I paid for Windows for the first time ever

I've always obtained Windows via "alternative methods"... but decided that, this round, it's just not worth the trouble. And Windows 7 has that shine-n-polish that I like.

I feel a bit dirty paying, though, for something as in-the-background as an O/S... and especially having to pay for 5 copies (parents, sister, etc...)

I know with group, finding a free copy isn't hard... But when did y'all actually pay out-of-pocket $$$ for Windows?

(or have you?)

I got Win7 at pre-order at a perfectly reasonable £45; which happens to be what I think is about the right price for a major OS release (and not the current price of £90, nor the current 'non discount' price of £150).

But I usually a new OS when I get a new PC.

Herbie

I think this thread is a trap.

Well, the Windows 7 on my desktop is the reward copy from the technical beta program, and the one on my laptop I got for free via the lab at University.

Windows Vista before that? Again one copy via the beta, one copy included with aforementioned laptop (incidentally, I didn't pay for the laptop myself either, so I didn't even pay OEM cost for that).

Windows XP? Got six licenses from the beta. Windows 2000? Ten licenses from the beta.

I don't think I've ever paid for Windows.

harumscarum said:

I think this thread is a trap.

What are you?  General Akbar?  

Herbie

Dr Herbie said:

I got Win7 at pre-order at a perfectly reasonable £45; which happens to be what I think is about the right price for a major OS release (and not the current price of £90, nor the current 'non discount' price of £150).

 

But I usually a new OS when I get a new PC.

 

Herbie

 

I too am happy with the discount Windows 7 deal. It cost less than Vista Ultimate OEM. I likely wouldn't have purchased it at all if I was required to pay the full retail cost (£159). If I ever did have to buy Windows at full retail, I'd likely get a years worth of Technet Plus instead.

The only thing more insane than Windows prices is Office's.

Home & Student 3x = £59.99 (£20/per machine)

Outlook = £74

Office Standard = £283.27

The only obvious difference between the Home, and Standard editions, is that Home lacks Outlook. Plus the £263 markup. It is just an absolutely jaw droppingly insane price structure and frankly given the lack of improvement over Office XP it no longer makes sense to pay it.

ManipUni said:

Dr Herbie said:

*snip*

I too am happy with the discount Windows 7 deal. It cost less than Vista Ultimate OEM. I likely wouldn't have purchased it at all if I was required to pay the full retail cost (£159). If I ever did have to buy Windows at full retail, I'd likely get a years worth of Technet Plus instead.

 

The only thing more insane than Windows prices is Office's.

 

Home & Student 3x = £59.99 (£20/per machine)

Outlook = £74

Office Standard = £283.27

 

The only obvious difference between the Home, and Standard editions, is that Home lacks Outlook. Plus the £263 markup. It is just an absolutely jaw droppingly insane price structure and frankly given the lack of improvement over Office XP it no longer makes sense to pay it.

Actually the license for Home & Student explicitly prevents you from commercial use, so the extra £263 is what allows you to use it in a business.

This is much the same as the difference between the Developer SQL License and the Commercial SQL License -- you cannot run commercial operations on the developer license, even though the software is the same.

Herbie

harumscarum said:

I think this thread is a trap.

I think this thread is a trap.

You're just paranoid. Now, state your real name... and how much you should be owing MS.

ManipUni said:

Dr Herbie said:

*snip*

I too am happy with the discount Windows 7 deal. It cost less than Vista Ultimate OEM. I likely wouldn't have purchased it at all if I was required to pay the full retail cost (£159). If I ever did have to buy Windows at full retail, I'd likely get a years worth of Technet Plus instead.

 

The only thing more insane than Windows prices is Office's.

 

Home & Student 3x = £59.99 (£20/per machine)

Outlook = £74

Office Standard = £283.27

 

The only obvious difference between the Home, and Standard editions, is that Home lacks Outlook. Plus the £263 markup. It is just an absolutely jaw droppingly insane price structure and frankly given the lack of improvement over Office XP it no longer makes sense to pay it.

My bro no longer qualify for a student discount... otherwise I would've too hahaha

And I'm PO'd that they don't offer the 3-pack discount anymore

Minh said:

ManipUni said:

*snip*

My bro no longer qualify for a student discount... otherwise I would've too hahaha

 

And I'm PO'd that they don't offer the 3-pack discount anymore

You talking about the Family Pack? I got 2 family packs of Home Premium for my house, 3 computers each.

Harlequin said:

Minh said:

*snip*

You talking about the Family Pack? I got 2 family packs of Home Premium for my house, 3 computers each.

Yeah... the family pack... MS stopped offering it a couple months ago... I guess they ran out of their "limited supplies".... (sigh)

Here are the licenses I own (* is currently used)

XP Home Upgrade (gift)

XP Pro Retail (MSDNAA)

XP Home SP2 OEM (preinstalled on laptop)

Vista Ultimate Retail (freebie at VS2008 launch event) *

Vista Home Prem. OEM (gift)

Win 7 Home Prem. Upgrade (pre-order discount) *

Win 7 Ultimate Retail (freebie for Win7 launch party host) *

Win 7 Home Prem. OEM (preinstalled on laptop) *

So I've only paid for my one Win7 Home Premium upgrade, but all of my licenses are legal. Although I guess that technically my Vista OEM license is not since I didn't build the system for resale.

I wish MS would continue offering the family pack. $50 for an upgrade is the right price.

Minh said:

harumscarum said:

*snip*

I think this thread is a trap.

 

You're just paranoid. Now, state your real name... and how much you should be owing MS.

Ok well I have a friend who has only paid for win xp upgrade. It was a pain when he had to reinstall xp because he needed to find a 2000 or older disc.

Alright how about this:

Microsoft Office 2007 (Standard Edition) (PC)  £283.27

Microsoft Office 2007 (Standard Edition Upgrade) (PC) £160.10

Works 9 (PC) £17.80

Total: £177.9 (£105 saving)

Qualifying products for upgrade: Microsoft Works 6.0-10; Microsoft Works suite 2000-2006 or later; any 2000–2007 Microsoft Office program or suite; any Microsoft Office XP suite except Office XP Student and Teacher.

ManipUni said:

Alright how about this:

Microsoft Office 2007 (Standard Edition) (PC)  £283.27

 

Microsoft Office 2007 (Standard Edition Upgrade) (PC) £160.10

Works 9 (PC) £17.80

Total: £177.9 (£105 saving)

 

Qualifying products for upgrade: Microsoft Works 6.0-10; Microsoft Works suite 2000-2006 or later; any 2000–2007 Microsoft Office program or suite; any Microsoft Office XP suite except Office XP Student and Teacher.

 

 

Or (even better):

Visual Studio 2008 Professional: $799

Visual C# 2008 Express Edition: $0

Visual Studio 2008 Professional Upgrade: $549

Total savings of $250

For Visual Studio, the free express editions (and a few other free competing IDEs) are qualifying products for Visual Studio upgrade pricing.

Why does the full price exist, again?

CannotResolveSymbol said:

ManipUni said:

*snip*

Or (even better):

 

Visual Studio 2008 Professional: $799

 

Visual C# 2008 Express Edition: $0

Visual Studio 2008 Professional Upgrade: $549

Total savings of $250

 

For Visual Studio, the free express editions (and a few other free competing IDEs) are qualifying products for Visual Studio upgrade pricing.

 

Why does the full price exist, again?

I read that (on this site) and didn't realise the Express Editions would be upgradable. It is just a stupid stupid licence policy. But then again Visual Studio is insanely expensive so businesses buy into the big corp' licence deals.

Yeah, I got W7 at the $50 preorder price.  I'm not sure if I would've gotten it if I'd had to pay the $100 or whatever.

Since XP which considering I was 15 then is pretty good, why don't you fúck off with this bollocks 'oh look its cool im talking about this infront of microsoft' LOLOLOLOL shít...

(and win98 came with the pc my parents bought me).