from Hacker News

Microsoft hikes U.K. prices by 22%

by sghi on 10/25/16, 7:10 AM with 67 comments

• by s_dev on 10/25/16, 9:08 AM

  There will be a lot of price hikes coming to the UK so they can expect some high inflation. Pound is weaker so need more of them to achieve same revenue in dollars.

  I'm utterly fascinated by Brexit -- I'm here in Ireland and it's going to be part disaster part boom depending on how we handle it so it has very real consequences. I think the biggest damage will be that to young people in the UK who will likely be denied the ability to travel as freely to live and work across the EU and this sort of denial of opportunity won't manifest as obvious for many years.

  We put up the price of our software in the UK once we heard the referendum result and May indicating hard Brexit. On both occasions Sterling dropped.

• by baconizer on 10/25/16, 8:53 AM

  2000s: It's expensive doing business in the UK: price hike

  2007: Business needs to be protected from Pound fluctuation: we accepted the new norm that a $500 gadget cost £500

  2016: Brexit hurt our company earnings : like I care, we are full stack OSS

• by andygates on 10/25/16, 8:43 AM

  As a huge healthcare org with solid MS lock-in: ouch.

  Brexy-fans can say it's "fluctuating not tanking"; we still have to pay more for software (and less for hospital beds, staff, and so on. In big orgs these costs are gibberring).

  (personally I'm betting on EUR-GBP parity by xmas, because my Cassandra gland is firing overtime)

• by swang on 10/25/16, 8:55 AM

  I really have no idea bout UK/British politics even though I worked/lived in Europe so...

  Can someone explain this part of Brexit. Nigel Farage resigns in July 2016 after he wins the vote. Why? Says he did "his job" and didn't want to be a career politician (according to Wiki)

  Then earlier this month he stepped back in as party leader of UKIP after his replacement was forced(?) out/unable to garner support? Did he just get bored and want his job back? Seems like he has ample time to fly over to the States to pump up Trump.

  What I'm trying to get at is this whole Brexit triggered a huge depression in the value of the Pound. Yet the Conservatives and UKIP are still in power? Or can no one do anything until the next general elections?

• by hd4 on 10/25/16, 8:18 AM

  Preaching to the converted here, but this is yet another incentive to switch to a Linux distro, thanks Microsoft.

  Also worth remembering that Britain is still de facto in the EU for a few more years.

• by misja111 on 10/25/16, 9:21 AM

  Meanwhile, in Switzerland, businesses are suffering because the Swiss Franc is too strong.

  There are always two sides to a rising or falling currency. In the case of the weak Pound, it is good for exporting British companies and for tourism.

• by elcct on 10/25/16, 9:23 AM

  Every excuse is good to make some more money. Maybe this will make companies look for OSS alternatives. I doubt it will make any impact for government agencies, as they are not spending their own money ;)

• by wilhil on 10/25/16, 8:36 AM

  Who knows the truth about Brexit just yet... Trade deals will come in and we will probably get back to where we were - in the long term.

  ... If/when we get there, any bets Microsoft will not lower pricing?