Why is this so expensive?

[MBrown]

Why is this XP Pro so expensive?

 

[MrChad]

Compared to what?

 

[Sy]

Cause thats the Retail Box version. even more expensive at CompUSA. This is not the Upgrade version and it is not the OEM version... Which are the exact same things except they don't come in a fancy blue box with manuals and other junk... there are other subtle differences between OEM and Full Retail not worth mentioning and not worth the extra $100-$150.

~Sy

 

[stars]

Originally posted by: MBrown
Why is this XP Pro so expensive?

Because people are stupid enough to pay it.

 

[randym431]

Because people are stupid enough to pay it.

What else are they to use? What else is so user friendly? Love or hate it, it allows millions of people to use a computer at home AND on the job. Windows isn?t the enemy, IBM is for dropping the ball and giving us night mares like OS warp. How bout DOS?
Windows works, allows the dumbest people to use a pc, and MS seems to constantly strive to make it better.

Sincerely,
William Gates

 

[santaliqueur]

Sincerely,
William Gates

i was thinking up a nice reply to what you wrote, and i almost missed your signature

CJ

 

[Kriz]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102153 <-- OEM version

you can only buy it if you're buying hardware with it. Any hardware will do, even the smallest of parts, like cables or something.

 

[powerMarkymark]

Bill Gates is very high maintenance.

 

[djdrastic]

Supply and Demand

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Kriz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102153 <-- OEM version

you can only buy it if you're buying hardware with it. Any hardware will do, even the smallest of parts, like cables or something.

actually they seem to automattically include a molex y-splitter if you buy 2000pro OEM. I:ve got PILES of them here at work with all the PCs I've built from newegg

 

[imported_Sasha]

Originally posted by: djdrastic
Supply and Demand

Um, S&D is when the supply falls short of the demand and then drives pricing up. This certainly not the case. I think its more like consumer ignorance on alternatives. It isn't like you are going to find the OEM on the shelf at Best Buy.

Also, some people have enough personal disposable income for it not to matter.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: Sasha

Originally posted by: djdrastic
Supply and Demand

Um, S&D is when the supply falls short of the demand and then drives pricing up. This certainly not the case. I think its more like consumer ignorance on alternatives. It isn't like you are going to find the OEM on the shelf at Best Buy.

Also, some people have enough personal disposable income for it not to matter.

How does ignorance come into play? Retail can be moved from box to box legally, OEM can't. $220 is less than OEM price x2 (or 3, or 4), so if you plan on using new mobos a lot (like a good portion of the users here) and you want to remain legal, retail is a much better buy.

The ignorant thing (if you want to remain 100% legal and change hardware a lot) would be to buy OEM.

 

[Valkerie]

Originally posted by: Sasha

Originally posted by: djdrastic
Supply and Demand

Um, S&D is when the supply falls short of the demand and then drives pricing up. This certainly not the case. I think its more like consumer ignorance on alternatives. It isn't like you are going to find the OEM on the shelf at Best Buy.

Also, some people have enough personal disposable income for it not to matter.

I would agree that people have the cash to just get this OS and shut up about it because you honestly can't complain about Windows XP not being a universally good OS.

 

[MentallyNorma1]

So Bill Gates can build robots to take over the world.

 

[imported_Sasha]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: Sasha

Originally posted by: djdrastic
Supply and Demand

Um, S&D is when the supply falls short of the demand and then drives pricing up. This certainly not the case. I think its more like consumer ignorance on alternatives. It isn't like you are going to find the OEM on the shelf at Best Buy.

Also, some people have enough personal disposable income for it not to matter.

How does ignorance come into play? Retail can be moved from box to box legally, OEM can't. $220 is less than OEM price x2 (or 3, or 4), so if you plan on using new mobos a lot (like a good portion of the users here) and you want to remain legal, retail is a much better buy.

The ignorant thing (if you want to remain 100% legal and change hardware a lot) would be to buy OEM.

Microsoft makes their own reseller rules, which include OEM channel software. They also seek to enforce those rules. But, if you thought about it, it is ignorance since Microsoft, during your registration of the OEM license, isn't going to know if you bought a whole computer or just and IDE cable--because they don't ask for proof.

If I were Apple, I would pay retailers money for advertisement that clearly shows the price difference between the two. Unfortunately, I think the retail upgrade revenues where people buy the OS off the shelf is tiny compared to getting a whole new computer. But, I still find it difficult to swallow from microsoft that they value their workstation client at $300 retail when I bet Tiger is just as good for substantially less.

It reminds me of the music industry's point that the pricing on CDs isn't high. Yeah, right.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: Sasha

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: Sasha

Originally posted by: djdrastic
Supply and Demand

Um, S&D is when the supply falls short of the demand and then drives pricing up. This certainly not the case. I think its more like consumer ignorance on alternatives. It isn't like you are going to find the OEM on the shelf at Best Buy.

Also, some people have enough personal disposable income for it not to matter.

How does ignorance come into play? Retail can be moved from box to box legally, OEM can't. $220 is less than OEM price x2 (or 3, or 4), so if you plan on using new mobos a lot (like a good portion of the users here) and you want to remain legal, retail is a much better buy.

The ignorant thing (if you want to remain 100% legal and change hardware a lot) would be to buy OEM.

Microsoft makes their own reseller rules, which include OEM channel software. They also seek to enforce those rules. But, if you thought about it, it is ignorance since Microsoft, during your registration of the OEM license, isn't going to know if you bought a whole computer or just and IDE cable--because they don't ask for proof.

If I were Apple, I would pay retailers money for advertisement that clearly shows the price difference between the two. Unfortunately, I think the retail upgrade revenues where people buy the OS off the shelf is tiny compared to getting a whole new computer. But, I still find it difficult to swallow from microsoft that they value their workstation client at $300 retail when I bet Tiger is just as good for substantially less.

It reminds me of the music industry's point that the pricing on CDs isn't high. Yeah, right.

Odd that you posted this today...
Windows Genuine Advantage.
MS's site FAQs
Q:What information is collected from my computer?

A:The genuine validation process will collect information about your system, such as Windows product key, PC manufacturer, and operating system version, to determine if Windows is genuine. This process does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify you or contact you. The complete list of information collected in the validation process is shown below:

* OEM product key
* PC Manufacturer
* OS version
* PID/SID
* BIOS info (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User Locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System Local (language version of the operating system)

MS can now check, record and compare your BIOS with the key. This means they can collect the BIOS info for the computer you activated with an OEM license, and cross compare that info on subsequent WGA checks. If they don't match, now they'll know and can deny your license based on that info. From what I'm reading, it's not fully enacted, but now the tool exists and is in use.

 

[ShaneDOTM]

So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

 

[eLiu]

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

Sounds like you'll have to phone up MS and rqeuest a new key? Someone tell me I'm wrong

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: eLiu

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

Sounds like you'll have to phone up MS and rqeuest a new key? Someone tell me I'm wrong

You already have to do that.

They will be able to compare the mobo to see if it is indeed a replacement (similar make/model) or something new.

Doesn't mean they will deny you, but they could legally (per OEM license) and technically (per WGA).

 

[Xyclone]

It's not expensive for what you are getting, trust us. It owns Linux and other Operating Systems.

 

[dragonpunk]

Originally posted by: powerMarkymark
Bill Gates is very high maintenance.

yep, even more when it is safe to say he got paid to even take a leak in the bathroom.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: eLiu

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

Sounds like you'll have to phone up MS and rqeuest a new key? Someone tell me I'm wrong

You already have to do that.

They will be able to compare the mobo to see if it is indeed a replacement (similar make/model) or something new.

Doesn't mean they will deny you, but they could legally (per OEM license) and technically (per WGA).

that doesnt even sound right. you have to buy something similar if your mobo breaks?

if my mobo breaks of course im going to try to get something new / better. not the same old technology.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: eLiu

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

Sounds like you'll have to phone up MS and rqeuest a new key? Someone tell me I'm wrong

You already have to do that.

They will be able to compare the mobo to see if it is indeed a replacement (similar make/model) or something new.

Doesn't mean they will deny you, but they could legally (per OEM license) and technically (per WGA).

that doesnt even sound right. you have to buy something similar if your mobo breaks?

if my mobo breaks of course im going to try to get something new / better. not the same old technology.

That is not legal according to the OEM license. Don't like it? Why did you agree to the license? Still don't like it? Buy Retail.

This has been the legal limits to the XP OEM license since day one. WGA gives them the ability to enforce it.

If you build your own system, or buy 3rd party (Dell, HP, whatever), OEM licensing does not allow you to change licenses from the PC you first installed it on.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: eLiu

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
So what happens when my motherboard crashes and I have to replace it?

Sounds like you'll have to phone up MS and rqeuest a new key? Someone tell me I'm wrong

You already have to do that.

They will be able to compare the mobo to see if it is indeed a replacement (similar make/model) or something new.

Doesn't mean they will deny you, but they could legally (per OEM license) and technically (per WGA).

that doesnt even sound right. you have to buy something similar if your mobo breaks?

if my mobo breaks of course im going to try to get something new / better. not the same old technology.

That is not legal according to the OEM license. Don't like it? Why did you agree to the license? Still don't like it? Buy Retail.

This has been the legal limits to the XP OEM license since day one. WGA gives them the ability to enforce it.

If you build your own system, or buy 3rd party (Dell, HP, whatever), OEM licensing does not allow you to change licenses from the PC you first installed it on.

I replaced the mb in my Dell comp, the last of a long series of changes. The only original parts left were 1 harddrive and 1 optical drive. It was still s478 but all else changed even the chipset went from I845 to I865.

I had to call MS to activate, they asked why my system was different, I told them I changed the mb. A new key was issued right away, really no hassle. I'd only buy oem os', there's no point in wasting money.

At $150 though it's still a bargain. You pay $50 for a game and it's finished in a couple of months if you're lucky. An os will last for years, one of the best deals in software imho.

 

[Nothinman]

It's not expensive for what you are getting, trust us. It owns Linux and other Operating Systems.

Trust you? Why would I do that? With Debian I get over 17000 packages all for free. Everything from the base OS to graphics editing, movie playing/editing/recording, antivirus, antispam, development tools, server software for everything imaginable, encryption tools, games, accounting and much more. The only thing lacking is commercial games and most of them suck these days anyway.

If you like Windows that's fine, but it definitely does not "own" anything.