Re: Windows pricing... (exact figures)

["Erick Andrews" <eandrews@star.net>]

On Thu, 16 Apr 1998 02:21:34 -0400 (EDT), Paul Rickard wrote:

>I know this subject has already come up, but I did some research and
>ran the numbers and think you might be interested in my results..
>	Earlier this week Microsoft announced that Windows 98 upgrades will
>cost $109 (suggested retail price), while buying the full version of the
>product will cost you $209. Remember when BillG told the Senate that
>"Another sign of a healthy, competitive industry is lower prices," and
>then pointed out the 10-million-fold decrease in computing costs since
>1971? But in four years, the cost of Windows (full version) has risen by
>nearly 192 (191.74) percent; from $109 for Windows 3.1 back in 1994 to
>$209 for Windows 98 this summer, while the average PC price has dropped
>and performance has more than quadrupled. Another sign of a healthy,
>competitive industry?
>	If anybody has any figures on the average total price for PCs in 1994
>vs. the average total price in 1998, I'd be extremely interested in
>seeing them. 

I don't have such numbers, but I'd think it would be more meaningful to compare
the hardware (some basic system?) in terms of some compute speed or memory
increase or storage bits per dollar.  Maybe Dhrystones/$.  Another thing is that
in 1994, few systems had internal modems, CD-ROMS or multimedia parts bundled
in.  Maybe another way to look at it is a comparison of each peripheral or subsystem
and come up with some sensible weighting scheme, and all adjusted for inflation.

>Most people would be shocked to know how much Windows adds
>to the total price of a new computer, and even more so to see how the
>percentage of that has risen in the last 4 or 5 years.

And while I have my engineer hat on, wouldn't it be interesting to know, dollar
for dollar, just how much these "wonderful extra features", like barking dogs and
insulting paper clips, truly cost?

Erick

>
>-- 
>===== Paul Rickard, President of The Microsoft Boycott Campaign. =======
>------------------------------ <www.abctec.com/~msbc> ------------------
>=========== Returning REAL Choice to The Computer Industry. ============
>