Microsoft allows downgrades of Windows 7

Well it looks like Microsoft will continue the downgrade program from Vista with Windows 7.

While downgrading is nothing new (businesses using Volume Licensing have been doing it for years) it is still interesting to see MS offer this with their new and supposedly much better OS.

It makes me wonder if 7 is really not much more than Vista with a new GUI. I supposed time will tell on that as Windows 7 is getting closer and closer to launch. Still I am sure it will be comforting for many to know that they can downgrade back to XP if they really, really want to.

Read more here.

Downgrade rights have long been a part of the Windows license for certain versions, particularly for businesses. That said, the option gained notoriety with Windows Vista. With Vista, the downgrade right was not only marketed by computer makers, but, once Microsoft stopped selling XP, some PC makers sold Vista machines that were "pre-downgraded" to Windows XP.

Microsoft is actually expanding that Vista downgrade rights program slightly, the company confirmed on Monday. Under the new program, PC makers will be able to ship pre-downgraded machines based on anticipated demand for those systems. Until now, computers makers could only ship XP-downgraded machines if a particular customer had specified that is what he or she had wanted.