AfterDawn: News

Windows 7 pre-orders in UK set record

TGDaily is reporting that UK Windows 7 pre-orders for the giant e-tailer Amazon have set an all-time record, even beating out the seemingly insurmountable pre-orders sales that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows had.

The new operating system is also "significantly" outselling Windows Vista pre-orders, taking just 8 hours to surpass all Vista pre-orders during its run.



"The launch of Windows 7 has superseded everyone's expectations, storming ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as the biggest grossing pre-order product of all-time at Amazon.co.uk, and demand is still going strong," added Amazon UK's managing director Brian McBride.

McBride did say however that Dan Brown's recent novel, "The Lost Symbol," had higher pre-order volume, but retails for much cheaper and therefore was behind in gross.

Windows 7 goes on sale tomorrow, and is expected to see large sales, especially considering the numbers Microsoft has given us in response to their promotions on the operating system.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Oct 2009 16:09

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• 18 comments

• fgamer

  Wow, that's interesting but expected. It took Microsoft to finally listen to the people that use their OS to realize that that's the way to success. So I can only congratulate them on finally doing something right other than Xbox LIVE. I might actually buy Windows 7... IF IT'S NOT DRM'd UP LIKE CRAZY. I'll wait a week or so to get more public feedback before taking the dive from Vista.

  21.10.2009 21:11 #1

• c.trigger

  Originally posted by fgamer: Wow, that's interesting but expected. It took Microsoft to finally listen to the people that use their OS to realize that that's the way to success. So I can only congratulate them on finally doing something right other than Xbox LIVE. I might actually buy Windows 7... IF IT'S NOT DRM'd UP LIKE CRAZY. I'll wait a week or so to get more public feedback before taking the dive from Vista.
  or you could have tried the free beta and RC

  22.10.2009 00:08 #2

• KillerBug

  The RC is far better than any form of vista with any combination of patches...we have known this for months.
  
  BTW..They didn't get Xbox LIVE right; they make you pay for it monthly...this keeps people like me from buying a 360 and a big pile of games for it.

  22.10.2009 01:02 #3

• fgamer

  Originally posted by KillerBug: The RC is far better than any form of vista with any combination of patches...we have known this for months.
  
  BTW..They didn't get Xbox LIVE right; they make you pay for it monthly...this keeps people like me from buying a 360 and a big pile of games for it.If you haven't bought a 360 and a pile of games how would you know if they did Xbox LIVE right or not?
  
  You're WRONG...they did do Xbox LIVE right, sure LIVE wasn't as good on XBOX 1..but on the 360 it's the best service out there on any console and ALL non-biased people know that. Xbox LIVE is BY FAR the best experience out there when it comes to online gaming (which is done through Xbox LIVE). So you'll have to bash Microsoft on something else. 50 bucks a year is well worth the amount of features you get with a gold memb. God people are too cheap wanting everything free!!

  22.10.2009 01:46 #4

• beanos66

  only to be expected when you consider that everybody who bought a computer in the last 3 years can't wait to get rid of vista
  
  if vista was halfway decent then the presales for 7 wouldn't be so good
  
  seems like standard marketing technique for MS release a stinker of an os then release a "good" one
  
  95 sucked 98 rocked, me sucked xp rocked vista sucked 7...

  22.10.2009 05:02 #5

• BigDK

  So far Windows 7 Home Premium is a joy to use.
  Easy and quick to install, updates quickly as well.
  I now have the PC running at the speed to should have been.
  I haven't found any apps that don't work fine so far.
  What I've installed and tested.
  Office 2007 Enterprise
  PowerDVD Ultimate 9
  Snagit 8
  Adobe Photoshop CS3
  Virtual Clone Drive
  AnyDVD HD
  Adobe Acrobat Pro 9
  Mailwasher Pro
  Lavalys Everest
  WinAmp Pro
  Movie Collector
  Cinema Craft Encode SP2
  DVD Rebuilder Pro
  BD Rebuilder Beta
  ImgBurn
  Nero 7
  Norton Internet Security 2010
  Skype
  Winrar 3.9
  Epson Print CD 2
  Vuescan
  
  I was that impressed, I bought 3 more copies yesterday to update all the PCs in the house (including my media PC) Vista is well and truely binned for good.

  22.10.2009 07:36 #6

• LM2008

  I'll have windows 7 but thanks to the free upgrade offer when buying a new computer, otherwise i couldn't afford to buy it sooner.

  22.10.2009 08:06 #7

• BigDK

  I got mine at £60 per copy full retail - pre release, that made the decision easier, I paid £200 for Vista Ultimate retail, and £74 for a Vista Home premium upgrade, 7 was a bargain compared to those.

  22.10.2009 11:42 #8

• fgamer

  Sadly the Microsoft fingerprint reader does not work with Windows 7. WTF

  22.10.2009 21:30 #9

• domie

  Originally posted by BigDK: I got mine at £60 per copy full retail - pre release, that made the decision easier, I paid £200 for Vista Ultimate retail, and £74 for a Vista Home premium upgrade, 7 was a bargain compared to those.I ordered my Home Premium from amazon pre-release priced at £ 45 - happy with that seeing as i was hoping to recoup some wasted cash when buying both the 32 bit and 64 bit Vista OEMs at a combined price of £ 140 2 years ago.
  This time they included both 32 and 64 bit discs in the same package !!!
  Not surprising they have had such strong sales considering how good and cheap Windows 7 is and how utterly crap and expensive Vista was, is and always will be.

  23.10.2009 10:05 #10

• siber

  Deep in my heart I feel I was seriously misled about Windows XP and Vista by a company called Microsoft. I spent large amounts of cash and time trying to get myself through all the nonsensical updates/service packs/patches/etc..required to deal with simple computer operation. I am now expected to spend another large amount of money to contribute to Microsoft in order to proceed with Windows7... I really was expecting a refund rather than a bill.

  24.10.2009 12:17 #11

• creaky

  Originally posted by siber: trying to get myself through all the nonsensical updates/service packs/patches/etc..required to deal with simple computer operation Ah but there's the rub, not all of that rigmorole is required for stable and secure operation. If people want to keep up to date or have software that requires them to be up to date, then fine, but the masses are made to feel that it's absolutely necessary, and it isn't for everyone.
  
  I've never allowed Auto Updates on any of my XP machines since XP came out, i do apply some service packs though, mine are all on SP2, no need for SP3 as everything runs 100% stable. I won't be updating Win7 either.
  

  
  
  Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
  Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS/WPA ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 4node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G v3.1, WRT54G2 v1, WRT54G v5. *** Forum Rules ***

  24.10.2009 12:23 #12

• siber

  And now you're telling me....

  24.10.2009 12:34 #13

• creaky

  I've been saying it for years, and as i say, i've been using XP this way since forever. If something's forced on us, i don't use it.
  Here's an example, MS have this annoying habit of forcing us to keep updating MSN Messenger. As i don't use Auto Updates i can't use the latest versions as they force you to install a Windows Update before it'll work. So i just use older versions of MSN Messenger until such time that they stop those working. And i also use alternative programs that have no such restrictions ie Amsn (though of course MS et al deliberately change things from time to time in order to stop programs like Amsn from working but the alternative progams always get around such petty breakages via their own updates).
  

  
  
  Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
  Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS/WPA ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 4node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G v3.1, WRT54G2 v1, WRT54G v5. *** Forum Rules ***

  24.10.2009 12:42 #14

• siber

  Creaky, you continue to reinforce my belief that Microsoft should pay us for using their software, not the other way around. If stress does shorten life expectancy, I would like to see a study evaluating Microsoft's contribution to that. As I said before, I feel a refund is more appropriate than a bill in order to start using Windows7, at least for the next 12-18 months.

  24.10.2009 12:53 #15

• siber

  Very profound apologies from Microsoft for Vista on ALL networks throughout the entire world for the F..Ups would go a long way towards making me feel better about the company. I might be willing to forgive. What choice would I have anyway?

  24.10.2009 13:02 #16

• ispy

  I,ve been using the Beta of 7 for the last 5 months on an old PC, my 3 others have XP Pro and I have been impressed by 7. Its very much like Vista with all the crap removed,nowhere near as slow as Vista but for the moment I'm sticking with XP

  24.10.2009 14:55 #17

• siber

  The more I read the forums over the last 72 hours concerning Windows7, the more I remain set in my opinion. Windows7 is an (much)improved version of Vista and probably should have been what Vista was supposed to be 3 years ago. For Web and E-Mail, stick with whatever you have presently, don't continue to bleed money... Do NOT update to Windows7 unless you have spent most of "your disposable income" on Hunger In The World and Global Warming Prevention. 200$+ is much better spent on more important stuff than "7". I, for one, will consider buying Windows7 for $29.99 when I get a full refund on XP and Vista AND apologies from Microsoft for all their previous goof-ups...I'll reassess this last decision after Service Pack 3 in 2011 or so.

  25.10.2009 06:37 #18