So, not to be a Mac schmuck, but I'm gonna do it anyway:

Mac OS X basic, home Premium, Business, Ultimate, upgrade, and full editions of all: $129

The only other edition is the $199 five license family pack.

The upgrade OS prices are decent especially for those of us in the know about installing it on top of itself. The only version of upgrade is 'retail upgrade' right? So no ambiguity about whether you can install it on another mobo like OEM. Now just need to wait for a SP1 version, sure it can be slipstreamed but it would save some hassle.

vista had a lot of potential .. but then sales and management interfered with development.

the retail prices for vista are also still too high. and the licensing is getting crazy. drop Vista Ultimate down to $199 and I'd probably buy.. however the current plan is for me to wait for Vista II in 2010.

having read that the idiotic woman responsible for the office 2007 look is in charge of Vista II look, however, brings much fear and trembling to me. office 2007 is the slowest and fugliest piece of crap i have ever seen. sadly, its a requirement at work.

These smell a bit like the Judgment Day prices on Windows Me right before Microsoft released XP, and permanently scraped Me off its collective shoe.

This is for retail copies; does anyone actually buy those?

Non-issue here, unless you're from MacDailyNews and it suits your propaganda postings...then it's all about Vista is t3h sUk! MacOSX 3l33t OMGWTFBBQR0X0RZ!!!one!!!1!eleventyhundredandone!!!1

remote desktop is a big feature to have.

I'm glad i get all my Microsoft software for free via MSDN... thank you ComSci department

Vista Business: small through large corps. Maybe. On the fence, wait a while. Why do we need desktops anymore? Google save us!

Gamers: Stick with XP Pro, but you'll eventually migrate to Vista 64 or its successor. Or stick with a console. They are "fun" if not the best eye candy possible.

Home users: Migrate to OSX.

Cheap Home users/Businesses: Migrate to Linux.

There, I solved the world's problems.

Is there really any big reason to get Ultimate instead of Home Premium, besides the domain stuff?

Basic to Home Premium gives you a lot more for the money, but Home Premium to Ultimate doesn't seem that great.

I know this is about the prices going down, but just wondering if anyone spent a lot of time with both editions.

A home premium upgrade to a 2000 License for $95 doesn't sound too bad., although home premium OEM is only $110 at Newegg.

I might actually pickup an upgrade copy again (sold it before) to install in Boot Camp on my MacBook.

I wish Steam had a Mac client. Grrrrrrr

This is proof that Vistas sales suck and microsoft is trying to boost sales. I am still going to stick with XP price cut or not XP is still the better OS.

Nice. When I finally upgrade to Vista after building a new PC it will be cheaper. :)

still haven't attempted vista
might give it a try in a few months/quarters time (maybe sp2?)

it took me a while to move off 98se to 2k
also took sp1 for me to move to xp
currently on sp2. have never run windows update

can't wait to see how 'slow' vista is on stock settings
it's funny as i found xp was slow on stock settings as well
then i turned off the eye-candy and it ran just fine

then i disabled all the processes i'm not using
and the memory footprint after boot dropped to ~120mb
surviving pretty well on 1gb of ram

the point? i'm assuming vista by default is set to 'bloat'
but would run fine once the crap you don't need is turned off
(if you need funky animations when minimizing/maximizing windows, then what you really need is a toy)

Microsoft finally facing real competition in the OS market.... from itself. Vista losing out to XP.

Hmmm polish that turd Microshaft....its still a turd.

Funny, I don't recall MS ever cutting prices on XP, and surely not a mere year or so after debuting. Or am I wrong?

Sorry MS, I ain't upgrading until I have to, cheap or no.

Finally MS is realizing how the steep MSRP for Vista licenses were hurting it.

Home Basic and Home Premium Retail are going to be affordable as XP Home and XP Premium.

I guess it still not stop the anti-M$ zealots from spreading the FUD.

How fortuitous. I'm in need of a second Vista license.

EDIT see reply to #4

So.. basically a pseudo oem/retail vista for less than 100$?