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Microsoft Matches Snow Leopard Price With Windows 7, But Only for Students

zombitronic said:
I agree. Seems like Page 2 news.

I have an XP machine but I don't know if I want to move to 7. Even for $30. XP works the way I want.

With Mac upgrades, it feels like evolution of the OS. With windows, it just feels like disconnected change. Just my opinion.
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uhh... Try Windows 7. Really. Its pretty darn cool. I just built a new PC and its fast, stable, and has some really nice UI tweaks. If it had Expose, It would be perfect.

For me, I just ordered this upgrade. Glad I waited before pre-ordering! No extra charge even to switch to Professional. Love it. Thanks M$, really!
 
As others have mentioned, windows 7 professional (retail) is available right now through the MSDNAA program. Cost is $0. I'm Running in VirtualBox, but that's it.
 
If students comprised the bulk of MS' market this would actually be interesting.

Anyway, it's a good way to promote and move product.
 
*LTD* said:
If students comprised the bulk of MS' market this would actually be interesting.

Anyway, it's a good way to promote and move product.
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Oh they do. I remember plenty of kids rushing to get XP and build their computers as soon as they could for $10 on the OS.
 
vaderhater245 said:
They should make a full version available to us at a slightly higher price so some of us can bootcamp it.
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Agree here. Although one can pirate Vista and then use the legal disk or installation of Win7 on that. It's not a very good route by idiotic Microsoft just makes this an upgrade rather than the full version.

With Apple we get for $29 an Ultimate and the complete disc which means of our Macs screw up or we put in a new shinny SSD all we have to do is pop in the CD and that's it. On the Microsoft route we need to install Vista (if you even have the recovery discs) and then use the freaking upgrade version of the crippled down in feature version of Win7. Yes MS is so much simple :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

angemon89 said:
BOOOOO, it's the upgrade version.
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See above

stylewriter said:
I only get the option to buy Win7-Home-Upgrade, with no option for either Win7-Pro-Upgrade or to get a disk...
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Students should have access to Pro also.

arkmannj said:
So, I'm looking at the process right now.
it's 29.99 for the Win 7 Home Premium (Upgrade version)
and it wants you to pick 32bit or 64bit. don't they just put both installers on the same disk ?
just mark this as another thing I love about Mac OS X ..one freaking version, (not home, pro, ult.) and then after finding your version you get to pick 32bit or 64bit.

Plus for Snow Leopard I got the physical media as part of the cost.
It may only be 29.99 but without Win XP support and all the extra hassle of MS It still just might not be worth it for me to get it.
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It's Microsoft. It's to much for their greed to let go a full version rather than the upgrade.
 
can you do a clean install of this windows 7 without having a previous version? i read in their faq that you can do a custom install on to a new drive, but it wasn't too clear to me...
 
Setting aside the $29 upgrade for students, I've never understood...

1. Why Microsoft charges so freaking much for Windows.

2. Why Microsoft creates like 97 different versions of each of their operating systems and other softwares.

Would you like Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, Vista Ultimate, Vista Super Mega Ultimate or Vista Intergalactic?

And how about this page.

Some of the "features" are "Best choice for laptops", "Have more fun on your PC" and "Additional programs and features".

Come again?
 
jav6454 said:
It's Microsoft. It's to much for their greed to let go a full version rather than the upgrade.
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Yeah, you can most certainly use the Upgrade edition for a clean install. They even talk about it in their Upgrade Advisor section. You simply click "custom install" during installation and that's it. Just like with Snow Leopard, which defaults to an Upgrade install unless you do some finagling.
 
jav6454 said:
On the Microsoft route we need to install Vista (if you even have the recovery discs) and then use the freaking upgrade version of the crippled down in feature version of Win7.
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When did they change this ? Because for the last 15 years, upgrade discs worked the same as full discs, the only difference being during installation, it would prompt you to insert a valid product CD just to check that you qualified for upgrade.
 
To get the Professional Edition

It is a little hidden, but you need to click "click here" on the yellow bar that says: "Need to join your school's network domain? Click here"

That pops up a window to order the Pro version.:)
 
so let me get this right:
1. it has to be a pre approved school (I don't see any Virginia universities listed, including my own; and what about community colleges?)
2. If you want the physical disc you have to pay $43 instead of $30
3. You have to download and run a program that will tell you if your computer will work with the new OS, and if it doesn't you have to get a new one or upgrade which will cost $$
4. It is the home premium version, with missing features
5. Why is this better then $30 for the full install disc of the mac OS
 
ltcol266845 said:
Yeah, you can most certainly use the Upgrade edition for a clean install. They even talk about it in their Upgrade Advisor section. You simply click "custom install" during installation and that's it. Just like with Snow Leopard, which defaults to an Upgrade install unless you do some finagling.
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KnightWRX said:
When did they change this ? Because for the last 15 years, upgrade discs worked the same as full discs, the only difference being during installation, it would prompt you to insert a valid product CD just to check that you qualified for upgrade.
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Long story short: My Hp laptop crashed and HDD died. Tried using the upgrade CD I bought on new HDD and no luck (not even custom install). Had to contact HP for the recovery discs for XP and then re upgrade.

That was a 5 day hassle. This is Vista BTW
 
runeasgar said:
I don't have to decide which version of my operating system is right for me.

It's $29 and not feature restricted.

Gee, what a thought.
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Well, at least it's only 2 options. :)

Program Description: Eligible students are allowed to purchase one license of the product below:

1. Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium

OR

2. Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional
Click to expand...
 
KnightWRX said:
Do you even need to join your school's domain ? I sure as hell wouldn't, just in case one of the domain admins finds the GPO MMC snap-in and starts deciding what I can and can't run on my personal computer.
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That's not the point. Only Professional is able to do this, so clicking this link gets you to the page where you order Professional. It's the same price, so there's absolutely no reason not to. I think they're just hiding it a little so that everyone doesn't go and buy the Professional version.
 
I don't know why so many of you are complaining about the different versions. You don't need anything beyond Windows 7 Professional, which is included in this offer.

This time around, no one needs Ultimate unless you're in a specific type of corporate environment that requires additional security features. It's not like the Vista launch were if you wanted Media Center and Remote Desktop in the same package, you had to buy Ultimate.
 
Hello. Student Here.

Just thought I might let you know that every student at my university has had access to the full version of Windows 7 Professional for free since September 14th.

Suckers =P.
 
The Zune and this have absoluetly nothing to do with Macrumors and yet they are front page news. Just more troll bait.
 
I managed to get my (legit) copy of Windows 7 Professional through my university's MSDNAA scheme, which I only just qualify for (as I graduated in July so my account expires soon), so I at least got it for "free" (to me).

The consumer prices that Microsoft are asking are ridiculous. For $170 or whatever you get very little besides a performance bump and some bling, while Snow Leopard is delivering a ton of very exciting new technologies, as well as a similar performance bump and a little less bling (but refined bling) for $25.

Windows 7 should be $25 for the "ultimate" version in all market segments, not just for students. It's ludicrous to think that anyone might pay so much for so little, when for 50% more you could get the damned thing on a brand new netbook!
 
buxtone17 said:
Setting aside the $29 upgrade for students, I've never understood...

1. Why Microsoft charges so freaking much for Windows.

2. Why Microsoft creates like 97 different versions of each of their operating systems and other softwares.

Would you like Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, Vista Ultimate, Vista Super Mega Ultimate or Vista Intergalactic?

And how about this page.

Some of the "features" are "Best choice for laptops", "Have more fun on your PC" and "Additional programs and features".

Come again?
Click to expand...

because M$ does not sell hardware. SL might as well be free given the amount apple makes on the hardware. SL might as well be free, its not like u can use it on another PC.

Read the link mate you send, its quite clear why they have different versions. Bit pointless installing ultimate on a netbook.......
 
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