SKYLAB CHAT

[skylab]

Windows 7 Pro available at TigerDirect at this link, but seems kinda pricey...guess it's in demand.

 

[Miss B]

Thanks for the link. That does seem a little pricey, because I always thought Windows was always under $100, but considering Windows 7 isn't support worth as far as M$ is concerned, I shouldn't be surprised at the price.

I should look at a site like New Egg and see if they have it and how much they want for it. Target has brick and mortar stores, so they would be more expensive. Of course, there's one a short bus ride from me, so I could save the shipping fee.

 

[Seliah (Childe of Fyre)]

I wonder if I can still get Win7 Pro somewhere. I'm not sure anyone's able to sell it anymore.

Win7 Pro - Legit, from NewEgg, so yes you can. Could probably find cheaper copies from less known software distributors/electronics places, but then you have to be careful about legit vs bootleg. NewEgg is a safe site...

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems - Newegg.com

 

[skylab]

There are options for Win7 Pro on Amazon as well, perhaps better prices than Tiger Direct...but good luck figuring out which would be what you need, and if it's legit. Phrases like "refurbished installation"...like, what's that? Haha.

 

[Miss B]

That's even more expensive than Target. Hmmmm, I would've thought they'd be a little cheaper, but Sky's probably right, it's in demand.

 

[Seliah (Childe of Fyre)]

Actually, just found it on Amazon, too, for only $50.

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Professional SP1 64bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (For Refurbished PC Installation): Software

LOL! Cross-posting with Sky.

But yes it's in demand. Folks are NOT impressed with the 8.1/10 garbage.

 

[Miss B]

There are options for Win7 Pro on Amazon as well, perhaps better prices than Tiger Direct.

The problem with Amazon is, you don't always know if it's Amazon that's selling it. I've purchased stuff through them where they're just the go-between, and someone else, you probably never heard of, is selling it. I don't know how careful Amazon is about investigating the sellers, but a lot are small businesses trying to make a buck, but I don't know them, as Seliah said, who knows if they're legit, OR if it's an open pack they're reselling.

 

[skylab]

That's the best price...so is that a recycled activation and serial...not sure what that means.

 

[Miss B]

Actually, just found it on Amazon, too, for only $50.

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Professional SP1 64bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (For Refurbished PC Installation): Software

See now, that's OEM software, so usually what a computer company like Dell would use. I'm not sure an installation for a refurbished PC is the way to go, though the price is certainly good.

 

[skylab]

With the drives that I bought...they came "locked"...upon booting, you call Microsoft with your temp number, and they assign you a product key in exchange for the temp activation....so it's sorta a code, how they make sure the licenses are legit, and not being used on multiple drives, to multiple customers.

 

[Seliah (Childe of Fyre)]

Yeah, that's a good point, too.

With Amazon, check for "new" status... I just grabbed one quick link as an example, but you can find them as "new" thus never opened or used also.

 

[skylab]

That's how Tiger Direct deals with refurbished computers...the customer calls Microsoft. Had to do it when setting up all four drives, to make sure they were activated on time...you have only so much time to call, and the temporary activation expires.

 

[skylab]

So maybe the Amazon discs are similar...thing to do is read customer comments, if there are any...they usually spell out in detail whether it was a good experience or not.

 

[Seliah (Childe of Fyre)]

For myself, personally, I prefer to get things either from a brick and mortar store, or from NewEgg... I've never run into any issues as far as bootleg or questionable copies that way...

Amazon can be a good source for some stuff. As far as software, though, I usually check for "new"... also often times the sellers are just wholesalers, which is not illegal.

 

[Miss B]

Very true Seliah, that's why I usually only buy books at Amazon. As far as eBay, I only bought software once because it was an old item from my DOS/Lotus days, and I wanted it badly. Luckily, I'm still using it years later without a problem.

OK ladies, I'm off here for the night. See ya tomorrow.

Thanks for the links. I'm going to do some more exploring.

 

[skylab]

Try looking at the questions and customer comments on this page...they about cover any questions you'd have.

...and I was just thinking I need to go get some rest now....so good night all...and I'll see you tomorrow

...and Seliah, hope all continues to go well with rebuilding your system

 

[Terre]

Good morning.
My first computer was an Apple II E Enhanced. Looking back on it that may have been a Korean knockoff because I do remember Dad commenting (in a slightly confused voice) that it was cheaper to buy that one and ship it from Korea than buy one here.
BASIC. Yup. I remember it and COBOL. And RPG II. I did have a little computer programming training back in the early '80s. It did affect my thought patterns actually. Though I don't show it in my speech and typing my brain often handles things as IF-THEN-ELSE statements. LOL Literally.

 

[Gadget Girl]

Well, heck. Miss B, do you remember BASIC? LOL! I wrote very simple computer programs in that... VBasic came out and confused me, but eventually I figured it out.

I loved basic. My first computer was something called a Vic20 (20kb of memory!) and you had to program it in BASIC because you couldn't buy software for it. I had a book called Cats of Castle Mountain which was a story that had programs that you wrote play games to save the cats.

I loved BASIC. Wrote a lot of programs in it. COBOL still gives me nightmares of missing periods.

My first computer was an Apple II then a Commodore 64. Since then I've had everything from Intel, AMD, and Apple. I prefer my Macs the most though. : shrug : Probably because supporting Windows for years professionally tainted me.

My parents then got an original Macintosh because my Dad was desktop publishing before there was such a thing, and he wanted to be able to see black text on a white screen, and we've been a Mac family ever since.

I remember the Apple II's. Never owned one, but knew a family who did. They were fun little machines. I stick to Windows machines nowadays because the cost of Macs are just too much for us. I think they're sleek machines. But too high cost both on initial purchase and the price of parts/maintenance and compatibility issues (though I think the compatibility issues have improved, haven't they?)

The Mac priceyness thing actually hasn't always been true, although I'd say it is at the moment. There was actually a period around 2007 when if you compared the hardware you got in a mac it would be much more costly to build a PC with the same specs. But right now maintenance costs are up, because the newest macs are hard to maintain on your own. Lots of custom parts and such. Although this all reminds me that one of the biggest speed improvements my machine may have is that I don't have a hard drive but a flash drive.

That being said, I'm in terror of something happening to my 2012 laptop because the current versions aren't anymore powerful. I think Apple realized they were packing way more power into their machines then most people would ever use. I'd have to spend $2500 just to match my current computers specs.

By the way, you can get Wine for a Mac as well, although a lot of the software is made to run natively, although to varying degrees of success.

 

[skylab]

Good morning everyone

 

[Vanish]

Good morning!