MS: Why does Windows cost more with fewer features outside the US?

sygnus21 said:

BTW, this "American" reads, is interested in the news, and knows a bit of Geography. Maybe why I'm the kind Trump doesn't like

Just to clarify: my original post was not, is not meant to be in any way disparaging or depreciatory. I just said what I think: Americans are generally speaking not interested in anything happening outside USA.

Try3 said:

The price difference has been with us for decades and is not confined to MS. Lots of manufactured goods cost a third more in European countries than they do in the USA.

All price examples in my original post were from Microsoft Store website, not from third party resellers.

You know of course, that you can check if a Microsoft website / URL is available in your language or region simply by changing the language / region in URL.

An example:

Here's the link to buy Windows 10 from Microsoft in the USA:

Code:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/b/windows?activetab=tab%3ashopwindows10

I have highlighted the part selecting the language and region, Microsoft uses format xx-yy, where xx is the language, and yy is the region.

If you want that page in French in France, you change that to fr-fr. For me, as a bilingual Fin, that would be fi-fi or sv-fi, Finnish in Finland or Swedish in Finland.

This is a practical way to check if a certain Microsoft page is available in your language.

Short: all price samples in my original post are from Microsoft Store in respective countries, not from any third party resellers.

roy111 said:

The first is that I understand you're using an insider version, not officially released, it may be that cortana will be present in the official release;

No. I already have Windows 10 version 20H1 / 2004 installed. In it, Cortana is only available if the language is set to US English, and region to USA.

roy111 said:

I understand your post is more a rant than a real serious question; I cannot believe you can trust PR bull****; the purpose of Microsoft is to make money, not to be fair towards costumers, just screw them what is just enough.

No rant, my post was made to be taken seriously. We non-Americans pay more, yet we get less. It is absolutely not fair, and I would like to see a change in that.

If nobody complains, things do not change.

Kari

Kari,

I have no idea what the lesson in urls was for.
- I was agreeing with you - the price difference exists.
- I was also pointing out that the price difference is both widespread & long-lasting. It is not confined to the MS Store and it has existed for decades.

Denis

Try3 said:

I have no idea what the lesson in urls was for.

I am sorry. I just thought it to be important, to show that all prices given in my original post were authentic, real Microsoft Store prices. In clarifying it, I explained how to get any Microsoft site / page in various countries, if available.

I was in no way dissing your post. I sincerely apologise any possible misunderstanding.

Kari

roy111 said:

Well I think 20H1 is not relased yet as an official win10 version.

Download Windows 10 version 20H1 / 2004 build 19041.207 (64-bit): Select language for Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004 (19041.207) amd64 - UUP dump

Download Windows 10 version 20H1 / 2004 build 19041.207 (32-bit): Select language for Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004 (19041.207) x86 - UUP dump

Kari

Kari said:

I just thought it to be important, to show that all prices given in my original post were authentic, real Microsoft Store Prices

Kari,

MS Store price comparisons are a symptom of the underlying issue. The MS Store is not its cause.
MS Store price comparisons reflect general price comparisons between the USA and Europe as they have been for decades.

Your points about Cortana are valid.
But your points about the price comparison would only be worth making if you were proposing the creation of a new world economic order.

Denis

Try3 said:

But your points about the price comparison would only be worth making if you were proposing the creation of a new world economic order.

I very strongly disagree.

It would be quite easy for Microsoft to fix this: Windows 10 Pro costs $200 dollars, or the equivalent in your local currency, wherever in the world you live, from whichever country you buy it. Same features, same price.

Quite a lot of software makers use that system. One product, one price, regardless if you live in Kenia or Ecuador or United States.

No "new world economic order" required.

Kari

Kari said:

Just to clarify: my original post was not, is not meant to be in any way disparaging or depreciatory. I just said what I think: Americans are generally speaking not interested in anything happening outside USA.

I didn't take it that way. in fact, sadly, I got your point.

Anyway I was in the Air Force (79-05) so I traveled overseas; mainly Europe - Germany, Netherlands, UK, Iceland, Spain, and a few other places. Traveling makes one sophisticated