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I agree, it seems Windows 7 will be the first Windows OS I will have purchased since Windows 2000 ( and WFW 3.11 prior to that ).

Hopefully Microsoft keeps things on track & the Linux boys can keep up long enough to keep me interested while Haiku prepares to take over the world...


--The loon

I have to admit, I've been running Windows 7 on my new Dell machine (well, actually it's from 2007, but just recently became mine), and I have to admit... I like it. It does still have some flaws (what does Microsoft put out that doesn't?), but for the most part, the OS itself is nice and clean by default. Assuming I'm able to buy it, it'll be my first Windows since... XP (though I don't intend to use it as a main OS). Oh, whoopty-doo... only two releases ago, but that's actually what, a 8-year-old OS? Hell, I'm on a 9-year-old PC that came with ME (quickly replaced with XP ASAP, though running Linux currently) right now.

The problem is, it's expensive (IMO, overpriced). 300 bucks for a Full, Professional version. Why full, professional? Two reasons: to make it future-proof (Home Premium doesn't support more than 16GB memory, even on 64-bit machines) and to avoid having to hold on to a Windows XP CD. It drives me nuts that to this day, I have to keep track of a Windows 98 disc just in case I decide to re-partition or install Windows on a new partition. Otherwise, I run into the equivalent of a brick wall, unable to get any further... and not much is more annoying than that.

Edited 2009-10-01 06:33 UTC

The OEM versions are not supported by Microsoft, for whatever that's worth, and are intended to install on a single machine.

If you envision reinstalling OEM Windows on future machines, then you'll run into WGA issues. MS won't allow it, and WGA will make it troublesome. I'm not defending or promoting that position, and don't want to start yet another philosophical thread on licensing/EULAs et al., just stating a fact. Once your OEM copy is activated, it won't be allowed to activate on a new machine unless you can sweet-talk the person on the WGA support line when your system bricks.

Still, OEM is probably the way to go. Even if you upgrade to a new system, it will probably be cheaper to have it with Windows pre-installed, even on top of the cost of an OEM version for your existing system, than purchasing a retail version that does allow transfer.

Just my 2c.

cool thanks, sounds like where I want to be. I just had trouble with upgrades before with a system that got formatted alot. It didn't want to install unless something was there so I had to install win 98 first and drove me nuts.

In practice this is not a problem at all though. You just say that you've replaced some components (which is technically true) as the reason and there are no more questions asked.

The phone activation person doesn't care as long as you only install it on one machine, and I think that's what MS ultimately cares about.

True indeed, the OEM is supported by an individual, who installed that OEM to the computer instead of Microsoft.

If I go and purchase and OEM windows, and install it on my home computer, and something breaks, then all I have to do, is to ask myself to fix it, as I've done for many years before

If thats too much for you, then you can still use the OEM by asking some competent person to install/maintain that windows for you.

If you are going to buy the Retail version, you can use Microsoft support person to listen all you have to say to them about broken windows, although I suspect that their phone support is unable to fix your computer and you still have to find a competent person who will fix your problems.

So finally I do not understand how the privileges of Retail copy work IRL and therefore it is most sensible to go with OEM anyway.

While back with Vista I weighed the pros and cons of Retail copy and found out that the porice difference of the Retail and OEM is so big that I can replace my computers motherboard 3 times and it would be still cheaper than the retail copy of Vista Ultimate. Therefore the point of having a copy of windows for several computers to come is quite pointless. When it's time to get a better computer, there is usually a newer Windows available.

If you reinstall your OS often then you should not choose OEM. If your MB dies and you need to reinstall, then you can't with OEM (WGA will block it). If you rotate OS'es between your machines (like moving your system drives from one machine to another) then you can't with OEM.

With a retail or MSDN version you can move the system disk between machines and re-authenticate it without too many issues.

Also you can sell or give away a retail version at a later date.

Incorrect. The prices in the article are nothing like the cost that's included in that new laptop, as the writer does in fact say. The big manufacturers have royalty oems which work slightly different to regular oem copies. The price they pay per license is a lot less than these, though you and I will never find out just how much that is.

Edited 2009-10-01 10:03 UTC

Didn't an article come out recently that said it's about $29? Don't have a link handy.

I seem to remember that as well somewhere. I can't find it now though. I do know that if you are an MS Employee, and shop at the company store, you can get Windows XP Professional for $30 USD. I found that out when working with EMC a few years ago on the Redmond campus for the place I worked at, and we got to actually shop in the store.

that would be something like 255SEK (36.2363 USD) (25% tax) here in sweden