Stop Pirating Software

Here is advice for software manufacturers on how to reduce the number of illegal software downloads:

MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!

Wow...

I know... Revolutionary idea.

I'm sure the big wigs sitting in a boardroom somewhere might be real confused on the matter. "Uh, you mean, we make it available for purchase?"

"Dan, can you run this by the guys in distribution and see what kind of effect it might have?"



Dear lord.

So some backstory for you guys since most people reading so far will be thinking, "Uh oh, Boncho got into the holiday eggnog. Can't someone that lives with him find a durable lock for the liquor cabinets?!"

I am a Mac user. I made the switch this year because I was tired of the blue screen of death, tired of putting 6-10 hours into a sales data presentation only to see "program is not responding" and suddenly, excel or word or whatever I was using disappears off the screen and non of the backups actually backed up my work.

There is one finance program I really want to use but it isn't offered for Mac. So I need windows. I still have a laptop with windows, but I get frustrated using it. I have a minibook with Windows, but I get frustrated using it.

My solution was to purchase parallels, run Windows in my Mac environment. Easy enough right? I purchased parallels, then came time to purchase Windows. Well, now that Win 8 is being launched, the store (even though has a Win 7 box) say they will not sell Windows 7. They will sell Windows 8, but so far it's only an upgrade version.

I just want to buy a copy of Windows full version. 7 or 8 or 129. I don't care what edition it is, I only need it for one program!

So they tell me they can't sell me a copy of 7, and all the 8 versions are just upgrades. I search the online store for MSoft, and I can't find anywhere to buy a serial for Windows 7. And all I can see is a Win8 upgrade being sold on it.

Talk about frustrating.

The store I went to recommended me drive half way across town to another store to see if they still had 7 copies. I considered buying a small netbook, one of the few they still had with Windows 7 on it. Then, just taking the serials and reloading Win7 on my Parallel copy.

To be honest, the netbook with Win7 was almost the same cost as the standalone version of Win 7. Here is another sad note. I could actually buy a computer, for almost the same cost of the program. I didn't because it wasn't a full version of Windows, and they said it might be hard to find that version online for download.

This is really pathetic. Say I had done that, there are millions of unfortunate kids around the globe who need computers. Whether it be to help them learn, help them function, help them stay connected to family, etc. And here I am ready to throw a perfectly good computer in the garbage, just to get the OS codes with the system.

Are you serious?!

How is it in 2013, one of the largest software developers, one that has had a near monopoly on OS's over the past 20 years, make it so impossible to actually buy their product with money... There are so many other pieces of software I have purchased in the last year. Simply buy using my credit card, downloading it, and voila! I have it, and they have the MSRP in their bank account.

Someone on here might have a simple solution for me. And if you do it's much appreciated. But here is my qualm, I asked at least a half dozen people a solution for this, and they were stumped. Some who work for computer retail chains, some regular folk as well.

The main thing though, is it shouldn't be this hard!

Dear god, we have apps for nearly everything. I just want to buy a ______ piece of software, to run one application, and it's been over a week with no solution!

Ironically, if I asked someone who is involved with pirating software, they probably could have offered me a same-day solution. This is very, very sad.

Yeah, simple solution is, go to www.newegg.com and order a copy of win 7 OEM


Link to windows 7

reply to post by boncho


www.amazon.com...=mp_s_a_1?qid=1356890151&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

That would be my first port of call.

Alternatively you could use google and search "buy windows 7" and go into google shopping. Sorry to hear you are having an ordeal.

I understand your problem.
Fortunately you are one of he few people who do not actively use 'pirated' copies.

And regarding your problem,I would say dump Windows,OS X and try Linux(Ubuntu).It is opensource and has got millions of apps of every kind.

Ebay has about a thousand of them for sale...pricing all over the boards.

Des

ebay.

You can buy old copies of lots of stuff with active licenses.

Failing that (like if you want multiple copys) get in touch with a private IT provider that do whole sales to business, they often hold A LOT of old licenses for older software, as company's are usually very slow to upgrade to windows as fast (because they often run bespoke softwares that are extremely expensive and only run on specific windows platforms, call center software for example). Unlike the consumer market, which are forced to buy from laptop/desktop sellers, who have contracts with Microsoft to always have the latest versions preinstalled.

Most of these IT providing company's dont like to deal with anyone not in a business, but often will make exceptions to up their stats on a slow day

So I need windows. I still have a laptop with windows, but I get frustrated using it. I have a minibook with Windows, but I get frustrated using it.

Am I missing something? You'd rather spend money buying software you already have, but won't use because its on a Windows machine?
Do you not consider that to be just as wasteful as wanting to throw the machines out?
I don't get it. I probably won't get it.
I just don't see why you're cutting your nose off to spite your face. You've already got what you need...

I agree with previous poster. Linux is the way to go.

Ubuntu is good but my favourite at the mo is Linux Mint. Based on ubuntu but seems to run better for me.

Originally posted by eXia7
Yeah, simple solution is, go to www.newegg.com and order a copy of win 7 OEM


Link to windows 7

edit on 12/30/2012 by eXia7 because: (no reason given)

I have to wait for it in the mail right? I never get parcels either, so that will mean having to go pick it up in person...

0.o

If this is the final solution so be it. The point of the OP is that it shouldn't be this involved.


Not only that, but why bother with the packaging, with the wait, etc. I just need the serials.

Originally posted by scottlpool2003
reply to post by boncho

 

www.amazon.com...=mp_s_a_1?qid=1356890151&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

That would be my first port of call.

Alternatively you could use google and search "buy windows 7" and go into google shopping. Sorry to hear you are having an ordeal.

I am never around to get parcels in the mail. One of the reasons I didn't do that in the first place..

Originally posted by Lulzaroonie

So I need windows. I still have a laptop with windows, but I get frustrated using it. I have a minibook with Windows, but I get frustrated using it.

Am I missing something? You'd rather spend money buying software you already have, but won't use because its on a Windows machine?
Do you not consider that to be just as wasteful as wanting to throw the machines out?
I don't get it. I probably won't get it.
I just don't see why you're cutting your nose off to spite your face. You've already got what you need...

The serials on both windows laptops are rubbed off. Unless you can get the serials by looking them up in the system.

Can you do that?

I am not using either of the laptops, they are slow as hell.

Originally posted by svmpua
I understand your problem.
Fortunately you are one of he few people who do not actively use 'pirated' copies.

And regarding your problem,I would say dump Windows,OS X and try Linux(Ubuntu).It is opensource and has got millions of apps of every kind.

The one application I want to use, only works on windows as far as I know. You can run it with linux using Wine, but it is considered unstable. Given that it is for financial transactions, this isn't wise.

I think a lot of you responding are completely missing the fact that it should not be this hard to buy a copy of software. I don't even need the software, nor do I need the packaging. I need the serial only.

Why the hell MSoft does not sell serials is completely lost on me. Absolutely no packaging, distribution costs. All they have to do is give me a serial number, and I give them x amount of dollars.

Why is this hard to understand?

Heya Boncho. I have bit of advice... First though, I feel your pain and you're not alone. Your OP pretty well sums up my whole thinking for moving off Windows and giving it the proper place it's earned for a long time. My trash can. It'll take a whole semester ...but Linux.. Ahh.. open source.. like fresh air in a coal mine.

Having said my peace on that... Don't go to stores ..I mean formal retail outlets. MS orders them by the calendar day, when an old version will NOT be sold anymore and when the next one is all they will allow across their counters. The stores you talked to may have had a couple pallets of Win 7 sitting in the back...but they'd risk far far more than a single software sale is worth to cross the mighty Microsoft.

Find a Computer tech shop in your town. One of those places that does the stuff Best Buy's Geek Squad does ..but that's 100% ALL they do. The ones here in my town are just store fronts in strip malls and we have 3 of them for a fairly small city. That is where one finds the old timers who remember what an 8088 was without pulling up Wiki to look. lol.. They also tend to be human beings and I can tell you...without naming names for giants to squash them flat ....The best one here in town still has sealed OEM Windows XP full version disks with the virgin codes all nice and sitting there to buy, let alone Win 7. At least they did when I was in there a short while back for something.

Originally posted by svmpua
And regarding your problem,I would say dump Windows,OS X and try Linux(Ubuntu).It is opensource and has got millions of apps of every kind.

exactly. linux mods are not your fathers linux. they have a very close user friendly gui interface and you don't have to install anything you can run a live disc or usb flash drive and when you find one you really like you can install if you want.

there's tons of linux distros and mods. the best place to look around is..

distrowatch.com...

Well, I won't give you a link to buy Win 7, since that's taken care of now. But I must say, I see these posts about people having all these problems with "Windoze", and honestly, it just blows my mind. I have little, if any, problems with Windows. And trust me, I use it daily. I have put it through its paces on many occasions doing things with it you aren't supposed to be able to do. Windows works for me. It always has. I hated Vista, but it worked. Didn't care a lot for XP either, but it worked. What am I doing wrong?

Possibly, the difference between myself and those that have problems could be a combination of things. The big thing though, is I never go cheap on my hardware. I always buy more power and resources than I need to get the job done. Want Windows, or any other OS to run stellar? Feed them. Give them the resources they need to do the job you want them to do. And part of that is also keeping a clean, and well maintained system.

On the other hand, and on topic: They want you to have a hard time buying older versions of Windows. MS has always been this way. They want you to move when they tell you to. Which is a load of crap. And I'm glad consumers are fighting back this time around. Though not hard enough.

Good luck boncho. A good rant.

reply to post by boncho



buy a large and fast usb hardrive or ssd

find somebody who has windows 8 enterprise

and have them create you a windows to go

you'll be able to boot your mac or any other win7/win8 capable computer from the disk
and still have/keep your programs, settings, files etc from computer to computer

posted from my [self installed] windows 8 enterprise 64-bit
windows 8 to go 250GB USB HDD
buhaha!

windows is so big and can literally offer a developer, programmer, coder.. etc.. any amount of money they want but i have no clue why someone hasn't taken an initiative and created other operating systems by now.

if you think about it, it's kinda scary. who is blocking this from happening? because we all know how much MS is universally reviled by "the elite community", they're always finding exploits and attacking them but sadly MS users are the victims.

linux and all the mods are awesome but there's tons of people still scared to death of the word "linux". anyone reading this i urge you to try one of the linux operating systems.. you don't have to install anything, download one you like then on the website you'll find directions on how to make a "live cd" or "live usb flash drive" and you can run the entire operating system from either of them.

at the very least stop using "Internet Explorer" it'll be a huge help in not getting viruses or having your information stolen.. 1 browser i highly recommend is..

Dragon Internet Browser

..very secure and they offer a firefox based version and chrome version and it's entirely free.

Explanation: Uhmmm?

I may just be jerking your chain ... but windows has NEVER been for sale ... ONLY LEASE!

Personal Disclosure:

I have a couple of things to say on this. First of all, there is a program you can use to get the serial number from your existing Windows installation. I've never used it myself, but it looks fairly simple to use. You can download it and find instructions at this website: ProduKey. As far as I know, this program is free, and if some reason it doesn't work, it seems that there must be other programs that do something similar. Also, you may want to consider using Boot Camp instead of Parallels. It comes with the Mac OS and allows you to install windows on a separate partition. I'm actually writing this on a Windows XP partition now, and it works fine for the most part. The only problems I've had are related to Apple's drivers for the trackpad, which are extremely sensitive and can really make things a pain in the ass if you're not used to it. I doubt it would be any better with Parallels, though.

It is rather odd that Microsoft's online store only lists shipping as the only delivery option; when I set up Windows 7 on my friend's Mac in 2011, we were able to order online and immediately receive the product key. There were multiple download options, and I don't know why that's gone. I agree that the lack of flexibility is rather ridiculous. Many people really only need another license, and it seems like a huge waste and inconvenience for both sides of the interaction to only offer a physical copy. In any case, though, try to get your serial from your existing installation first, and if that doesn't work, you can always call Microsoft's sales line, explain your situation, and see if there are any other options they can offer you.

Regarding the stability of Windows itself, I agree with the earlier poster. I often hear about people switching to Mac after becoming fed up with various problems with Windows, but honestly, unless there is something wrong with your installation or configuration, and as long as you have anti-virus/anti-malware software installed, you really shouldn't be having that many problems. I've had very few problems with Windows XP and Windows 7, and usually when something does go wrong, it's because I've done something stupid or installed something I shouldn't have. Almost every time I see a friend's Windows computer that is having significant problems, it's because they are either running the system with the installation it shipped with, complete with tons of unnecessary bloatware and other crap, or they have simply allowed a bunch of stuff to accumulate through indiscriminate downloading and allowing programs to install toolbars and other nonsense like that (and of course, viruses as well). A fresh, clean installation (provided you can get your serial number) would likely do wonders to speed up your older computers and eliminate many problems that you were having before.

(On a side note, Internet Explorer really is terrible software, and nobody should be using it. Anyone using it would be saving themself a lot of trouble and making web developers very happy by switching to almost anything else, but that's a completely separate rant.)