Microsoft to ship all OS bits with every version of Vista

[WorknMan]

Microsoft plans to market several versions of Vista but will distribute all of the OS bits with every product shipped so users can easily unlock and step up to more full-featured versions using electronic keys, sources said.

"No matter which edition you buy you get all the bits and a key to unlock it. Everyone will have all the bits," said one source familiar with Microsoft's plans. "Right now we maintain master images for each version of Windows XP and it's a lot of work. Now there's just one master image."

Having a master Windows Vista operating system means customers that buy PCs preloaded with one Vista SKU, Home Basic, for example, will be able to punch their credit card into a Microsoft Web site to unlock Vista Home Premium and more speedily deploy media center features without an on-site visit or requiring a wipe and reload of the system.

http://www.wininsider.com/news/?8851

So basically, I'm assuming you could (though I'm sure not many on this board would) purchase a copy of Vista without all the media center crap. Then later on, if you decide to use your PC as a media center hub, I s'pose you could add that on without having to buy another version.

'But why won't they just give us the whole thing!?!?', I hear half the board whining already. Of course, you're right .. they should probably throw in MS Office and VS.NET as well. And while we're at it, who would like the keys to Steve Balmer's car?

[TripHamer]

Id tried that with quake. Eventually someone figured out how to unlock the content without paying for it. Wonder how MS is gonna pervent that from happening to them.

[Shane R. Monroe]

They aren't ... all they are doing is making it even EASIER for Windows to be stolen.

[WorknMan]

They aren't ... all they are doing is making it even EASIER for Windows to be stolen.

Probably so, assuming they don't put a lot of effort into it, they probably assume that those who want to steal it will do it anyway, which is pretty much the case. I'm pretty sure that Joe Sixpack won't have the corporate edition lying around anywhere

[Shane R. Monroe]

Well, according to this, the corp ed will be part of it. So you should be able to hack into a fully unloaded Vista.

We'll see what happens.

[DaMenace]

I did imagine that having so many seperate versions might confuse people.

[WorknMan]

Instead of having 300 different versions of it on the shelf, just have one ... kind of like an iTunes gift card that's not activated until you check out. But in this case, make the Vista CD free, then you get it home and connect online ... you'll get a list of options (base OS $100, Media Center $20, whatever) and after you select the components you want along with the CD key and punk down a credit card number, you get an activation code in response (or have it automatically activated if you're installing it for the first time).

[Shane R. Monroe]

Oh you know it won't work like that ... $99 for Home, $199 for Pro, $299 for Server, $249 for Media Center ... and there will be no break for changing platforms.

I could be wrong ...