Is your Windows for realz?

I'm running a legit version of Windows XP that I got through my school. I've tried to buy a legit version of Office for a few years now, but every time I go to the computer store they're out of stock.

Does anyone know if educational copies of Windows have a different pool of registration numbers from other versions of Windows? Like, I know our CD is different from the general one since it shows our school's logo during some steps of installation and the default wallpaper is the one that's on most of our computer lab machines (which is plastered with school stuff all over it).

Originally Posted by CelticWhisper

My PCs all run Linux, so it's a non-issue for me. My brother's PC is running a pirated version of XP, and my Mac is running a legit version of OSX 10.4.

As a Linux user, it really pisses me off that more OEMs aren't shipping OS-less PCs, and that MSFT is now getting on the case of overseas or small-time providers for doing just that. They claim that "selling blank PCs is aiding pirates" because EVERYONE who buys a PC with no OS is going to pirate windows.

Because Linux doesn't exist. Or something.

This is why I'll always build-ideological soapbox ranting aside, I'm not paying extra cash for software I'm never going to use. If they sold a packaged standalone license of XP with OEM boxes, then fine, I could resell it. But no, can't do that either.

For the times I need Windows on my laptop for software that isn't available on Lin/Mac, I use a copy of XP that I get through Illinois Tech's MSDN partnership.

How many people do you know that would buy a Dell instead of building their own custom computer and prefer to have a Linux install on it over Windows?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Did they seriously do that? If so, I've lost even more respect for Linux users.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

You can get systems from Dell Business and Education sites that don't come pre-installed with an OS, so I'm not really feeling any sympathy.

Not to mention that MS gives Dell and other large manufacturers discounts for the massive quantities of licenses they purchase (and additional discounts for making every computer come with Windows), making the price of a Windows license surely less than half of those you'd find in an OEM box. If they wouldn't put Windows preinstalled on all of their systems, the price of all other home boxes they'd sell would go up considerably. Personally, I doubt Dell minds pissing off the whole ten people in the country that want to buy a pre-built Dell and install Windows on it in order to save all their other clients money.

I mean, seriously, how many people do you know that use linux and don't build their own systems?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.