Some comments from another source with this same 'Microsoft offer' news:
Microsoft wants to buy your Windows XP computer for $100, but there is a catch :
http://betanews.com/2014/03/21/micr...ows-xp-computer-for-100-but-there-is-a-catch/
Gordon Gekko • 6 days ago:
Most of the people in this country can't afford a computer at that cost. I agree that a $300 would fit most people's needs. This is just a push from greedy Microsoft to push their crappy Windows 8, and further their assault in getting rid of XP.
BrianAAA • 6 days ago:
I put together a win7 machine to update my win XP hardware. All went well until I found out that several programs wouldn't work in win 7 and XP compatibility mode is not available in the home versions of win 7. I was forced to piece back together a win XP box to get these programs to run. So now I have a win7 and win XP box sitting next to each other. I have several program compatibility problems with win 7 and see no added functionality to it so I regret the investment. The "upgrade" to win 7 was kind a bust for me and had I know this I would not have bothered with it. Microsoft may want people to move past XP but the mere fact that win 7 needs an XP compatibility mode and the huge install base of XP users means that XP won't disappear as fast an MS would like.
Albin • 6 days ago:
The dealbreaker for me is W8 would require additional expense of a newer version of MS Office (and possibly other software) I currently use on XP and W7 machines. Will be replacing the XP machine but with W7.
PS.
Microsoft exec: I don't know HOW our market share sunk :
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2014/03/21/microsoft_sorgen_intelligent_devices/
Microsoft's global channel chief has struggled to find the words to explain why his company has not snared the intelligent devices market in the same way as it has done with PCs, admitting "there's work to do".
According to tech market beanie Canalys, Microsoft operating systems ran 93 per cent of traditional PC clients in 2013, but the share fell to 58 per cent when tabs were rolled into shipments.
Worse still, if you factor in all intelligent devices - notebook, slabbies and smartphones - the software firm accounts for just 22 per cent of shipments last year, down from the low 30s in '12.
Just the mobile device space and Microsoft accounted for only three per cent of the operating systems installed.
Phil Sorgen, corporate veep of the worldwide partner group, in the role since last summer, told us "in the mobile category - tablets and phones - we have work to do.
He said Microsoft continued to "innovate", and was working with application developers and OEMs that "allow us to scale lots of price points, sizes and device categories".
Past errors saw Microsoft initially missing the internet boat, and it had set sail in search and online advertising, but just how did the folk in Redmond fail to react to mobes and slabs?
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