Is there a difference between downloading windows or having a physical disc?

The difference is you'll be downloading a 4GB file, instead of getting it on disc, and saving $125.

 

see something like this post:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=14106335&postcount=2

I would spend a few extra dollars for the physical disk.

 

There is no difference.

As for the Disk, you can burn the downloaded file(ISO Disk Image) on a blank DVD

Even more, you can simply buy and get the Product Key and not download at all. Use a friend's DVD, Disk Image, Dowload from elsewhere. Just make sure the source is legitimate and/or trusted.

Your Product Key is the only unique item in the whole process.

 

The download versions are NOT the same animal as a physical disk.

We have many customers that purchased those diskless key card jobbies. You buy them, then need to sign up for a hotmail / live account so you can enter a 28 digit key which then gives you a download and a normal 26 digit product key.

There goes an extra 30 minutes of time right off the top.

Half of our Windows and Office products that were purchased this way have de-activated on their own. They are legit and we have to call into MS and get re-activated.

Loss of time, productivity, and money (because they call me to do the work, and I bill out) is a result.

In some cases, Office needed to be re-installed.

And recently, with the advent of iCloud, we've found that the download versions of Office (I know, you are asking about Windows, but I still think this supports my argument) have not registered themselves properly. iCloud does not "see" Outlook as an installed version.

Microsoft's suggestion? Buy an OEM keyless version, uninstall Office (again), and reinstall with the disk using your previous key-code.

WTF?! Hours wasted.

And to those that will tell you to just burn the download.

Are you seriously believing that your $.20 burn DVD is going to be of the same quality and last as long as a stamped DVD from the manufacturer?

Not to mention the fact that you have a Sharpie marker scribbling "Windows 7 Home Premium (Legal)" in your sloppy hand writing. Ya, looking good.

Spend the extra $20 / $30... and go proper.

 

Humbug!

If I'm right most of us use the software that's on the disk. It's not about the disk itself. So if you scrabble "windows 7" on it, who really cares? You probably loose the disk anyway. The only nice thing about it is when you need to look for your windows 7 Disk and you're like "oh, what a nice picture, I'm so glad I spent 30 extra bucks so I don't have to look at my own writings".

Second, DVD's last 30 years. But windows 8 is coming in the near future. No way anybody is gonna use windows 7 over 30 years. Also, when your self-made DVD is broke, you can still download it and make another one for just 20 cents. Not with the retail version.

The op was also saying that he was going to use it with parallels. Parallels just needs the image file. So you don't even need to burn! No hassle with disks.

You can get the images, for example, over here: http://www.pcgeekblog.com/2011/07/download-windows-7-bootable-image-with.html

Ofcourse, sometimes it's nice to have the disk, you have something to hold. But don't tell me downloads are not the same as the real disk. In the OP's case with parallels, the virtual disk will work even better (at least, it did for me).

 

Some how you managed to completely miss my point and my DAILY observations as I provide support to small businesses.

I respect your opinion, however.

Cheers!