XP Pro SP1--One--Torrent?

[Alias]

You don't buy the software. You buy a license to use it. While
microsoft does in fact provide for download of some Windows versions
now, they do not provide a torrent. Why do you insist it be a torrent,
anyway? MS uses an FTP transfer, especially for files larger than 1GB
and the transfers are pretty fast.

Yeah, they sell licenses but all the stores list these "licenses" as
"software". Ye Olde Bait and Switch swindle comes to mind.

Alias

 

[Alias]

The ocean is many hundreds of millions of Windows users. In any case,
by no means are all the downloads by first-time users. Plenty of them
are users downloading the latest version of the software.

Compare this to what was happening to Linux five years ago (no downloads
to speak of) and perhaps you'll see the trend, although you'll probably
hold on to the past -- Microsoft -- like the generation before rock 'n'
roll held on to Perry Como.

Alias

 

[PD43]

Going from 0.1 % to 0.2% is doubling the number, after all.

It's more like .01% to .02%

Which is pretty close to "Alias's" IQ, come to think of it ;->

 

[PD43]

The ocean is many hundreds of millions of Windows users. In any case, by no
means are all the downloads by first-time users. Plenty of them are users
downloading the latest version of the software.

Trying to find a version that works.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

There are far more first-time Windows users per month than first-time Linux
users. The sheer size of the population turnover on this planet guarantees
that much.

 

[smackedass]

I

You don't buy the software. You buy a license to use it. While microsoft
does in fact provide for download of some Windows versions now, they do
not provide a torrent. Why do you insist it be a torrent, anyway? MS
uses an FTP transfer, especially for files larger than 1GB and the
transfers are pretty fast.

I'm not demanding a torrent. I'm pleading for the ability to do something
that any enterprise interested in the proper implementation of good customer
service ought to. Whether you buy the software or buy the license, there's
no good reason why the software shouldn't be available, if you own the
license. Then, during the installation, when they ask for the code, you
enter the legal code; this should be the gauntlet to navigate to make the
copy legal. Then, you should have to authenticate it, to register the code,
and then everybody's happy. But apparently, you think that that's too much
to ask for. I do not.

sa

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I don't know why XP was never set up the way Office is and the way Vista has
been, but it just wasn't. In any case, you should address the concern to MS
since no one here is in any position to change things. I agree with the
idea that XP should be downloadable just like Office, but it generally isn't
unless you have a subscription to MSDN or some other program like it.

 

[Gotde T Shirt]

I have a bootable SP2 disk, but not
the original, whatever you'd choose to call it. ..
..

I have the stupid 25-character label! Why not the software to
match?!?

..
..
..
....so what prevents you from using your SP2 disk with your customer's
product key?

As a bonus, that will save you waiting for the SP2 update to download and
install.

 

[smackedass]

I agree with the

idea that XP should be downloadable just like Office, but it generally
isn't unless you have a subscription to MSDN or some other program like
it.

Thank you.

sa

 

[smackedass]

...so what prevents you from using your SP2 disk with your customer's
product key?

From my experience, I've never been able to use an SP2 product key for SP1
XP, or vice versa. This is for both Home Edition and Pro. And, believe me,
I'd love to be proven wrong, and if you or someone else out there knows of
some way to make this happen, I'm all ears.

But much to my consernation and annoyance, I've never been able to do this.

smackedass

 

[Bill Sharpe]

Compare this to what was happening to Linux five years ago (no downloads
to speak of) and perhaps you'll see the trend, although you'll probably
hold on to the past -- Microsoft -- like the generation before rock 'n'
roll held on to Perry Como.

Perry Como? Hey, I'm still holding on to Benny Goodman!

Bill

 

[Gotde T Shirt]

From my experience, I've never been able to use an SP2 product key for SP1
XP, or vice versa. This is for both Home Edition and Pro. And, believe me,
I'd love to be proven wrong, and if you or someone else out there knows of
some way to make this happen, I'm all ears.

But much to my consernation and annoyance, I've never been able to do this.

smackedass

I fix PCs for a living and I've done it successfully at least 100 times,
with both XP Home and XP Pro. In fact I've never had it fail provided the
product key was valid.

Try it, what have you to lose?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

There should be no problem using any XP retail product key with any XP rtm,
XP SP1, XP SP2, or XP SP3 retail cd for installing Windows as long as the
edition matches (Pro vs Home).

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I didn't "hold on" to Perry Como. I simply preferred his music.

 

[Alias]

There are far more first-time Windows users per month than first-time
Linux users. The sheer size of the population turnover on this planet
guarantees that much.

The fact that five years ago, hardly anyone was using Linux and now
millions are doesn't tell you something? If not, there's no point in
discussing this further.

Alias

 

[Alias]

From my experience, I've never been able to use an SP2 product key for
SP1 XP, or vice versa.

I have. I have used an SP2 XP Pro CD with a product key that came with
an SP1 XP Pro.

Alias

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

It tells me that millions want a free OS. That's fine.

I have no problem with a free OS, but Windows and OS/X serve my purposes
much better than any Linux I have seen. That's the only reason I spend
money to use Windows and OS/X.

 

[PD43]

It tells me that millions want a free OS. That's fine.

And MOST of those downloading it are playing around to see what's to
be seen. There is no way of knowing how many stay with it.

I have no problem with a free OS, but Windows and OS/X serve my purposes
much better than any Linux I have seen. That's the only reason I spend
money to use Windows and OS/X.

And the only reason - besides the availability of compatible programs
and drivers - that others choose the same.

 

[Unknown]

You would think otherwise if you were running a software business.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Yep. Programs and devices are what its all about.