spain is a peasant country,
>>> because it is anything but peasant. For sure some of the old ways of
>>> life still exist, but Spain is as technologically advanced as most
>>> countries, and has been the only European country growing over the last
>>> few years.
>>>
>>> They may not have the cheap computer fairs as in the UK, but one can get
>>> computers, parts and software at reasonable prices just as one can in
>>> other countries.
>>
>> First, Canada has a tax treaty called NAFTA. Explain:
>> - why is MS products 20-30% higher in Canada, it isn't taxes.
>> - why will US companies sell books, PCs but not MS over the border?
>>
>> Abet, we don't get so screwed as Spain. But if it is local retailers,
>> why not let the users just download it, spit them a PDF with keys and
>> have one (legal) price for the whole world and not this price fixing?
>>
>> Cuts out the middle man too. Shrink wrap is so last century. I don't
>> even load Solaris with physical CD/DVDs any more. Haven't for three
>> years. Ditto Linux. (Yes, Linux loads over a network).
>>
>> Taiwan, real cheap. Eee PC, special price, abet not Vista fatware but XP
>> re-incarnated. You know, the defunct OS. I can get Eee PCs here in
>> Canada for the same price as California, XP or Linux. BTW, over a
>> million Eee PCs with Linux sold. That extra memory is nice.
>>
>> Come now...Microsoft is no longer competitive and is predatory in
>> pricing. Bet I could buy a copy of XP (english) legal cheaper in the
>> orient than in the US, even Redmond.
>>
>> MS is digging its grave.
>>
>
>
> Free trade maybe, but until recently, the exchange rate was not favorable
> for buying US goods in Canada. Now, US products are the same price on both
> sides of the border, but the US will not buy Canadian now because it is
> more expensive than it was..
Yes, last year sometime the $1 CAD was about $1.10 US for a bit, which means
at that time I should have been able to buy it for less CAD than US. But
now at par so lets use that.
Vista Home Premium OEM CAD $119.95
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...)/Default.aspx
Vista Home Premium OEM US $97.87
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/DEPTSW.hmx?
Check out Best Buy, bestbuy.ca and bestbuy.com. Vista Ultimate CAD $299 and
US $189 - same company. So if I live in Windsor Ontario, I can go across
the border and save $110, or about 40%.
You will even get worse results if you go to amazon.ca and amazon.com or
compare office. But these stores above are similar and I believe
competitive in their markets. Are all these stores pricing high just to
make MS look bad? Doubtful, Microsoft Canada sets the pricing is my bet.