Students in the United States can buy Windows 7 for only $30. A representation from Microsoft said, “This offer is specifically designed for those students who are not planning to purchase a new PC this year but would still like to take advantage of what Windows 7 offers.”
To download and upgrade to Windows 7, students will have to wait until October 22nd when Windows 7 will be shipped. Additionally, they will need to provide a valid college email address.
On the minus side, students in the United Kingdom will have to pay £30, which is almost twice the amount that students in the US have to pay.
Ironically, Microsoft isn’t charging more in the UK to settle scores on the fines it had to pay during the antitrust lawsuits in the European Union. It always translates $ to £, a practice many other vendors resort to.
Many products in the European Union are costlier because of import tax and additional shipping costs. Microsoft has several offices and development centers in the EU, so the above explanation doesn’t really stand ground.
Microsoft plans similar offers in Canada, Australia, Korea, Mexico, France, and Germany, though the prices will vary somewhat.