Multiple Copies Of 7: Cheapest Way?

[(PeteCresswell)]

I'm thinking about converting a half-dozen personal-use PCs from
XP Pro to Windows 7 Pro. (although my choice of Windows 7 Pro vs
the many other versions is based on nothing except the sound of
name....)

Looks like a single license is about $75-85.

Is there a cheaper way than multiple single licenses?

An MSDN subscription?

Something else?

 

[VanguardLH]

I'm thinking about converting a half-dozen personal-use PCs from
XP Pro to Windows 7 Pro. (although my choice of Windows 7 Pro vs
the many other versions is based on nothing except the sound of
name....)

Looks like a single license is about $75-85.

Is there a cheaper way than multiple single licenses?

An MSDN subscription?

Something else?

And would that be the retail or OEM/systemBuilder version? Are you
willing to install a license and have it permanently stick to a
particular host so you can pay less for the OEM version, or do you want
the ability to later move that license to another host which means
paying more for the retail version?

Volume licensing.
The smallest volume pack is 5 licenses.
Volume licenses must be distributed within the same organization. They
are not to be purchased and then sliced off for separate sale or
distribution to other entities. That means if the 6 hosts you have are
all in the same company then volume licensing will work but if they are
all separate clients then you can't use a volume license and instead
have to get a separate license for each client. You "converting a half-
dozen personal-use PCs" doesn't say if they are all yours or all within
your family or if you'll be using those licenses with separate users
that are not part of some encompassing "organization".

At newegg.com, you can get a 3-pack OEM version fo $400 which is all of
$20 cheaper than then getting 3 individual OEM versions. So for a
one-time installation involving just 6 hosts, it may not be worth
getting the 3-pack version.

MSDN subscriptions:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/buy.aspx

An MSDN subscription will start you at around $700. You think that is a
good-value purchase for just 6 licenses of Windows 7 that alone would
cost $400? Like volume licenses, all installations from an MSDN license
are to be distributed within the same organization that has the MSDN
subscription.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006ZWQIVC...e=asn&creative=395129&creativeASIN=B006ZWQIVC

This lists Windows 7 Pro for $90 but there's no mention if you're
getting an OEM or retail version, just that no retail packaging is
included. No experience with the selling source or this style of
product. Buy at your own risk.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per VanguardLH:

MSDN subscriptions:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/buy.aspx

An MSDN subscription will start you at around $700. You think that is a
good-value purchase for just 6 licenses of Windows 7 that alone would
cost $400? Like volume licenses, all installations from an MSDN license
are to be distributed within the same organization that has the MSDN
subscription.

Actually, I'm partial to the MSDN route because I like to fool
around and I'm assuming it includes a *lot* of stuff in terms of
development environments and servers as well as MS Office.

I've had MSDN a couple of times in the past - waaaaay back when
they shipped a pile of DVDs and then sent periodic update DVDs.

But I've lost touch with the terms/contents of today's versions -
although I realize that everything gets downloaded by the user.

Sounds like it's either retail copies or MSDN for my particular
situation. (all the PCs are in the family - albeit not under the
same roof)

 

[charlie]

Per VanguardLH:

Actually, I'm partial to the MSDN route because I like to fool
around and I'm assuming it includes a *lot* of stuff in terms of
development environments and servers as well as MS Office.

I've had MSDN a couple of times in the past - waaaaay back when
they shipped a pile of DVDs and then sent periodic update DVDs.

But I've lost touch with the terms/contents of today's versions -
although I realize that everything gets downloaded by the user.

Sounds like it's either retail copies or MSDN for my particular
situation. (all the PCs are in the family - albeit not under the
same roof)

MS does have a "Partner" program you might want to look into.
It can include Technet software access.

 

[Char Jackson]

Sounds like it's either retail copies or MSDN for my particular
situation. (all the PCs are in the family - albeit not under the
same roof)

When you say retail, do you really mean retail or do you mean upgrade?
The upgrade versions are quite a bit less expensive, I believe.

 

[VanguardLH]

Per VanguardLH:

Actually, I'm partial to the MSDN route because I like to fool
around and I'm assuming it includes a *lot* of stuff in terms of
development environments and servers as well as MS Office.

If you look at the MSDN subscription page to which I linked, you'll see
that you only get the operating systems in the $700 package. The
toolkits, SDKs, and driver kits are available separately as free
downloads. Yeah, they're included in the OS-only MSDN subscription but
they also available separately and are free.

Sounds like it's either retail copies or MSDN for my particular
situation. (all the PCs are in the family - albeit not under the
same roof)

For 6 family hosts, getting two 3-pack OEM products at newegg for $400
each (for $800 total) would be more expensive than the MSDN OS-only
subscription at $700 (for the first year; renewals cost $500). You get
to continue using the software after the subscription expires (i.e., you
only buy the subscription for 1 year and then drop it); however, read
below on the conditions under which you are permitted to use the
software provided with that subscription!

MSDN subscriptions are used by those that develop and demonstrate their
software using Microsoft's products. It is for use in test environments
on development hosts. It is NOT supposed to be used for production
hosts (which what your family members have). When a software
development company buys an MSDN license that's because they are
producing software that uses those Microsoft products. They ARE a
software developer. A company that merely wants to provide Windows
workstations to their employees do NOT buy an MSDN license (since they
aren't developers) but have to buy a *volume* license.

Read:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/cc150618.aspx

If everyone in your family are programmers and are producing programs
that operate using Microsoft's products then the MSDN subscription will
work. I really doubt that's what your family does.

MSDN = MicroSoft *DEVELOPER* Network

Are all your family members actually developers producing, distributing,
and possible selling MS-based programs? Your family doesn't qualify for
MSDN licensing. It appears that not even you qualify for it.

 

[VanguardLH]

MS does have a "Partner" program you might want to look into.
It can include Technet software access.

Microsoft Partner Program is now the Microsoft Partner Network.
https://partner.microsoft.com/download/US/40141173
(this is a .docx file download)

For what Pete wants, he, his family, and other end users don't qualify
as a partner.

What requirements must I meet?
https://partner.microsoft.com/40109866#4

Pete and his family don't qualify for an MSDN subscription, either.
These programs are for real partners and real programmers, not end users
looking for some alternate avenue to volume licensing.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per VanguardLH:

It appears that not even you qualify for it.

I produce, but do not license or distribute.

I'm just a lowly contract developer.

 

[R. C. White]

"Char Jackson" wrote in message

Sounds like it's either retail copies or MSDN for my particular
situation. (all the PCs are in the family - albeit not under the
same roof)

When you say retail, do you really mean retail or do you mean upgrade?
The upgrade versions are quite a bit less expensive, I believe.

--

Char Jackson


Hi, Char.

There are "upgrade" and "full" retail packages. The actual bits on the DVDs
are the same, but the "upgrade" retail package is less expensive because its
Setup.exe checks for a qualifying version of Windows already installed and
activated on the computer before continuing with the installation. (Yes,
there are well-known ways to thwart that restriction, but the difference
between the full and upgrade DVDs does exist - hence the price difference.)

In this case, the distinction is between "full" and "upgrade", not between
"retail" and OEM.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3538.0513) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1

 

[ray]

I'm thinking about converting a half-dozen personal-use PCs from XP Pro
to Windows 7 Pro. (although my choice of Windows 7 Pro vs the many
other versions is based on nothing except the sound of name....)

Looks like a single license is about $75-85.

Is there a cheaper way than multiple single licenses?

An MSDN subscription?

Something else?

No offense here, and yes, I realize it's not what you asked about - but
have you even considered trying a free Linux distribution on any of those
computers?

 

[Dominique]

There are "upgrade" and "full" retail packages. The actual bits on the DVDs
are the same, but the "upgrade" retail package is less expensive because its
Setup.exe checks for a qualifying version of Windows already installed and
activated on the computer before continuing with the installation.

I don't think it checks for activation because if you use the "upgrade over
itself" method on empty hard disk with upgrade DVD, you don't enter key,
don't get updates and don't activate the first installation, you do so when
you "upgrade" it with itself and the first installation will qualify even
if not activated.

 

[Ken Blake]

When you say retail, do you really mean retail or do you mean upgrade?

A clarification, if I may.

There are two kinds of retail versions: Full and Upgrade. So an
Upgrade *is* a retail version

The upgrade versions are quite a bit less expensive, I believe.

Yes, they are.

 

[Char Jackson]

A clarification, if I may.

There are two kinds of retail versions: Full and Upgrade. So an
Upgrade *is* a retail version

I see what you and R.C. are saying, but I don't see it that way.
Thanks for the clarification, though.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per ray:

No offense here, and yes, I realize it's not what you asked about - but
have you even considered trying a free Linux distribution on any of those
computers?

Way back when I was groping around trying to build myself a
Tivo-On-Steroids, I tried Ubuntu and something called "MythTV".

To make a long story short, it was like having a second job - but
the pay was really bad.

After putting in enough hours that, if I had worked at McDonald's
I could have earned enough for ten Tivos and at least two
sixty-inch plasma TVs, I dumped Myth in favor of now-defunct
SageTV on Windows Home Server box and never looked back.

From what little I know, I would say that Linux definitely has a
role - especially for a box where all somebody does is email, web
browsing, and whatever can be done in Open Office.... and they
have somebody to call if there's a problem.

But I make my living developing for the MS Office Suite - and the
older I get, the fewer brain cells I have to spare... so I
gravitate towards Windows.

I'm one of those who said the wouldn't leave XP until dragged
kicking and screaming....

The reason I'm toying with the notion of going from XP to 7 now
is that the rumor mill is saying that my main customer will make
the move sometime in the next year or so - and since I'll have to
migrate eventually anyhow, it seems like maybe life would be a
little simpler with one OS all around.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Per ray:

Way back when I was groping around trying to build myself a
Tivo-On-Steroids, I tried Ubuntu and something called "MythTV".

To make a long story short, it was like having a second job - but
the pay was really bad.

After putting in enough hours that, if I had worked at McDonald's
I could have earned enough for ten Tivos and at least two
sixty-inch plasma TVs, I dumped Myth in favor of now-defunct
SageTV on Windows Home Server box and never looked back.

From what little I know, I would say that Linux definitely has a
role - especially for a box where all somebody does is email, web
browsing, and whatever can be done in Open Office.... and they
have somebody to call if there's a problem.

But I make my living developing for the MS Office Suite - and the
older I get, the fewer brain cells I have to spare... so I
gravitate towards Windows.

I'm one of those who said the wouldn't leave XP until dragged
kicking and screaming....

The reason I'm toying with the notion of going from XP to 7 now
is that the rumor mill is saying that my main customer will make
the move sometime in the next year or so - and since I'll have to
migrate eventually anyhow, it seems like maybe life would be a
little simpler with one OS all around.

It's also not a bad idea to be ahead of your client on the learning
curve