Windows 7 is being talked up with nothing but the utmost praise. In that sense it’s the antitheses of Vista. In fact, Vista would have given a few limbs to have even half the positive press Windows 7 has been blessed with. But this doesn’t mean consumers will pay over the odds for Microsoft’s new operating system. So, with interest waning, could new cheap Windows 7 pre-order deals be on the way?

Are you planning to upgrade to Windows 7 come Oct. 22 when the new OS is released to general availability? Then good luck, because judging by the upgrade chart released by Microsoft it’s a confusing and complicated business.

Europe was getting Windows 7E, a version of Windows 7 without Internet Explorer included. But no longer. Microsoft has now decided to chance its arm and assume the EU will accept its proposal of a browser ballot screen during Windows 7 installation. So Europe will now be getting exactly the same version of Windows 7 as the rest of the world.

Microsoft has officially confirmed that a family pack edition of Windows 7 will cost $149.99. It’s also announced the price for upgrading netbooks to the full-fledged edition of the system.

Intel has said it will upgrade its employees’ machines to Windows 7 sooner rather than later. More than the potential 80,000-plus upgrades involved, it’s a symbolic boost for Microsoft given Intel’s previous rejection of Vista.

It’s little news to followers of tech sites that upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 could be a whole bunch of hassle. But now mainstream news sources are starting to spread that message to the masses.

Microsoft is including all editions of Windows 7 on an installation disc to encourage users to pay an extra fee to upgrade from their original choice. But one analyst says pricing and other factors make it unlikely many will take advantage of this scheme.

The head of an analyst firm dedicated to Microsoft has warned people to be wary about claims of how well Windows 7 is doing among business users. Rob Horowitz of Directions on Microsoft says figures announced this week for the new system could give a misleading image.

Microsoft has always maintained that Windows Vista sold well despite the bad press it received in the run-up to launch and beyond. However, those figures are now being put into perspective by the Windows 7 sales figures in Europe. To say Windows 7 is proving popular is a huge understatement.

Windows 7 edges closer to release every day. And each new day brings new details on the release or facts surrounding it. The Windows 7 RTM now looks to have been finalized, and Microsoft has confirmed that people using the Release Candidate will have an option to upgrade to the retail version.

Unconfirmed but credible reports suggest there will indeed be a Windows 7 family pack, priced at $136.95 – which may upset some who’ve already bough multiple copies in an advance sale. Meanwhile buyers in Britain look set to get some major discounts both before and after the system’s release.

Four days after going on sale, the cut-price ‘pre-order’ of the Windows 7 upgrades is proving a success through at least one retailer. The Home Premium and Professional upgrades are firmly atop the Amazon software chart.

Businesses planning to buy new computers in bulk may be better off waiting until October. It’s emerged that a Microsoft scheme offering free upgrades to people buying Vista machines this summer has a maximum limit of 25 machines for businesses.

Netbooks are becoming an important part of the PC sector. These small, slimmed down machines meant mainly for surfing the Web are increasing in popularity by a huge amount. Which means they’re very important to the success of Windows 7, and Microsoft knows it.

Microsoft has released details of Windows 7 pricing, including a special offer allowing Vista users to pay for an upgrade in advance for as little as $49. This article aims to answer your questions about how much Windows 7 will cost in your circumstances.