Unhappy with Windows XP

[KWarp]

I went and bought Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 (2002) to install on a few Intel Macs.

Turns out the $300 copy only registers to 1 computer. I need it on 2 and have to get another serial key (25-digit code).

So I'm unhappy.

Suggestions?

[The Author]

Oh my god, you have to buy different licences for different computers?

What a travesty...

[KWarp]

The salesman at the store told me it will install for 2 or 3 computers, and with a price for $300 that seemed to make sense. It seems the fine print actually says it installs for only one computer, right at the bottom in the middle of a paragraph, not even in bold or italics. I'm unhappy at the store, Microsoft, and myself. Mostly Microsoft.

[The Coop]

The salesman at the store told me it will install for 2 or 3 computers, and with a price for $300 that seemed to make sense. It seems the fine print actually says it installs for only one computer, right at the bottom in the middle of a paragraph, not even in bold or italics. I'm unhappy at the store, Microsoft, and myself. Mostly Microsoft.

Why be unhappy with Microsoft? They told you what you're allowed to do with their product right there in the fine print as you said. It's been known for a while that when you buy your average edition of XP Home Edition or XP Pro, that it's only good for installation on one PC (I believe you can purchase special multi-system licenses, but I'm not certain). I recall a lot of complaining about that several years ago here on OCR, because of the hassle surrounding having to reinstall/re-authorize it if your PC went through a destructive restore, or had its hard drive die abruptly. It's Microsoft's attempt at protecting itself from having one person buy the Operating System, and then hand it out to everyone they know for use.

So really, if you're going to be unhappy, be that way towards the store for giving you false information, and yourself for not taking the time to read up on what you can (and can't) do with the XP version you wanted.

[KWarp]

Good point TheCoop. With the business model Microsoft has, they must handle

it that way. Perhaps the business model is to blame then. Microsoft sells their OS on CDs alongside an activation key. The CDs they can legally copyright, but they can't do so with activation keys. That ambiguity forces Microsoft to be extremely stringent with how their OS is distributed.

Alternatively, Apple sells their OS as part of the hardware package, and effectively avoids those problems. Perhaps Microsoft should try a similar approach: force the PC hardware distributors to handle the OS, in turn containing all legal and piracy issues within. Keep the consumers out of the picture entirely.

Meh, I guess I'll buy an activation key then...

[Effef]

...or you could just pirate it.

Like everyone else does.

[The Author]

...or you could just pirate it.

Like everyone else does.

And this is why Windows XP is 300$.

[Effef]

And this is why Windows XP is 300$.

And why Vista is $400+

I actually did pay for Vista, go figure.

[The Author]

Seriously, if you want a free OS, go and get Linux.

[Effef]

Seriously, if you want a free OS, go and get Linux.

I did.

It sucks. I tried Ubuntu, Debian, and Vector Linux and they all have the same unpolished feel that Linux has always had. And the Gnome environment is really ugly.

Give me a Linux that makes it easy to print (surprisingly, Ubuntu fails hard in this dept.) and that you can install Macromedia Fireworks on and ill give it a shot. ( I use Fireworks too much to go without it, and GIMP is horrid in comparison.)

[Drack]

makes it easy to print

Configure CUPS once and it's seamless?

More on topic, I agree that the Windows prices nowadays are outrageous. Even shopping around it's difficult to get xp professional for less than $230 or so.

[Shadow Wolf]

Hehe... MSDN subscriptions\knowing the right people FTW. I've never paid for an OS.

[Dafydd]

Alternatively, Apple sells their OS as part of the hardware package, and effectively avoids those problems. Perhaps Microsoft should try a similar approach: force the PC hardware distributors to handle the OS, in turn containing all legal and piracy issues within. Keep the consumers out of the picture entirely.

The difference between Apple and Microsoft is that the latter does not make computers. You can't force people who buy a PC to also buy an OS. What if someone builds their own computer using spare parts? And what if you want to scrap your old computer and install windows on your new one, without having to get another copy of windows?

As you know, when you buy an Xbox, you get the OS as part of the hardware package. That's because microsoft makes both the xbox and the os for it. PC's don't work that way (THANK GOD), and having the OS as part of the hardware package goes against everything that's so nice about PC's. The fact that pretty much everyone uses microsoft's OS's anyway is not really important. It's a matter of principles.

[KyleJCrb]

Good point TheCoop. With the business model Microsoft has, they must handle

it that way. Perhaps the business model is to blame then. Microsoft sells their OS on CDs alongside an activation key. The CDs they can legally copyright, but they can't do so with activation keys. That ambiguity forces Microsoft to be extremely stringent with how their OS is distributed.

Alternatively, Apple sells their OS as part of the hardware package, and effectively avoids those problems. Perhaps Microsoft should try a similar approach: force the PC hardware distributors to handle the OS, in turn containing all legal and piracy issues within. Keep the consumers out of the picture entirely.

Meh, I guess I'll buy an activation key then...

lol apples better than m$ rite guyz

[phill]

It's been known for a while that when you buy your average edition of XP Home Edition or XP Pro, that it's only good for installation on one PC (I believe you can purchase special multi-system licenses, but I'm not certain).

This is not completely wrong...but its not right either. For an OEM license of WinXP(home or pro), you get to install it on a single hardware configuration, which for the reduced price makes sense ($150cd or something like that). The retail copy of Win XP pro (the $300+ copy) allows you to install it on up to 5 different hardware configs. The retail copy of Win XP home is three....I think, don't quote me on that one.

For those multi-install licenses, you install each copy using the same CD-Key, and you activate each separately. If internet activation fails, use the phone and assuming you weren't screwed and sold an OEM copy instead of a retail copy, activation should be fine.

If any of that doesn't make sense, I just got out of the hospital and I am currently drugged pretty good.