Free Software from Microsoft?

[TazExprez]

Is it actually possible to get software, such as, Windows XP, from Microsoft for free, legally and legitimately. I read that you can in a website. They said that you just have to go to one of the local seminars that Microsoft hosts all over the country, which can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/usa/events/ I also noticed that many people in eBay are selling information on how to get free software from Microsoft and I imagine that they are selling the information that I found on the site that I mentioned.

 

[BlueHeelers]

What's as equally important as the price of the software is the legality. I'm sure for $9.95 someone on Ebay will tell you how to obtain Windows illegally. I believe that many of the "free" copies of Windows are for test/evaluation/demonstration purposes and not intended for business use. I may be mistaken though as I have not attended a conference.

I did participate in the Win98 SE beta program with Microsoft and received a complimentary copy upon completion of Win98.

REL

 

[cr]

Where's the link to the website ? :disgust:

 

[Logix]

Here's some free software from microsoft:

Asheron's Call is $20 - $20 MIR = $0 right now at CompUSA.com.

EDIT: Yes, there is that darned online playing fee.

 

[TazExprez]

Here is the link to the events page:
http://www.microsoft.com/usa/events/

 

[dakata24]

dont they ususally give out free software to retail store employees? my friend used to work at office depot and he got ms office/win2k from one of these..

 

[cr]

Direct Link

 

[christopherojeda]

My sister went and got Windows XP for free

 

[Shark]

I'm signed up to go on the first.... I'll let you know then what I get for free

 

[Angrymarshmello]

They have training seminars for retail employees so they are better suited to sell their products better. So far I've gotten WinME & Win XP Full Prof. Edition free of charge (Although I would have gotten both of them for $6 from school (legal) anyway)

 

[Robzila]

I have been to many Microsoft seminars, and usually you're going to receive a few demo programs, but very rarely do you get full versions

 

[hpfanatic]

If you are in the Redmond area (or Puget Sound) you can also sign up to be a Product Tester and get free software that way. I got the call from them last year to test a product that still hasn't been released yet and had my pick of almost anything they currently sell. I took Windows 2000 Pro. It was the exact same software as retail, but was marked NFR, Not For Resale. I ended up trading it on the For Sale / Trade board. The product I tested? I can't say! I had to sign a Non-Disclosure form afterwards which goes until they retail the product.

 

[DMani]

Good Find dude

 

[sworshs]

If you are with a non profit organization, you can request softwares from MS. They are usually very good about it. Also, when you are at the seminar, not the retail one, the one for OEM resellers, you can talk to the presenter, they can send it to you personally. If I remember their names right, one of the channel person is call Michael Shorts. He's in charge with governemtn and small business chapter, so consider asking him. I got the whole suite of MS product for free, but I also part of their retail partner stores, so I am not sure if that makes a difference. I still remember when Office 97 first came out, I got it a day before and resold it for $350 bux (it was the professional retail version with the big as books and everything).

Anyways, that was the good old days, but they became cheaper and cheaper, so YMMV.

 

[Jitterbug050]

I was at the Microsoft OEM system builder Windows XP Roadshow a few weeks back and got XP Pro (RC1). It is only good for 180 days (Evaluation software). There is a way to get a free full version but it is if you buy so many and get one free kind of thing. The free CD's that don't have a time limit is like the Sales, Marketing and Technical Power Tools disk.
If they don't give their business partners a free OS, they sure are not going to give it to the general public.

 

[ismellsmoke]

Our local computer club invited someone from MS to come give us a rundown on what they were doing and show us how some of their programs worked ....she was an hour late getting there , you wouldn't believe all the free stuff she gave us ....we knocked a home run that night .

 

[KKCC]

How do you get copies for only $6.00 as a student?