Windows 10

I have two customised desktops. One was built upon Vista's release in 2006 and the other in 2011. I use Vista on both machines (not simultaneously). The 2006 build is what I am using now, as I am in Scotland, and the 2011 build is in China. The hardware on both is fine and won't need upgrading for a while.

What is the cheapest legal way to get Windows 7? I only need a licence but I don't want to buy from auction sites or those dodgy key sites. Any big retailers out there that sells just the licences? I assume the licences are cheaper than the DVD packages. Thanks.
 
The motherboard thing annoys the hell out of me. Totally screwed me over when my old mobo went kaput and I had to buy a new one.

Alba, are you a student? The student licences are cheaper. If you work for a large company, you might be able to buy through your company's scheme. I got Office 2010 for £8 that way.
 
Quite the opposite, I am a teacher. I don't think I can qualify for any discounts. Our university uses fake licences on their machines anyway. It is China after all.

I think £69 is a bit too steep. I'd rather have a licence that doesn't expire upon the purchase of a new motherboard. This is why I hate Microsoft. Maybe if they priced the retail edition of Windows at the same price as a new blockbuster computer game, then more people will be inclined to upgrade to newer versions. They wouldn't need to invest as much money and effort as they do in maintaining XP and Vista, and more money can be spent on newer editions.

I also looked at the upgrade package but you can't do a clean install with that. A clean install is the only option.
 
The motherboard thing isn't really accurate - the license allows the system builder (i.e. you) to change the motherboard as long as it's the "same system". Technically, changing the motherboard will generally necessitate a call to MS, but I've never been denied activation when calling in.

Quite the opposite, I am a teacher. I don't think I can qualify for any discounts.

Education discounts generally apply equally to students/teachers/staff.

I think £69 is a bit too steep.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

I'd rather have a licence that doesn't expire upon the purchase of a new motherboard.

So then buy than one? It's only like $10 extra over the OEM version.

This is why I hate Microsoft.

You must really hate Apple.

Maybe if they priced the retail edition of Windows at the same price as a new blockbuster computer game, then more people will be inclined to upgrade to newer versions.

They run upgrade deals, Windows 8 was $40 to upgrade for several months on release.

They wouldn't need to invest as much money and effort as they do in maintaining XP and Vista, and more money can be spent on newer editions.

Well they're not maintaining XP anymore. They can't really cut support anyway, enterprise is too important for MS. MS announces their support timeframes when they release an OS, and enterprises make purchase and planning decisions based on those announced timeframes.

I also looked at the upgrade package but you can't do a clean install with that. A clean install is the only option.

You can do a clean install with upgrade media: http://winsupersite.com/article/windows8/clean-install-windows-8-upgrade-media-144648
 
If I buy an upgrade version, can I just use a normal retail disc and just input the license key they gave me or would it flag as an upgrade only product key?
 
If I buy an upgrade version, can I just use a normal retail disc and just input the license key they gave me or would it flag as an upgrade only product key?

There is no difference between any of the discs other than 32/64-bit, version (pro, enterprise, etc.) and languages.

You can use any disc to perform an install using a key that you have an appropriate licenses for.
 
Well that's a bit arrogant. I doubt they'll run on an Apple product. So much for universal.
 
Well that's a bit arrogant. I doubt they'll run on an Apple product. So much for universal.

They will with a bit of work. Quite a bit easier to port a well-engineered universal (Windows) app to Mac OS and/or iOS than a Windows desktop app.

Web apps are really kind of the standard "universal app", and you can write your universal (Windows) apps in html5/js, so you can essentially run a web app natively on the windows platform, and on the web anywhere else.
 
Well as soon as I get a Windows phone, I'll be sure to fire up Heroes of Dragon Age...
 
I've never found phones to be really good mobile gaming platforms - it chews through your battery life for useful phone functions, and you have random text message notifications and crap popping up over your games.

If you're not one for Nintendo/Sony portable consoles, best alternative is probably an iPod Touch or ipad mini, depending on size preference. It's too bad the current iPod Touch is so far behind on the cpu/gpu front...
 
Windows 10 free for 7/8 upgrades. Also... CORTANA!

Microsoft has revealed that Windows 10 will bring its voice-controlled assistant Cortana to PCs.

It also unveiled a headset that it said would one day project the operating system over views of the real world.

In addition, the firm announced that the OS upgrade would be offered free of charge for devices running Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Phone.

The offer, which is limited to the Windows 10's first year of release, may aid its adoption.


Link to video.
 
You can reinstall windows OEM on a whole new motherboard / PC. On the automated reinstallation phone number, just say you are installing it to the same PC it came with and done.
 
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