What will differentiate these? Or will it be the same software at different prices? Windows 7 already has a couple of Home versions, a Professional version and then Ultimate. Besides the general price gouging and lack of multi-license packs available elsewhere you can end up having to pay twice as much just to get one little additional feature.
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Microsoft and piracy in SA
- Thread starter rpm
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the problem with 3d printers is that they only print with relatively soft materials - plastic, chocolate etc. but http://www.kurzweilai.net/ces-2012-3d-printer-makers-rival-visions-of-future. and for making 3d models of things - http://insight3d.com. and as to m$ licensing and local business making money ... just another m$ fairy tale
MickZA
Executive Member
During Win 7 Beta testing MS came out with the same BS, Professional & Ultimate only, IIRC they even claimed you would get 32 & 64bit media with your purchase.
n00berizer
Well-Known Member
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Just use Linux
cozinsky
Expert Member
I tend to agree. I irks me that a multimillion dollar company is driven by greed instead of the common good. I guess that is one of the necessary evils of democracy. Having said that, I actually own an original version of Windows 7 Home Edition. Sadly, I am only allowed to install it on one machine but there are ways to bypass this and have licensed versions on any number of machines. I feel that I own the software and should be able to install it on all my computers.
Then why aren't more people using Linux with KDE? That is something that looks like Windows but isn't.
http://kde.org/screenshots/
MickZA
Executive Member
For the simple reason that the average company has employees that only know Windows and are not prepared to change - why do you think the "educational" versions of MS products are so cheap? - get em while they're young. Of course this leads to the situation where you sometimes can't even upgrade them from XP to Win 7.
My gut feeling based on past history is that Windows 8 will finish up like Vista, liked by some and loathed by many, Windows 9 will be the next big thing on the desktop.
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gargamel
Well-Known Member
microsoft's success is directly linked to piracy. My young brother started using windows at a young age, albeit an illegal copy of win2k.
He studied I.T at varsity, he used pirated copies of windows software, from sever03, XP to SQL. After completing his studies, he started working for a company and he reconmends exclusively legal microsoft products.
He studied I.T at varsity, he used pirated copies of windows software, from sever03, XP to SQL. After completing his studies, he started working for a company and he reconmends exclusively legal microsoft products.
Elimentals
Honorary Master
And there it is the reality or fact on why Microsoft dont make it more difficult to pirate their software. I mean for one "Windows Loader" has been out since Vista Beta Days, yet it still works on the latest windows 7 off the shelve.
If they where so against piracy they would have changed the system or build in a phone home app long ago, if it doesn't do that already and just get ignored/used for stats.
On the side:
Piracy keeps the money in SA, as the $$ that would have been spend on Microsoft Licenses does not just simply disappear, it gets used for other things like paying a salaries or the owners pocket vs Microsoft normally use a small amount to pay local salaries and the bulk head off shore.
At the same time, I would rather have a government that promote Open source and Free alternatives than promoting the idea that its ok to pirate for reasons mentioned.
Rinkhals
Senior Member
Because we all know by now (because we are listening intently to what Microsoft is saying and, if they say it often enough, we start to believe it) that every pirated copy is a lost sale.
Yeah, right.
Other Pineapple Smurf
Honorary Master
But you are still taking something that is not yours. Then again there are free alternatives like Linux for those that do not justify opening their wallets for software.
I don't agree with the high cost of most software but I also no longer make use of pirated software, instead I use freeware alternatives.
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K
kingrob
Guest
I bought myself Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit/64-bit Edition a year ago at CNA, to FINALLY come clean. 
It costed R1199, and I paid it off on my Edgars card over six months, so it costed me R200 over six months.
Considering the fact that I think it's the perfect OS & use it almost every day of my life - and will most probably use it for another few years, I don't think it was expensive. Extremely happy with it and went on to get myself legal copies of PowerDVD 12 and Nero Burning ROM 10. Office 2010 Pro I got for R150, as we use it at work as well. Money well spent.
But, what still bugs me....people with R6000 graphics cards in their pcs will complain about expensive software & run a pirated version.
Does that make any sense?
It costed R1199, and I paid it off on my Edgars card over six months, so it costed me R200 over six months.
Considering the fact that I think it's the perfect OS & use it almost every day of my life - and will most probably use it for another few years, I don't think it was expensive. Extremely happy with it and went on to get myself legal copies of PowerDVD 12 and Nero Burning ROM 10. Office 2010 Pro I got for R150, as we use it at work as well. Money well spent.
But, what still bugs me....people with R6000 graphics cards in their pcs will complain about expensive software & run a pirated version.
Does that make any sense?
Yes it makes perfect sense. R1199 spent on Windows means you now have R1199 less to spend on hardware, and end up with a worse graphics card, or a slower CPU, or less ram etc.
If those people could copy hardware they would.
Other Pineapple Smurf
Honorary Master
And all these guys I know off that would rather site with a R6K card than a legal OS all complain about how crappy their "free" Windows OS is. The insist they always need better hardware to up their performance but usually the number one bottleneck on their systems is the illegal software that cannot be patched/updated to improve their systems stability and performance.
Actually you can patch pirated windows. They only block major revision changes such as Windows Media player upgrades or IE upgrades. I think their system issues are due to how Windows gets slow and troublesome over time, and the only solution is a re install.
F
Fudzy
Guest
You do realise how much your company pays for that license right? I would be a massive hypocrite if I said piracy is bad blah blah blah but as I'm earning a lot more than I used to I've gone the legal route, it also means more support and generally a better user experience.
My biggest gripe is with businesses justifying piracy because of price. If you're using software to make money, you should pay for it.
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Fudzy
Guest
Very true!
K
kingrob
Guest
So true!
Running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit + Office 2010 Pro 64-bit with latest patches = the best experience Ive ever had with a pc.
Also didnt have to worry about Security Essentials doing a validity check before installing.
Was always worried that my pirated software might pull a trojan horse or something worse on me one day.
Now Im just so happy with my fully legal setup.
Other Pineapple Smurf
Honorary Master
Since I've been running legal Windows (with full updates) for the last 5years I've never re-installed my XP (5 years running this month) or Win7 on my 3 laptops as none of them have experienced performance degradation that I was unable to reverse or resolve with updates.
I use to find that I was always limited to what patches I could apply to my pirated XP years ago. I also find my friends with pirated Win7 are the ones always complaining about performance and stability.