The poor cousin

Microsoft is one of those companies that doles out the goodwill with one hand and takes it back with the other. Windows 7 has by and large been well-met here, which is no surprise given that most people were so disappointed with Vista. There were, I understand, lots of Kiwis downloading both the Windows 7 beta and RC.

So, what does Microsoft NZ do? It doesn't offer the pre-ordering discounts that North Americans, Europeans and the Japanese enjoy, according to the National Business Review. Instead, the pricing will be close to Vista. Not the way I'd go about rebuilding the dented confidence caused by Vista, but then again, I'm not in charge of Microsoft here.

But wait, there's more to grate on Kiwis' sensibilities. Over in Oz, paying attendees to the Microsoft Tech.Ed get an HP Mini with Win7 loaded on it. That's a super-cool offer, with some 2300 of the neato notebooks given away.

Over in New Zealand, however, a Microsoft Most Valued Professional noted rather acidly that the Australian offer is matched on this side of the Tasman by seven cameras. The Canon IXUS 100 IS are nice enough and I'm sure whoever of the attendees paying between NZ$1200 to NZ$1800 (I think it's a little cheaper than for the Oz Tech.Ed) wins one will be happy with the camera, but still...