Free Original M$ XP For Disabled Kid??

[jonah]

Hi Guys,

Some advice please?

I have a friend with an Autistic 12 years old who is a bit of a
prodigy with computers. Socially he is pretty hopeless but his future
lies definately in PCs he is a natural born hacker.

His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have donated the
hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy of XP to put in
it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to offend his mum and dad
by doing so - its delicate ish.

Can I get a free / discounted copy from somewhere because the kids
disabled? I have heard that M$ makes copies available to students at a
discount but I can't find much of use.

The kid is really very good and figures things out almost
instinctively - he really should have his own machine ASAP. I don't
want to get him a cheap BIOS tied PC or some sponsored copy of XP I
want the real unadulterated thing for him and I wish to give him a
Linux Distro on dual boot also.

TIA

Jonah

 

[Gordon]

Hi Guys,

Some advice please?

I have a friend with an Autistic 12 years old who is a bit of a
prodigy with computers. Socially he is pretty hopeless but his future
lies definately in PCs he is a natural born hacker.

His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have donated the
hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy of XP to put in
it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to offend his mum and dad
by doing so - its delicate ish.

Can I get a free / discounted copy from somewhere because the kids
disabled? I have heard that M$ makes copies available to students at a
discount but I can't find much of use.

The kid is really very good and figures things out almost
instinctively - he really should have his own machine ASAP. I don't
want to get him a cheap BIOS tied PC or some sponsored copy of XP I
want the real unadulterated thing for him and I wish to give him a
Linux Distro on dual boot also.

TIA

Jonah

if he's as bright as you say, try Linux instead. No licence, no fees.

 

[Gordon]

if he's as bright as you say, try Linux instead. No licence, no fees.

And to add to that - he'll learn far more about COMPUTING (as opposed to
just clicking options in a GUI) with Linux than he ever will with
Windows......

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Microsoft does not offer free program software to individuals.
I would suggest purchasing an inexpensive version of Windows XP
as following:

Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102059

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------­----------------

:

| Hi Guys,
|
| Some advice please?
|
| I have a friend with an Autistic 12 years old who is a bit of a
| prodigy with computers. Socially he is pretty hopeless but his future
| lies definately in PCs he is a natural born hacker.
|
| His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have donated the
| hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy of XP to put in
| it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to offend his mum and dad
| by doing so - its delicate ish.
|
| Can I get a free / discounted copy from somewhere because the kids
| disabled? I have heard that M$ makes copies available to students at a
| discount but I can't find much of use.
|
| The kid is really very good and figures things out almost
| instinctively - he really should have his own machine ASAP. I don't
| want to get him a cheap BIOS tied PC or some sponsored copy of XP I
| want the real unadulterated thing for him and I wish to give him a
| Linux Distro on dual boot also.
|
| TIA
|
| Jonah

 

[Plato]

His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have donated the
hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy of XP to put in
it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to offend his mum and dad
by doing so - its delicate ish.

Get a copy of win9x for about $5 on ebay.

 

[jonah]

And to add to that - he'll learn far more about COMPUTING (as opposed to
just clicking options in a GUI) with Linux than he ever will with
Windows......

I know that Gordon thats why I am putting in SUSE10 + Mandriva One but
he needs Windows as well because his school uses XP and for the moment
most of the world uses Windows OS. This will no doubt change as Open
Source increases its ease of use and market share - I use Linux myself
extensively for servers and general purpose surfing.

However he has to have Windows as well for now - he can make his own
choices later on.

Jonah

 

[jonah]

Get a copy of win9x for about $5 on ebay.

Good Idea Plato - I have Win2000 somewhere never installed it on
anything. Forgot about that.

Ta

Jonah

 

[jonah]

Microsoft does not offer free program software to individuals.
I would suggest purchasing an inexpensive version of Windows XP
as following:

Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102059

I can get OEM its £115-00 here, hardly inexpensive but I may use an
OEM if I can't get a discounted copy somewhere. I will try the local
education department, if that fails I will get an OEM for him or put
Win 2000 in it.

I thought M$ may have some scheme or other for this sort of thing. BG
is the worlds biggest philanthropist after all.

Thanks Carey

Jonah

 

[Ghostrider]

I can get OEM its £115-00 here, hardly inexpensive but I may use an
OEM if I can't get a discounted copy somewhere. I will try the local
education department, if that fails I will get an OEM for him or put
Win 2000 in it.

I thought M$ may have some scheme or other for this sort of thing. BG
is the worlds biggest philanthropist after all.

Thanks Carey

Jonah

That was a very cold reply from Carey. Microsoft does have
or does know of programs and organizations through which
it supports and works for the handicapped. Contact Microsoft
in UK...talk to a real person...for additional information.

 

[jonah]

That was a very cold reply from Carey. Microsoft does have
or does know of programs and organizations through which
it supports and works for the handicapped. Contact Microsoft
in UK...talk to a real person...for additional information.

Thanks a lot GR I will do that tomorrow. I knew there was something
around re free OSs for disabled?

Cheers

Jonah

 

[Mike Williams]

That was a very cold reply from Carey. Microsoft does have
or does know of programs and organizations through which
it supports and works for the handicapped. Contact Microsoft
in UK...talk to a real person...for additional information.

And being more grown-up than using "M$" is likely to get a better
response. MS has a huge range of charitable programs, including an
employee donation-matching scheme that is incredibly beneficial to
thousands of charities.

 

[jonah]

And being more grown-up than using "M$" is likely to get a better
response. MS has a huge range of charitable programs, including an
employee donation-matching scheme that is incredibly beneficial to
thousands of charities.

I am very glad to hear it

I am however very annoyed that you take offence to my use of M$ for
Microsoft, it is an accepted and widely used shorthand. I am even more
annoyed that somebody of your obvious experience should make
assumptions about my age because I can't be arsed to type "Microsoft"

For your information "MS" is also the recognised abbreviation for
Multiple Sclerosis wheras "M$" cannot be confused with the former.

As for being "more grown up"

Sod off!

Hows that?

Jonah

 

[kurttrail]

That was a very cold reply from Carey. Microsoft does have
or does know of programs and organizations through which
it supports and works for the handicapped. Contact Microsoft
in UK...talk to a real person...for additional information.

Actually, that was one of Carey's warmest moments! Normally he
recommends buying full retail! ;-)

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[Winux P]

Write to MotherSucker (MS) directly, see how they respond the situation. Be
interesting to see how polite and diplomatic they'll be in their refusal.

- Winux P

:
: Hi Guys,
:
: Some advice please?
:
: I have a friend with an Autistic 12 years old who is a bit of a
: prodigy with computers. Socially he is pretty hopeless but his future
: lies definately in PCs he is a natural born hacker.
:
: His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have donated the
: hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy of XP to put in
: it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to offend his mum and dad
: by doing so - its delicate ish.
:
: Can I get a free / discounted copy from somewhere because the kids
: disabled? I have heard that M$ makes copies available to students at a
: discount but I can't find much of use.
:
: The kid is really very good and figures things out almost
: instinctively - he really should have his own machine ASAP. I don't
: want to get him a cheap BIOS tied PC or some sponsored copy of XP I
: want the real unadulterated thing for him and I wish to give him a
: Linux Distro on dual boot also.
:
: TIA
:
: Jonah

 

[jonah]

Write to MotherSucker (MS) directly, see how they respond the situation. Be
interesting to see how polite and diplomatic they'll be in their refusal.

- Winux P

snip

Could be interesting, going to call em tomorrow and see what they say.

I will let you know.

Its got to be worth a punt anyway.

Jonah

 

[jonah]

Ghostrider wrote:


Actually, that was one of Carey's warmest moments! Normally he
recommends buying full retail! ;-)

Yeah it was I was very surprised, must be a bit under the weather
today...........

Jonah

 

[Frazer Jolly Goodfellow]

Hi Guys,

Some advice please?

I have a friend with an Autistic 12 years old who is a bit of a
prodigy with computers. Socially he is pretty hopeless but his
future lies definately in PCs he is a natural born hacker.

His parents can't afford a decent system for him so I have
donated the hardware and built the PC for him but I need a copy
of XP to put in it. I could buy him a copy but I don't want to
offend his mum and dad by doing so - its delicate ish.

Can I get a free / discounted copy from somewhere because the
kids disabled? I have heard that M$ makes copies available to
students at a discount but I can't find much of use.

The kid is really very good and figures things out almost
instinctively - he really should have his own machine ASAP. I
don't want to get him a cheap BIOS tied PC or some sponsored
copy of XP I want the real unadulterated thing for him and I
wish to give him a Linux Distro on dual boot also.

Jonah,

Suggestions:

AFAIK Microsoft doesn't offer what you're after directly. It may
still be worth contacting MS - you may get some pointers to
potential solutions from them.

Check with his school, Social Services and autism support charity
contacts to see if there is any possibility of obtaining
subsidised/free software via a specially negotiated deal.

If those avenues prove fruitless, I suggest you should be open with
the lad's parents and ask them to pay for a legit copy of XP Home.
As you have built and supplied the PC, you can legitimately deliver
an OEM edition of XP Home. The best price I could find is from
eBuyer (www.ebuyer.com): £62.31 inc VAT and delivery.


Bear in mind that he'll also need application software:

- Microsoft Works Suite OEM = MS Works + MS Word + bundle of
applications, about £50 all-in from www.amazon.co.uk

- Microsoft Student and Teacher Edition is available at around £90
from www.amazon.co.uk

- Open Office is fairly good - and free - but is not 100%
compatible with MS Office

 

[David Candy]

BG is the worlds biggest philanthropist after all.
No he's not. But he will be once he dies. Millions of people have a vested interest in seeing him dead (and that's people who'll think [now talking MSese] "he's a really cool feature". His big stuff will come in his will.

 

[paulmd]

Microsoft does not offer free program software to individuals.

With XP, this is true. But with Win2k, there is a Microsoft Authorized
Refurbisher program. They provide a refurbished computer with Win2k on
it. Either for free or very low cost, my organization charges $10 to
cover the cost of the licence and other costs. You do NOT get a
restore Disk, however. Microsoft doesn't let us.

http://www.mar.partners.extranet.microsoft.com/
http://www.techsoup.org/mar/

You can find one near you.

The requirements for an receiving an adopted computer vary.

 

[Gordon]

I know that Gordon thats why I am putting in SUSE10 + Mandriva One but
he needs Windows as well because his school uses XP

Doesn't mean HE has to - is this because they use MS Office, or because they
have a domain network? Linux can join a domain just as well as XP can
AFAIK......

and for the moment
most of the world uses Windows OS. This will no doubt change as Open
Source increases its ease of use and market share - I use Linux myself
extensively for servers and general purpose surfing.

However he has to have Windows as well for now - he can make his own
choices later on.

Jonah

Give him dual boot then!