due to the exchange rates
I am afraid not. Please read this and weep:
http://www.theregister.com/2007/02/1...y_beta_bugger/
The stand-alone version of Vista Ultimate retails for €600, or $780 here in Ireland. Amazon.com is selling this $780 version to Americans for $380. Or, to put it another way, Europeans are subsidising Americans by $400 on every copy they buy.
...
I bought the Home Premium upgrade for this series of reviews, and paid €250, or $325. Amazon sells it to Americans for $154, or €118.
Home premium upgrade is €197 in Germany, 135GBP (about the same) in the UK. The disparity cannot be blamed on VAT alone!
BOFH