How many fans of pirated Windows Vista from China can Microsoft convert for 60 USD?

That’s right! Microsoft is cutting the prices of their operating system in the hope of converting fan pirates totalling to 82% of software used in the country.

The new prices are as follows:

Vista Home Basic: CNY1,521 to CNY499 ($66)
Vista Home Premium package: CNY1802 to CNY899.

Positive reports has circulated that more and more pre-installed Windows Vista is bought by consumers in China as opposed to buying hardware without Vista and later installing a pirated copy.

While this is good news to hear, how many consumers can Microsoft actually convert to buying licensed Windows Vista? $66 is a big motivator but it isn’t enough given that a pirated Windows Vista can only cost consumers as low as $1? I am not sure about that amount in China but $1 is the typical price of pirated software here in our country and given that China is our rumored supplier, the amount might even be less than $1 in China.

Having said that, what can convince consumers in buying licensed software aside from lowering its price?

Features, services and packages. I believe that additional features, services and packages which can only be accessed using a licensed single consumer login key could give users a compelling reason to get a licensed copy.

Yes I know that Automatic updates, and software upgrades which downloads the latest Windows Media player are already in place and only works on a licensed copy; but other feature packages like offerings of a discounted Symantec anti-virus, accounting package, msdn subscriptions and other stuff could be the clincher that would convince people that $66 is very small compared to all the extra things they could get.

How about an online service that would help users unlock a Windows Vista box wherein the password was already forgotten? How about discounted and voucher certifications for licensed copies of Windows Vista? The options are limitless.

Microsoft, get creative! Microsoft should look into ways of tying a licensed copy of Windows Vista into an ecosystem that involves Microsoft, 3rd party tools and other promotional stuff that would make consumers only want a licensed copy.

Are these too expensive? With or without a licensed copy, Microsoft would still spend money on all these promotional stuff, so why not tie everything with Windows Vista?

I am not sure whether there are existing laws which prevents Microsoft from building such an ecosystem; nonetheless, Microsoft should offer better things to consumers especially to people in China other than just cutting the price into half.