Microsoft Continues Down Self-Destructive Path

Effective February 1st, Microsoft is raising the price of their $39.99 Windows 8 Pro Upgrade to $199.99. Windows 8 Core upgrade will be $119.99. They had said the $39.99 was temporary all along, but really, a 5X increase? The average selling price of a laptop last quarter was $429, Microsoft apparently does not see how absurd the upgrade pricing is. That's scary.

Paul Thurrott is covering this thoroughly, if a bit irrationally. For some reason, he seems to want to defend Microsoft's behavior. You can see me debate with him in the comments of both articles linked to below. Over on WinSuperSite I am "brians".

Here is his original coverage, including the words, "And please, direct your ire towards Microsoft, not me. I’m just the messenger here":
Windows 8 Pricing Update

This next one from Paul is in fact bizarre. Seriously, at the end he says:

Geesh. If you want the Upgrade, just get it now. And instead of damning Microsoft for screwing you over, why not just thank them for what is quite clearly the best promotional pricing for any major Windows upgrade in history.

I sincerely doubt I'll be sending thanks to Microsoft.
Fact Check: Windows 8 Pricing Identical to That for Windows 7

And the Microsoft nonsense just keeps coming, here they are making it hard to downgrade to Windows 7:
Microsoft to Windows 8 downgraders: The bits stop here

I knew no one wanted to touch Windows 8, now I have evidence:
Windows 8 users ignore touchscreens, flock to cheap laptops

If Microsoft were a rational company, they'd apologize and put the start button back in:
Windows 8 start menu programs are downloaded in record numbers

Surely by now you realize that leaving Microsoft Office is quickly becoming a good idea, here's how:
Triumph and disaster: Two migrations to OpenOffice

You may also wish to check out: LibreOffice, Calligra, Kingsoft
(LibreOffice and OpenOffice come from the same project, LibreOffice is currently more popular.)