Windows 7 upgrade from XP – NOT!

Microsoft have said that there WILL be an upgrade option, for Windows XP users wanting to buy Windows 7.  However, it’s not an upgrade in the usual sense of the word!

Windows 7 upgrade from XP – NOT really an upgrade

According to a post on The Register, a Microsoft spokesman has said:

“I can confirm that customers will be able to purchase upgrade media and an upgrade license to move from Windows XP to Windows 7 – however, they will need to do a clean installation of Windows 7. This requires the user to back up their data, install Windows 7, re-install the programs and restore their data.”

Obviously, this is a clean install and not an upgrade!

I think I know where the confusion comes from.  Microsoft have decided to offer Windows 7 to XP users for an ‘upgrade price.’  Then, in a typical crappy Microsoft PR move, some bright spark has decided to call the process an upgrade.

Obviously, Windows Vista users will be able to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 in the usual way; as the OS is pretty-much the same.  This, of course, is prompting many people (including me) to ask whether Windows 7 is REALLY just a big service pack to make Vista the OS we were promised when it launched.

Every time Microsoft do something dumb like this, I am left wondering how come the biggest company in the world has what must be the worst marketing and PR in the whole IT industry.