Here’s Why Microsoft Bribing Users For Letting Windows XP Go, Won’t Work
Microsoft is in a unique dilemma owing to its yesteryear Desktop Operating System (OS) Windows XP. In fact it is so desperate that it is willing to offer a cash incentive if XP Users agree to abandon the OS, reports Tom’s Guide.
Early this week Microsoft launched an upgrade program that promises US$ 100 as instant rebate if users who were still clinging to Windows XP are willing to upgrade to Windows 8.1, the Redmond based company’s latest OS for the desktops. The upgrade offer is valid till June 15th and is available for users residing in United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. A store representative that Tom’s Guide called–up ‘clarified’ that the person had to be watching the Windows XP Offer Page from a Windows XP running machine, just to ensure he or she was eligible for the upgrade rebate.
The Microsoft Store promotional page states, “The $100 rebate offer is valid on select PC or Surface devices priced $599 or more”. Ironically, many of the users who are still using Windows XP own a dedicated PC with a ‘cabinet’. However, the upgrade offer is valid only for laptops, all-in-one desktops or Surface Pro 2 tablets. Two out of the three hardware categories never really used Windows XP anyways.
This makes the offer immediately redundant for people who have been using the old clunky desktops with huge cabinets that housed an IDE hard drive, a CD ROM drive and perhaps even sported a 3.5 Inch Floppy drive too. Moreover, PCs still running Windows XP regularly, will have to be relatively old (read ancient) with limited RAM and would certainly not sport any new chips from Intel’s processor line–up in the multi–core series (Core i3, i5, i7).
Such old PCs won’t be able to offer a smooth Windows 8.1 experience once upgraded. This means the user will have to consider upgrading the hardware and chances are high that all the internal components may have to be swapped–out for newer variants, since there will be compatibility issues. So the user is left with no other option, but to ditch the Windows XP machine & buy a relatively expensive Windows 8 computer.
Microsoft Store representatives also made it clear that any ‘upgrade’ meant the user had to leave his or her old device at the store before they could carry home a new device bought with the rebate. As an upgrade incentive package, Microsoft is offering free data transfer from an XP machine using Laplink PCmover Express, but this too appears to be a thoughtless addition since any XP user can download the free software and execute the migration process themselves. Additionally Microsoft is offering 90 days of the Microsoft Signature Experience, which every shopper is entitled to anyways.
Windows 8 recently surpassed the 10% mark in installations and usage. But Windows XP still runs on more than 30% of the PCs. Windows 7, Windows 8’s immediate predecessor, still runs on 47% of the machines. Windows XP will be getting killed soon by the maker himself, but such offers certainly won’t convince a user who has steadfastly stuck with Windows XP.
[Image Credit | gtaforums]
