In a move that has drawn a lot of flak, Microsoft offers business users of Windows Vista to upgrade not more than 25 of their systems to the new Windows 7 for free.

Microsoft is offering free upgrades to Windows 7 from their older and failed Windows Vista through the Windows Upgrade Option.

While people who have purchased Windows Vista (Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate) for personal use are spared from paying to upgrade it, businesses planning on upgrading more than a dozen systems will report increased overheads in their books this quarter.

This move is seen as a scheme by Microsoft to promote their Software Assurance licenses to businesses, where businesses will have to pay an additional USD $100-$150 per computer to Microsoft for the right to unlimited upgrades at zero or additional cost for a period of three years.

In the last quarter, Microsoft saw a 16% decrease in sales and is desperately trying to boost sales in an economy that is bleak.

Microsoft’s business consumers are pushing Microsoft to let them upgrade all their computers to the new OS for free.