Free Windows Vista Business & Office Professional 2007 ?

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WT

Diamond Member
Sep 21, 2000
4,816
60
91
Anyone else considering upgrading from Business to Vista Ultimate and taking advantage of the Vista Family Pack licensing ?? $49 for Vista Home Premium sounds like a Hot Deal to me, and Home Premium has everything that I want (MCE, Aero) as well. My wife's PC is still on W2k, so I'd need to do a clean install, but I want to load Office 2007 on her PC and, of course, a system requirement is that the PC be running XP SP2 or greater.

Crap ... I knew there was a catch to that .. thx kelley ..
 

kelleybp

Member
Dec 3, 2006
49
0
0
Originally posted by: WT
Anyone else considering upgrading from Business to Vista Ultimate and taking advantage of the Vista Family Pack licensing ?? $49 for Vista Home Premium sounds like a Hot Deal to me, and Home Premium has everything that I want (MCE, Aero) as well. My wife's PC is still on W2k, so I'd need to do a clean install, but I want to load Office 2007 on her PC and, of course, a system requirement is that the PC be running XP SP2 or greater.

You can't....Family pack is only available for retail licenses, and if you upgrade from the free Business to Ultimate, your license will be "downgraded" to OEM license.

 

NaOH

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,015
0
0
It says it will arrive 6-9 weeks after RTM. What was the date of RTM?
 

wazzledoozle

Golden Member
Apr 14, 2006
1,814
0
0
Ill trade someone my copy of Office 2007 for their Vista business. PM if interested.

:edit:

Found someone to trade with.
 

kelleybp

Member
Dec 3, 2006
49
0
0
Upon review of the pics posted on Neowin, it looks like the Vista packages are shipping via USPS First Class Mail from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. You can calculate the estimated delivery time from Brooklyn Park zip code (FYI: 55428) to your own by going to USPS.com and clicking on "Calculate Postage." This of course will only be accurate if ALL vista packages shipped yesterday, which is highly unlikely.

But, my guess is a LOT of people will be getting their gifts tomorrow and Thursday.
 

MrChad

Lifer
Aug 22, 2001
13,507
3
81
Originally posted by: kelleybp
Upon review of the pics posted on Neowin, it looks like the Vista packages are shipping via USPS First Class Mail from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. You can calculate the estimated delivery time from Brooklyn Park zip code (FYI: 55428) to your own by going to USPS.com and clicking on "Calculate Postage." This of course will only be accurate if ALL vista packages shipped yesterday, which is highly unlikely.

But, my guess is a LOT of people will be getting their gifts tomorrow and Thursday.

It's just the Vista packages shipping at the moment, correct? Office is shipping later?
 

kelleybp

Member
Dec 3, 2006
49
0
0
Originally posted by: MrChad


It's just the Vista packages shipping at the moment, correct? Office is shipping later?

That's really anyone's guess, but the folks over at Neowin have only gotten their Vista gifts at this point.

 

TowerShield

Member
Sep 6, 2005
123
0
0
Originally posted by: MrChad
Originally posted by: kelleybp
Upon review of the pics posted on Neowin, it looks like the Vista packages are shipping via USPS First Class Mail from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. You can calculate the estimated delivery time from Brooklyn Park zip code (FYI: 55428) to your own by going to USPS.com and clicking on "Calculate Postage." This of course will only be accurate if ALL vista packages shipped yesterday, which is highly unlikely.

But, my guess is a LOT of people will be getting their gifts tomorrow and Thursday.

It's just the Vista packages shipping at the moment, correct? Office is shipping later?

Didn't they say Office would be a download?
 

crownjules

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2005
4,858
0
76
OP should update the first post to note that they are not giving out any more copies of Vista or Office.
 

Slick5150

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2001
8,760
3
81
Originally posted by: crownjules
OP should update the first post to note that they are not giving out any more copies of Vista or Office.

Or you could just use common sense to assume that since the first post is almost 2 months old, that its probably long over with.
 

Navid

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2004
5,053
0
0
Originally posted by: Slick5150
Originally posted by: crownjules
OP should update the first post to note that they are not giving out any more copies of Vista or Office.

Or you could just use common sense to assume that since the first post is almost 2 months old, that its probably long over with.

You can say that about any thread in this forum.
But, we update our original posts, as a courtesy to the other members, to make it clear from the title that the deal is dead when it is.
 

JSK

Junior Member
Sep 13, 2006
11
0
0
My copy came today in the mail. Pretty happy with a $200 free OS.

I was very interested in upgrading to Ultimate, $139 for Ultimate is quite the deal. But to be honest I am really not happy about the whole Retail -> OEM license thing.

Working for a hardware site I am constantly swapping out hardware and I dont really want to deal with arguing via the telephone with someone to get me a new activation key. So unless MS changes that policy for anytime upgrades, or unless people have experience doing it sometime in February and its not too much of a hassle to get activated then maybe I will consider it.

What are others thoughts on this matter? I mean your paying, in theory if we paid for these, the full retail price if you buy it in the store, plus the full difference in price to go to ultimate, why should your license have to change?

MS is going to lose some sales with people who realize this.
 

kickboxer

Member
Oct 9, 2006
30
0
61
Just wanted to say that my copy arrived today, same as pictured on SlickDeals. BTW, I'm in Green Bay, WI.
 

AMDMaddness

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2003
2,406
2
81
Originally posted by: JSK
My copy came today in the mail. Pretty happy with a $200 free OS.

I was very interested in upgrading to Ultimate, $139 for Ultimate is quite the deal. But to be honest I am really not happy about the whole Retail -> OEM license thing.

Working for a hardware site I am constantly swapping out hardware and I dont really want to deal with arguing via the telephone with someone to get me a new activation key. So unless MS changes that policy for anytime upgrades, or unless people have experience doing it sometime in February and its not too much of a hassle to get activated then maybe I will consider it.

What are others thoughts on this matter? I mean your paying, in theory if we paid for these, the full retail price if you buy it in the store, plus the full difference in price to go to ultimate, why should your license have to change?

MS is going to lose some sales with people who realize this.


Ryan who owns Pcpcer.com emailed MS about the OEM thing here is there reply http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=434539

The only difference is that the OEM version cannot be reassigned to another person whereas the fully packaged retail version permits the license to be reassigned once to another person. As far as the licensing terms go, either version will allow for as many transfers as needed. The only stipulation is that the user must uninstall the software on the old PC before installing on the new PC. Detailed info can be found here http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx.
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Originally posted by: JSK
My copy came today in the mail. Pretty happy with a $200 free OS.

I was very interested in upgrading to Ultimate, $139 for Ultimate is quite the deal. But to be honest I am really not happy about the whole Retail -> OEM license thing.

Working for a hardware site I am constantly swapping out hardware and I dont really want to deal with arguing via the telephone with someone to get me a new activation key. So unless MS changes that policy for anytime upgrades, or unless people have experience doing it sometime in February and its not too much of a hassle to get activated then maybe I will consider it.

What are others thoughts on this matter? I mean your paying, in theory if we paid for these, the full retail price if you buy it in the store, plus the full difference in price to go to ultimate, why should your license have to change?

MS is going to lose some sales with people who realize this.


Ryan who owns Pcpcer.com emailed MS about the OEM thing here is there reply http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=434539

The only difference is that the OEM version cannot be reassigned to another person whereas the fully packaged retail version permits the license to be reassigned once to another person. As far as the licensing terms go, either version will allow for as many transfers as needed. The only stipulation is that the user must uninstall the software on the old PC before installing on the new PC. Detailed info can be found here http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx.

Good ole MS. Right hand don't know what the left hand is doing.

Here it is from MS's web site:

The OEM license for the Windows desktop PC operating system is ?tied? to the device on which software is first installed. Accordingly, customers may not transfer the OEM license to a third party without that device. As long as the license and device remain together, there is no limit to the number of times they may be transferred.

The OEM license for the Windows operating system for desktop PCs is ?tied? to the device on which it is preinstalled. Accordingly, customers may not reassign it to a different device.


http://download.microsoft.com/download/...8ff-4b60-b726-6d91f81d3fa7/os_reqs.doc

So doing a 'Anytime upgrade' is VERY limiting, and not worth it, if you change your mobo allot.
 

AMDMaddness

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2003
2,406
2
81
I have been running an OEM win xp i bought in early 2003 on many many upgrades, I just have to call to get it activtated and say things like my mobo died etc. Never really had a problem. I do look forward to real world experiences though on VISTA.
 

JSK

Junior Member
Sep 13, 2006
11
0
0
Well I read the legal terms, but they are nothing other than what we have heard so far so I am curious as to why the PR guy directed him to there.

So the only thing we know that contradicts the written policy is the PR guys written words.

Its somewhat reassuring but I hope MS clarifies this eventually here.
 

QuixoticOne

Golden Member
Nov 4, 2005
1,855
0
0
Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Originally posted by: JSK
My copy came today in the mail. Pretty happy with a $200 free OS.

I was very interested in upgrading to Ultimate, $139 for Ultimate is quite the deal. But to be honest I am really not happy about the whole Retail -> OEM license thing.

Working for a hardware site I am constantly swapping out hardware and I dont really want to deal with arguing via the telephone with someone to get me a new activation key. So unless MS changes that policy for anytime upgrades, or unless people have experience doing it sometime in February and its not too much of a hassle to get activated then maybe I will consider it.

What are others thoughts on this matter? I mean your paying, in theory if we paid for these, the full retail price if you buy it in the store, plus the full difference in price to go to ultimate, why should your license have to change?

MS is going to lose some sales with people who realize this.


Ryan who owns Pcpcer.com emailed MS about the OEM thing here is there reply http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=434539

The only difference is that the OEM version cannot be reassigned to another person whereas the fully packaged retail version permits the license to be reassigned once to another person. As far as the licensing terms go, either version will allow for as many transfers as needed. The only stipulation is that the user must uninstall the software on the old PC before installing on the new PC. Detailed info can be found here http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx.


I just looked at the Vista Business English retail s/w use terms; it's inaccurate to say that the Anytime Upgrade converts
a "Retail License" into an "OEM license", it's more accurate to say that the transferability to another machine or another person
of the "Anytime Upgrade" software is MUCH LESS than that you were permitted under your pre-Anytime-Upgrade RETAIL license.

Basically it's an FOREVER DOWNGRADE; you lose the right to use your PREVIOUS license forever and also lost beyond
a single exception is the ability to transfer the software to a replacement PC or other person / entity.

This is an intolerable ULTIMATE DOWNGRADE, not the ULTIMATE UPGRADE!
It would make expensive legitimately purchased software useless to me within 6 months or so
after my next round of motherboard / hard disc / CPU / etc. upgrades.

Complain to microsoft and spread the word; they really need to get rid of this
"UPGRADE IS A DOWNGRADE" nonsense!

http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx
Windows Vista_Business_English.pdf

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is
eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement
for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the
software you upgraded from.

15. REASSIGN TO ANOTHER DEVICE.

a. Software Other than Windows Anytime Upgrade. You may uninstall the software
and install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license
between devices.

b. Windows Anytime Upgrade Software. The first user of the software may reassign
the license to another device one time, but only if the license terms of the software you
upgraded from allows reassignment.

16. TRANSFER TO A THIRD PARTY.

a. Software Other Than Windows Anytime Upgrade. The first user of the software
may make a one time transfer of the software, and this agreement, directly to a third
party. The first user must uninstall the software before transferring it separately from
the device. The first user may not retain any copies.

b. Windows Anytime Upgrade Software. You may transfer the software directly to a
third party only with the licensed device. You may not keep any copies of the software
or any earlier version.

c. Other Requirements. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that
this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software. The transfer must
include the proof of license.