Carnac is confused. This flashy website offers spectacular deals on OEM software, which the unidentified sellers claim is 100 percent legit and comes with the activation code/key and their word that you’ll be completely satisfied or you’ll get a cheerful refund. The company is based in “Eastern Europe.”
Carnac is tempted, but he isn’t a complete idiot. Microsoft Office XP for $60? Better yet, MS Office XP bundled with MS Windows XP for a cool $80.
Is this stuff likely hot, or are these rock-bottom prices typical for OEM software. The advert says that these aren’t academic versions, and that the only difference is that you don’t get the manual or box. Just the discs and key in an envelope.
BTW, on the order page, they refer to “MicroSoft.” Typo?
How common are OEM software scams? How dangerous to give VISA numbers to Eastern European discount software houses.
Assuming that you even get the software (which I’m sure you won’t) you’d be better off buying a bootleg copy from the flea market. It’s all pirated software anyway, so why send money overseas for it? If you want OEM stuff, try an established seller like Newegg.
I don’t believe that at any time, MS spelled their name like that HOWEVER I wonder if that was a colloquial spelling that was popular at one time. It seems like every fifty-something geek I ever worked with spelled it “MicroSoft” while everyone 40 and under spelled it “Microsoft”.
Anyway, as I said I’d almost swear on the family jewels that this site - if not an upfront scam to get your money - is selling pirated software. Even “Windows XP Starter Edition” - a majorly stripped down version of Windows XP that MS started selling last year in Thailand in efforts to combat piracy - costs Thai people $40 - there’s no way Bulgarians are able to get it for less than $60.
Besides, have you seen a bootleg DVD lately? I recently bought a bootleg DVD - a music video collection from an 80s band that will never be officially released on DVD - and the quality of the packaging is unreal… Only 1 misspelled word, silver DVD disc and genuine (non-inkjet) printed graphic on the disc. It looks top notch! Pirating is cheap and profitible for the pirate, and is perhaps even more profitible for software.
And no, I don’t feel bad about buying the bootleg because I paid $99 for the same thing on Japanese VHS back in 1984. Man, at $3.65 an hour I had to flip a lot of burgers for that tape!
Actually, MS had really relaxed the hardware restrictions with XP. In years past, you had to buy a “substantial part” of a computer - such as a motherboard, hard drive or processor - to be able to buy OEM Windows. Nowadays, many online shops - even “brand name” ones - sell OEM XP with a floppy or USB cable, power cord or even a bag of screws. It’s possible (though not bloody likely) that this place is shipping them with “some part”.
In the US probably yes, but it depends on your location. Here it is legal. Of course Microsoft hates it and one consequence of the decision was that special recovery versions which are tied to hardware by technical means became more common.
It may be legit, and typically (in most countries) the requirement is that OEM software is provided with a substantial piece of hardware or a system. In addition (as I have mentioned on this board a few times in OEM threads), the Manufacturer is responsible for all support of OEM products (OEM products do not include the box, the full manual or any support options).
For some folks, this is fine, however in this particular case, there’s a catch:
The paid support option through Microsoft that’s tied to the software is also tied to where it is purchased. In short, North American copies are supported in North AMerica, European copies are supported via Europe, part of this is language needs, some of it is coding differences in the product or based on the laws of that particular country or region.
So it is entirely possible you may get a very very cheap copy of Windows or Office that you have to call Europe for support issues (should you want phone support and not online support).
I found this website through our universal friend, Google. Just typed in some obvious words and up it popped.
XASH, I’m not sure if this site is legit, but it doesn’t sound it, after reading the posts above. I suppose I wouldn’t object to locking this thread, but the answers above are helpful in avoiding consumer and copyright fraud.
I wouldn’t TOTALLY discount the possibility that it could be ligitmate.
Microsoft got pushed into some stuff over here from the courts, and wound up having to sell what amounts to an OEM version of Windows XP and Office at prices lower than the normal versions.
The place I order from (when a customer needs MS stuff, I’m all Linux) calls this the System Builder version.
They sell Windows XP, Home Edition for 229 EUR for the full version and at 89 EUR for the System Builder version of Windows XP Home Edition. Win XP Professional will run you 142 as a SB version. They don’t apparently sell the Pro version as anything but System Builder.
XP Office Professional goes for 589 EUR as a full version whereas the SB version costs only 309 EUR.
The difference between Full version and System Builder version is that the SB has no manuals at all (like you get good manuals from MS anyway :rolleyes: ) and no support from Microsoft :rolleyes:
There is a distinct possibility that things ARE cheaper further east.
Still, though, 60 for XP and 80 for XP and Office seems rather extreme.
You don’t have to buy any computer parts with the System Builder stuff. Just the software. No piddling around with delivering a floppy drive or a bag of screws to get around some funky licensing.
Erk. Legitimate. Butter fingers.
Those prices aren’t really any better than buying US upgrade versions. The XP Home upgrade will run you about $100, the Pro upgrade a little under 200. (I’m assuming that anyone thinking about upgrading has at least an OEM version of an older Windows OS.) Office 2003 Pro (not quite a fair comparison) is 275. Again, same assumption.
How is that a cheap shot? I’ve never gotten a manual with a Microsoft OS (maybe because it’s always been upgrades, not full versions, or OEMs) and if they are being forced to create something by EU mandate, why would they support it? For that matter, I don’t think I’ve ever used MS support anyway.
Except that System Builder Versions do not require that you have a previous version.
I can cobble together a frankenstein’s monster PC from spare parts, format the HD, and install a System builder version LEGALLY. No playing tricks to fool the installer, and no installing an older version first.
I’ll check with Alternate and get prices for Office 2003 Basic instead of Pro. Alternate doesn’t offer Office 2003 Standard in a SB version.
The last time I actually tried to get help from Microsoft was about 10 years (or maybe more) ago. The company I worked for had bought a full version of Word 2.0, and we were having some trouble getting it to run under Win 3.11. MS support was very unhelpful. Since that time, we usually bought our software preinstalled as OEM versions so that the PC seller was responsible for support. We usually just hunted answers on the Internet rather than fooling with it.
The system builder is exactly the same as an OEM version, except that the EU mandates that it be available to every Tom, Dick, and Harry instead of just to manufacturers. You get the same deal as you would if you bought it (with a PC) from Dell or somebody.
Alternate only offers Office 2003 Professional and Small Business Edition as SB versions. SBE is only a little cheaper than Pro, so it isn’t worth the comparison.
Well, fair enough. I just made that assumption because I’ve always done a clean install, so I’ve formatted and repartitioned the HD before I go to install. I’ve never had to actually install an upgrade on top of an older OS. Bad, bad idea in my opinion. I just stick the CD in to prove to the installer that I really do have an earlier version when it asks me to, and then it installs the new OS just fine. I’ve done this about three times in the less than a year since I bought my upgrade to XP Pro (student pricing, so I got it for $100, but I intentionally left out those prices in my comparison). I use my OEM version of ME for it, but I could go looking in my house for a version of Windows all the way back to Win95 or 3 (or 3.1 or 3.11) if needed.
FYI, one of the Mods raked me over the coals a couple weeks ago when I used the PUTZ emoticon in response to CrazyCatLady. Let’s keep it civil in my thread, please.
