With the cut-off for XP sales fast approaching, what do you do if you're opposed to switching to Vista? Alex explains why you'd be best off with the "downgrade" option., and what it all means.
With Microsoft's cut-off date for selling systems pre-installed fast approaching, many people have indicated that they're not quite as keen on Vista as Microsoft had hoped, but the vendors are stuck -- they're contractually obliged to follow the Microsoft party line.
Dell's approach to this problem, at least overseas, is rather unique. On selected Dell systems -- reports from ComputerWorld indicate the Vostro line of business desktops and selected XPS gaming desktops -- you can pay Dell US$50 for XP as a "downgrade" from Vista. What you're technically actually paying for is a copy of Vista in the box and a copy of XP; your Dell PC will carry a Vista sticker but you'll have both operating systems ready to install, with XP as the default.
The exact pricing hit varies depending not on which version of XP you want -- XP Pro appears to be your only option -- but on which version of Vista you do or don't want to use eventually.
PC Authority checked with Dell Australia representatives as to whether the $50 paid "downgrade" would be made available locally, only to be told that "Dell are not in a position to comment on this at the moment." Which, in the classic style of no-comment, doesn't mean yes, and it doesn't mean no.
What is curious in all of this is that if you do go to Dell Australia's Web site, it is possible to get selected XPS and Vostro systems with what looks on the surface like the same XP "downgrade" option.
As an example, configuring the XPS 630 desktop gaming system with XP will cost you an additional $27.50 minimum. That'll score you either a XP-sole system (although presumably not after the 30th of June) or a system with both XP and Vista Business discs.