Over 1,000 people have signed an online petition asking UK prime minister Tony Blair to use his influence to press for more equal pricing of Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system. 

The petition is found on the government's ePetition website and has drawn a quick response.

However, given that the government has announced that it is ignoring the 1.8 million people who signed an online petition on road pricing, it is unlikely that Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will be getting calls from Downing Street.

"There is a huge difference in the price that people in the US and the UK are paying for Windows Vista," said petition starter Paul Milne.

"As an example of this, in the UK a full copy of Vista Ultimate costs £350, but in the US it costs £195.

"I can see no reason for such a huge difference in prices between the UK and the US other than Microsoft's belief that UK customers will pay more than their US counterparts."

Sadly some of the signatories seem to be erroneous, since the name 'Bill Gates' appears on the list.

"We respect the rights of UK consumers to voice their opinions," said a Microsoft spokesperson.