Vista’s arrival invited the wrath of unforgiving Microsoft critics who had previously scorned XP for its memory intensive interface and confusing differences. Though, soon our transition from 98 or ME to XP was a smooth one, just took getting used to some subtle differences. Then came Vista, and the boat was rocked again.

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Like a virtual department store on Black Friday, Europe’s online Microsoft store was overwhelmed when pre-order commenced for Windows 7. The temporary crash may have frustrated a few, but in essence, it was great news for Microsoft’s anticipated launch of the new operating system. It is doing way better than Vista did. During Vista’s entire four-month plus pre-order period, it did not sell nearly as many copies as Windows 7 did in the first few hours.

The Microsoft store isn’t the only forum selling copies of Windows 7. The new system is also available from Amazon.com, Play.com, PCWorld, and other online stores. All sites selling the new software were experiencing very high demand within moments of opening the product for sale. Amazon’s UK software director, Chris Poad, reported that the “Windows 7 upgrade packages shot to the top of the Amazon.come bestsellers chart over in the US as soon as they were available for pre-order.”

Official release is not until October 22nd, and nobody gets a real copy until that time. However, the pre-released version is available for a limited time at a reduced rate, which is part of the reason for the spike in demand.

However, in a balancing bit of not-as-hot news, one company predicts that the majority of companies will opt not to upgrade to Windows 7. ScriptLogic, a Windows Management consulting firm, paints a picture that looks like 60 percent of companies won’t purchase the new operating system. At the top of the complaint list are “compatibility concerns,” but “time,” and “resources,” are also slated as legitimate barriers. A recession-slammed economy doesn’t bode well for Microsoft, but the opening day numbers have been encouraging.

Microsoft announced official retail prices for Windows 7 today, setting prices at nearly 10 percent below the prices for Windows Vista—good news for consumers who want new technology without the price tag. It’s also good news for Microsoft, whose strategy will likely boost sales for the long-term Windows 7 lifecycle and short-term Windows 7 promotion.

Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade, which is portending to be Window’s biggest cash crop, will be available on preorder for a shocking $49.99, but only for a limited time—from June 26 through July 11—and only for U.S. customers. Business customers who want the beefier Windows 7 Professional edition upgrade will only pay $99.99 on the promotion

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