Buying XP Pro - Need help on changes since product started sold

[young@and.restless]

I want to buy Microsoft XP Pro Full Retail Professional Version.

I see plenty available on EBay, Priceline, etc, but I want to be sure
that the copy I buy is CURRENT so that I do not have to
download/install service packs and whatevere else.

So I guess I am asking what do I need to know to be clear on what
constitutes 'CURRENT', and if and where I can buy such an animal.

Maybe even some advice on what to avoid?

These might be stupid questions - I hope not.

Thanks

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There really isn't any such thing as a "current" installation CD.
Operating System installation CDs are not constantly redesigned and
remanufactured to add each and every service pack and/or hot fix.
Those CDs pressed since the public release of Service Pack 1 are
likely to contain that the service pack, but certainly won't have the
dozens of subsequent hot fixes. And even these CDs were identified
only on the CD itself, not on the external packaging.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


> wrote in message
...
> I want to buy Microsoft XP Pro Full Retail Professional Version.
>
> I see plenty available on EBay, Priceline, etc, but I want to be
sure
> that the copy I buy is CURRENT so that I do not have to
> download/install service packs and whatevere else.
>
> So I guess I am asking what do I need to know to be clear on what
> constitutes 'CURRENT', and if and where I can buy such an animal.
>
> Maybe even some advice on what to avoid?
>
> These might be stupid questions - I hope not.
>
> Thanks

[Ken Blake]

In ,
wrote:

> I want to buy Microsoft XP Pro Full Retail Professional
Version.
>
> I see plenty available on EBay, Priceline, etc, but I want to
be sure
> that the copy I buy is CURRENT so that I do not have to
> download/install service packs and whatevere else.
>
> So I guess I am asking what do I need to know to be clear on
what
> constitutes 'CURRENT', and if and where I can buy such an
animal.
>
> Maybe even some advice on what to avoid?
>
> These might be stupid questions - I hope not.


Probably the best you could do would be to buy one with SP1
already on it. Later hotfixes wouldn't be on the CD, and would
have to be downloaded. And although it's likely by now that most
CDs will come with SP1, it's almost impossible to know for sure.

Also realize that even if you could find a CD with *all* known
hotfixes on it when you ordered it (which doesn't exist), by the
time you got it there could well be new hotfixes available.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

[young@and.restless]

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 15:42:25 -0700, "Ken Blake"
>
>Probably the best you could do would be to buy one with SP1
>already on it. Later hotfixes wouldn't be on the CD, and would
>have to be downloaded. And although it's likely by now that most
>CDs will come with SP1, it's almost impossible to know for sure.
>
>Also realize that even if you could find a CD with *all* known
>hotfixes on it when you ordered it (which doesn't exist), by the
>time you got it there could well be new hotfixes available.


Well now - ain't this a nice can of worms. I guess this is why I
couldn't find a Microsoft phone # to ask the same questions.
Is MS just punching these things out, leaving fixes and corrections
to others? Nice way to make money I would say. As time goes on
fixes etc could get horrendous if I believe all that i read.

Thanks for your helps. NIce to know I have to spend $300 on a hope.

young

[Ken Blake]

In ,
wrote:

> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 15:42:25 -0700, "Ken Blake"
>>
>> Probably the best you could do would be to buy one with SP1
>> already on it. Later hotfixes wouldn't be on the CD, and would
>> have to be downloaded. And although it's likely by now that
most
>> CDs will come with SP1, it's almost impossible to know for
sure.
>>
>> Also realize that even if you could find a CD with *all* known
>> hotfixes on it when you ordered it (which doesn't exist), by
the
>> time you got it there could well be new hotfixes available.
>
>
> Well now - ain't this a nice can of worms. I guess this is why
I
> couldn't find a Microsoft phone # to ask the same questions.
> Is MS just punching these things out, leaving fixes and
corrections
> to others? Nice way to make money I would say. As time goes on
> fixes etc could get horrendous if I believe all that i read.



*Everybody* who sells software on CDs necessarily does the same
thing. You press CDs today, they arrive at the retailers next
week, and by the time somebody buys them, there may be new fixes
available.

I don't what anyone could do that's any better, short of making
the software absolutely perfect in the first place, so it never
needs fixes. And that's simply not realistic.


--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Please let us know when you've developed an operating system that
never requires patches, or have found a way to add patches to the
hundreds of thousands of CDs already sitting on thousands of store
shelves. You really don't have a very strong grip on reality, do you?

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


> wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 15:42:25 -0700, "Ken Blake"
>
>
> Well now - ain't this a nice can of worms. I guess this is why I
> couldn't find a Microsoft phone # to ask the same questions.
> Is MS just punching these things out, leaving fixes and corrections
> to others? Nice way to make money I would say. As time goes on
> fixes etc could get horrendous if I believe all that i read.
>
> Thanks for your helps. NIce to know I have to spend $300 on a hope.
>
> young

[young@and.restless]

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 21:56:40 -0600, "Bruce Chambers"
> wrote:

>Greetings --
>
> Please let us know when you've developed an operating system that
>never requires patches, or have found a way to add patches to the
>hundreds of thousands of CDs already sitting on thousands of store
>shelves. You really don't have a very strong grip on reality, do you?
>
>Bruce Chambers

I agree - but why doesn't MS simply stop making the original CDs and
replace them with ones with the fixes maybe once a year or whatever?
You know - release 1, release2, and so on. I know this leave MS stuck
with the 'obsolete' CDs, but then that's what they are aren't they?

Y

[Rob Schneider]

wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 21:56:40 -0600, "Bruce Chambers"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Greetings --
>>
>> Please let us know when you've developed an operating system that
>>never requires patches, or have found a way to add patches to the
>>hundreds of thousands of CDs already sitting on thousands of store
>>shelves. You really don't have a very strong grip on reality, do you?
>>
>>Bruce Chambers
>
>
> I agree - but why doesn't MS simply stop making the original CDs and
> replace them with ones with the fixes maybe once a year or whatever?
> You know - release 1, release2, and so on. I know this leave MS stuck
> with the 'obsolete' CDs, but then that's what they are aren't they?
>
> Y
>

they do.

[David Candy]

Don't install any of the patches. They only fix theoretical problems not =
actual. I don't so I don't crash. Those who foolishly install crap end =
up with a non working computer.

--=20
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/webdiary/index.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
David Candy
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros
---------------------------------------------------------------
> wrote in message =
...
> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 15:42:25 -0700, "Ken Blake"=20
> >
> >Probably the best you could do would be to buy one with SP1
> >already on it. Later hotfixes wouldn't be on the CD, and would
> >have to be downloaded. And although it's likely by now that most
> >CDs will come with SP1, it's almost impossible to know for sure.
> >
> >Also realize that even if you could find a CD with *all* known
> >hotfixes on it when you ordered it (which doesn't exist), by the
> >time you got it there could well be new hotfixes available.
>=20
>=20
> Well now - ain't this a nice can of worms. I guess this is why I
> couldn't find a Microsoft phone # to ask the same questions.
> Is MS just punching these things out, leaving fixes and corrections
> to others? Nice way to make money I would say. As time goes on
> fixes etc could get horrendous if I believe all that i read.
>=20
> Thanks for your helps. NIce to know I have to spend $300 on a hope.
>=20
> young

[young@and.restless]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 12:25:36 +0100, Rob Schneider
> wrote:

>> I agree - but why doesn't MS simply stop making the original CDs and
>> replace them with ones with the fixes maybe once a year or whatever?
>> You know - release 1, release2, and so on. I know this leave MS stuck
>> with the 'obsolete' CDs, but then that's what they are aren't they?
>>
>> Y
>>
>
>they do.


Okay - I'll table this line of discussion.

I see a few Windows XPs for sale on EBay that are supposed to be FULL
RETAIL PROFESSIONAL.EVEN UNOPENED for some $100 cheaper than what it
sells for at dealers. Is it worth taking a chance in order to save
the bucks? Can they pull a fast one?

Thanks

Young

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Check the ratings and reviews of the sellers very carefully.
There are a lot of people selling pirated OEM versions and other crap
via eBay. Software is one of the things I won't buy on there.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


> wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 12:25:36 +0100, Rob Schneider
> > wrote:
>
> >> I agree - but why doesn't MS simply stop making the original CDs
and
> >> replace them with ones with the fixes maybe once a year or
whatever?
> >> You know - release 1, release2, and so on. I know this leave MS
stuck
> >> with the 'obsolete' CDs, but then that's what they are aren't
they?
> >>
> >> Y
> >>
> >
> >they do.
>
>
> Okay - I'll table this line of discussion.
>
> I see a few Windows XPs for sale on EBay that are supposed to be
FULL
> RETAIL PROFESSIONAL.EVEN UNOPENED for some $100 cheaper than what it
> sells for at dealers. Is it worth taking a chance in order to save
> the bucks? Can they pull a fast one?
>
> Thanks
>
> Young

[Ken Blake]

In ,
wrote:


> I see a few Windows XPs for sale on EBay that are supposed to
be FULL
> RETAIL PROFESSIONAL.EVEN UNOPENED for some $100 cheaper than
what it
> sells for at dealers. Is it worth taking a chance in order to
save
> the bucks? Can they pull a fast one?


Any time you see that big a price discrepancy, something has to
be wrong. My guess is that they are either OEM copies (despite
what it says) or pirated copies.

I wouldn't take the chance.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

[young@and.restless]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 10:21:45 -0700, "Ken Blake"
> wrote:

>Any time you see that big a price discrepancy, something has to
>be wrong. My guess is that they are either OEM copies (despite
>what it says) or pirated copies.
>
>I wouldn't take the chance.


I fear the same - Besides I don't like PayPal.

Thanks

Young

[young@and.restless]

Does this sound like a really good deal - legitimate?

Microsoft Windows XP Pro , Full Version - Retail Box. In Stock ! Same
as E85-00086

(Part - E85-01011)

at:

http://store.yahoo.com/geminicomputersinc/winxpprof.html

Gemini Computers, Inc.
Info...

888-9-GEMINI

It says it is is full retail version, professional version. What is
the difference between Part - E85-01011 and E85-00086. I seee both
all over the place.

young

[Donald Link]

Again the person that replied to your first post was right! "You really do
not have a strong grip on reality".



> wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 21:56:40 -0600, "Bruce Chambers"
> > wrote:
>
> >Greetings --
> >
> > Please let us know when you've developed an operating system that
> >never requires patches, or have found a way to add patches to the
> >hundreds of thousands of CDs already sitting on thousands of store
> >shelves. You really don't have a very strong grip on reality, do you?
> >
> >Bruce Chambers
>
> I agree - but why doesn't MS simply stop making the original CDs and
> replace them with ones with the fixes maybe once a year or whatever?
> You know - release 1, release2, and so on. I know this leave MS stuck
> with the 'obsolete' CDs, but then that's what they are aren't they?
>
> Y
>