Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : MSFT Internet Explorer vs. NSCP Navigator -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Charles Hughes who wrote (20281)	6/26/1998 9:12:00 PM
From: drmorgan	Respond to of 24154

What I Hate Most About Windows 98: Jesse Berst bitchin and moaning about Win98.... ts inflated price. Not long ago, I wrote a piece for PC Week explaining why Windows pricing could be the smoking gun. I pointed out that Windows has not dropped in price in more than a decade. During that same decade, most software programs fell by a factor of five or 10 times. Other analysts have noticed what's going on. "In markets where [Microsoft] has a commanding position, it seems to be using classic monopoly pricing," said Business Week. The Wall Street Journal put it this way: "Everywhere else in the technology business... prices have fallen... One exception stands out. The price of Microsoft's Windows operating software..." The Journal estimates the company's gross margin on Windows is 92%. And the operating margin is more than 50%. By comparison, many hardware makers operate on 5% or less. That, my friends, is what happens when a company doesn't have any competition. It gouges customers. How can anyone disagree that Windows 98 is overpriced? Sure 3.1 to '95 was a major new release that warranted a kind of price one would pay for a NEW OS. But '98? I'm running OSR2 whatever and can't for the life of me see any compelling reason (other than the fact I got '98 for $30 on a new PC upgrade coupon) to buy this over priced bug fix. zdnet.com