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Best way to run windows/which windows to buy

R

regulusblack

macrumors member
Original poster
I bought my MBP about a month ago, and I bought VMWare Fusion to go with it. I need to run Windows to run Office, AutoCAD, and ChemCAD (I'm a chemical engineering student).

Is Fusion the best way to go, or should I get Parallels? (I haven't opened the Fusion software yet.)

Should I spend the money on Windows 7, or would Windows XP be fine?

Does anyone knows somewhere cheap to get Windows? And does it matter if it says it's for a PC? I know UltimateSteal.com currently has Office, but as far as I can tell they don't have Windows right now.

I got my MBP because my Gateway (big mistake, I know) crashed. It had the latest Office on it...is there a way I can use that instead of having to buy it again? (I don't want to use the Vista off it for obvious reasons.)

Thanks!

Oh yeah, and I'm pretty stupid when it comes to computers, so please dumb it down a little for me 🙂 lol
 
Before you buy an OEM edition, make sure you understand what you are buying.

Just like the OS and Office on your Gateway, you're essentially buying a "throwaway" copy of Windows you won't necessarily be able to move to another machine if/when you upgrade your OS. Plus, you will be running said OS outside of its license. (Much like using the $29 Snow Leopard Upgrade on a Hackintosh or system with Tiger, it'll work but is not following the letter of the license.)

Read this: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1561 and make sure YOU are comfortable with it.

EDIT: You might want to check around on campus. Your school might participate in MSDNAA or something liek that and you might be able to get licenses of both W7 and Office real cheap/free.

B
 
balamw said:
Before you buy an OEM edition, make sure you understand what you are buying.

Just like the OS and Office on your Gateway, you're essentially buying a "throwaway" copy of Windows you won't necessarily be able to move to another machine if/when you upgrade your OS. Plus, you will be running said OS outside of its license. (Much like using the $29 Snow Leopard Upgrade on a Hackintosh or system with Tiger, it'll work but is not following the letter of the license.)

Read this: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1561 and make sure YOU are comfortable with it.

EDIT: You might want to check around on campus. Your school might participate in MSDNAA or something liek that and you might be able to get licenses of both W7 and Office real cheap/free.

B
Click to expand...


All your statements about the Microsoft OEM versions are correct and valid - but ONLY for the United States of America. They do not have universal applicability.

Microsoft's US EULA is unlawful in Europe, and the restrictions that bundle an OEM version to a specific computer had to be withdrawn by Microsoft (see for example the "OEM Urteil" from the year 2000 of the German Bundesgerichtshof). Apple's EULA is in all probability also violating European laws.

Your statement about the USD 29 Snow Leopard box, however, is completely wrong. Apple does NOT sell it as an upgrade, at least not in Europe. It is officially labeled as a RETAIL version, and that means that it is a FULL version. You are not required by Apple to own any previous version of Mac OS X in order to be eligible to purchase or install the 29 bucks version of Snow Leopard. It also does not say anything about this requirement anywhere in the EULA of the 29 bucks version. So, basically, it is just a wide spread - and false - myth that you need to own Leopard in order to legally install the low priced Snow Leopard version.
 
Winni said:
Your statement about the USD 29 Snow Leopard box, however, is completely wrong. Apple does NOT sell it as an upgrade, at least not in Europe.
Click to expand...

In the US at least they do or at least have. So I am not completely wrong.

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/03/snow-leopard-in-eula-we-trust/ said:
Leopard Upgrade Licenses. If you have purchased an Upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard license, then subject to the terms and conditions of this License, you are granted a limited nonexclusive license to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-branded computer as long as that computer has a properly licensed copy of Mac OS X Leopard already installed on it.
Click to expand...

NOTE: I have no issue with people using software off-license as long as they know what they are doing and are comfortable with that.

B
 
Hellhammer said:
You can buy the OEM Windows 7 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

If you still have the serial for Office, you can download the trial and insert the serial and it should work. Otherwise you can call MS and ask
Click to expand...

balamw said:
Before you buy an OEM edition, make sure you understand what you are buying.

Just like the OS and Office on your Gateway, you're essentially buying a "throwaway" copy of Windows you won't necessarily be able to move to another machine if/when you upgrade your OS. Plus, you will be running said OS outside of its license. (Much like using the $29 Snow Leopard Upgrade on a Hackintosh or system with Tiger, it'll work but is not following the letter of the license.)

Read this: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1561 and make sure YOU are comfortable with it.

EDIT: You might want to check around on campus. Your school might participate in MSDNAA or something liek that and you might be able to get licenses of both W7 and Office real cheap/free.

B
Click to expand...


Thanks! I've checked on campus but all they'll do is send me to www.theultimatesteal.com, which doesn't currently have anything for the US.
 
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