Review by terpfan1980

This is a fairly painless upgrade, at least when done using the code bought directly from Amazon, but at the same time it irritates me that it is even needed. My opinion is that Microsoft should have just sucked it up and put out a single version of Windows 8, even if doing so might have meant they would have a bunch of customers that would have had features they didn’t need (which might have cost Microsoft some licensing fees to have included).

Realistically, not all users need what Windows 8 Pro adds into the OS (Operating System) compared to the core or base product, and I understand that. Not including those features in every copy of Windows 8 that is ever installed shaves a little from the cost of the product and in turn that supposed savings can be passed through to customers that are buying new hardware and getting Windows 8 pre-installed on it. On the other hand, the MSRP on this item is not all that consumer friendly. Granted, customers are getting something for that money, but what they get is relatively little return for the investment.

In my case I wanted the media center components that aren’t included in the core/base product and the only way to get them is to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. Note that these components were built-in with Windows 7, so losing them in Windows 8, or at least having to pay separately to get them seems to just be an effort to pump up the profit margin for Microsoft.

The more irritating thing, for me, with Windows 8 is that most OEMs only offer Windows 8 core/basic on their hardware. If Windows 8 Pro was an option at time of purchase, it would likely cost less than the upgrade fee charged for this product.

How long until Mr. Ballmer retires at Microsoft? Dare we hope that whomever replaces him is someone that find a way to treat Microsoft’s user community like customers rather than like people that will take anything you throw at them and pay for it no matter what?