Family Pack license for Windows 7 could cover 3 machines on the cheap
Got three computers at home? There is reason to believe that Microsoft will let you license Windows 7 on all of them for a very competitive price.
In recent leaked RTM branch builds of WIndows 7 Home Premium, there’s been an interesting language chance in the license agreement under “Installation Use and Rights”:
b. Family Pack. If you are a “Qualified Family Pack User”, you may install one copy of the software marked as “Family Pack” on three computers in your household for use by people who reside there. Those computers are the “licensed computers” and are subject to these license terms. If you do not know whether you are a Qualified Family Pack User, visit go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=141399 or contact the Microsoft affiliate serving your country.
No, the link doesn’t work yet, but this seems to indicate that Microsoft is going to offer a multi-license pack of Windows 7 Home Premium. Other builds (Ultimate, Pro, etc.) don’t contain the Family Pack wording.
It makes sense for several reasons. First, Microsoft offered a similar deal for Vista upgrades when it was released – a two pack for $49.99. Second, they use this strategy to push Office 2007 with the Home and Student edition. Third, Apple does it with Leopard and at one hell of a price: $199 for up to five Macs under the same roof.
CNet’s Ed Bott predicts Microsoft will undercut Apple slightly and we’ll see the Family Pack priced at $189.99, though it will likely cover three machines as the Office license does.
[via Kristan Kenney]
