Re:7 to Vista is as SE to 98 (Score 1)

Windows 98 to 98SE, was available as a free CD to some OEM customers, or you could buy the upgrade for about $20.

Windows 98 / 98SE to Windows Me, had a special upgrade Blue box that was available for about $49 for a limited time (I saw it around for about a year)

I would not be surprised, if Microsoft offered a discount to Windows 7 for Windows Vista users. Such an upgrade might only be offered online, and not make the retail stores. An upgrade for $49 to upgrade whatever version of Vista, to the comparable Windows 7 version (Home, Business, Ultimate) would go far to get Vista users to buy in.

However, if you want to look at it from another angle, Windows 2000 was v5.0, Windows XP was v5.1, I do not recall any special upgrade deal being offered, but 2000 was not marketed to Home users. Windows Vista is v6.0, Windows 7 feels like v6.1. There is nothing special about what Microsoft is doing here other than it is ten years later.

The real story to me is that Microsoft released a new version practically every year with the old Win9x series, and that stopped with Windows XP. They miss the giant revenue stream from yearly upgrades, as would just about any corporation on earth.