Mene mene tekel upharsin

Last week, Microsoft announced quarterly and yearly earnings that beat expectations in virtually all sectors.

However, all isn’t well.

The Microsoft Windows franchise experienced a drop in revenues.

Are you kidding me?

How could Windows experience such an event?

There may be several factors, but think this through with me. Without a doubt, Windows 7 is the best Windows ever. It even works very well with computers created for the Windows XP era. The market is ripe for upgrading from XP and Windows Vista. Multi-computer families/households are now more commonplace, probably the norm, rather than the exception.

So, how is it that it seems Microsoft is missing the bus again? Why aren’t people upgrading faster?

My decidedly unscientific take is that it all boils down to the high cost of upgrading.

Look, I do not care how much it cost Microsoft to create Windows 7. At this point in time, as Windows 8 is upon us, Microsoft should have recovered it’s investment in Windows 7.

Moreover, the ascendancy of Apple’s OS’s require that Microsoft match Apple product-for-product.

However, is Microsoft watching?

NO!

Microsoft has several brain-dead schemes for purchasing Windows. But none of them are as simple as purchasing OS X.

Microsoft prices Windows at about $119.00 retail, but OS X is about $29.

Apple has an OS X 5-pack for around $129 or so. Microsoft has, well, nothing!

Mene mene tekel upharsin

The proverbial handwriting is on the wall.

If Microsoft wants to truly retain primacy in operating systems, and not be relegated to the dunghills of computing, it has to dramatically reduce the stupidly high cost of converting to Windows 7.

Microsoft, reduce the damn cost of upgrading to Windows, and introduce a true, inexpensive family pack!