Can I display Windows XP in my store as a demo?

[techs]

I will be honest, I didn't read the license agreement and if I did I problably wouldn't understand it. So, can I slap it on one of my demonstration computers in my shop and let the customers play on it?
Also, I have windows xp professional, will there be a standard or is this the one they intend to ship on consumer pc's?

[JazzBass]

I'll help you on your 2nd question,
There will be two versions of Windows XP for desktops.

1. Professional - Supposed to replace Windows NT, 2000. Used for business

2. Home - Supposed to replace Win 9x for home PCs

Hope that helps,
JazzBass

[DVader]

Provided that your Windows XP is not pirated, I'd say you could install it on your shop computer. I'd even have the XP Tour running on it as well.
Heck, Micro$oft would probably be happy at the free advertising you would be doing for them.

[bob_moquin]

Not to be long winded or a know it all, but I've beta tested several beta versions of XP Pro. My advice is to run as fast and as far from it as you can!!! First off when you install it, it will only boot 50 times. The 51st time you have to call Microsoft. They inturn guide you in a DOS mode and you read to them through DOS the serial numbers of several of your components such as the serial number of your hard-drive, CD Rom, motherboard, CPU and such, as well as the key code that came with you copy of Windows XP. They then give you an other code number for you to type in, that will allow your computer to run for 18 months. At the 18 month time your computer will again shut down. At this point you now have to call Microsoft on a 900 number to the tune of $150.00 I understand, for another code that will get you another 18 months of use. The other option after the first 18 months is to go out and buy Microsoft's newest and greatest operating system that is on sale at that time. This is Uncle Bill's new and improved licencing policy. Now as far as the reading of those serial numbers that I had mentioned, that is because Microsoft enters them into a main computer and that computer is what comes up with the code that they give you to type in to reclaim your machine on that 51st boot-up. This is what stops you from putting the same OS into more than one computer (Pirating). One other great feature to this new and improved anti-pirating/activation coding, if you legitly install XP on your computer and then up-grade or change three or more major component, like maybe a faster motherboard, CD-ROM to a DVD/CD-ROM, and say maybe a faster CPU to go with that faster mother-board, now the computer will shut down after 50 boots of these new improvements as the Operating System now sees it as a different computer. So you again are on the phone to microsoft and now you have to convince them that this is still the same computer owned by the same person so you can get a new code to let your computer run for remainder of that 18 months. Good luck!! Not to mention, on the machines that I did test XP in, all would not run all of the programs that was in the computer before the installation, such as pager activation programs, cash register programs and such. Stick with 98 SE. It's the best thing that ever come out of Microsoft. By the way, this is also the biggest reason that large companies and governments are taking a real close look at open source software, and the reason why Bill Gate is bashing open source. Take the time and read up on the daily computer news posted every day on the openning page of windrivers.

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The day I stop learning, is the day I stop breathing!

[Cobra]

Bob, you must not be talking about the same version of Windows XP I have. I'm on XP Pro OEM right now and it's great. The activation process is totally painless and all this talk of it flipping out if you change any hardware at all is just plain, utter BS. There are 4 components that it assigns a unique ID from - the hard drive, the CPU, the motherboard & the memory. In a span of 8 months, you can change up to 3 components once, or one component 3 times. More than that, you simply have to call M$ to re-activate it. There is no additional fee, it just involves taking a bit of time to talk to someone with a pulse to verify that you do own a valid license for the software. XP could care less about the CD-ROM, the modem, the video card, etc...it's just those four components that it monitors.

I admit, XP is a bit heavy on the eye candy, but to be honest, I actually see better memory management with the Luna desktop enabled, and it's not anywhere near as visually offensive in the silvers scheme.

It appears to be more backward compatible than 2K pro is, and just about as stable. Just wanted to point out that XP isn't the monster everyone is making it out to be.

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Yes this is THE Cobra....

LET THE PANTIES HIT THE FLOOR!

[This message has been edited by Cobra (edited September 13, 2001).]

[Darren Wilson]

WTF Bob?????

Where did you find this crap out???

I am in agreement with Cobra here, as this system here which is running XP has been booted a lot more the 50 times & I haven't had to call Microsoft once (yes it is the real deal and not a beta). You will find that if you do not activate your installation within 14 days that you will then need to cal MS to activate it.

Oh and btw I have changed the hardware in this machine all around as well and basically it is fine until you change the NETWORK CARD!!!!!!!!!! I must have made at least 15 changes before I changed the NIC then it asked me to re-activate.

Oh Bob, I have been testing XP (along with Cobra and JvaGuy) since the first Beta release and have been through EVERY available build (even though I hated it with a passion until RC2) that ahs been made available on the Beta test site, but I will be the first to admit, that I was wrong with my first impressions on it.

I wil also agree with Cobra as well regardig the memory management and Luna desktop. Good call sir and You know that we have been discussing these features off board.

XP eats HDD space but is no more memory hungry than 2K really. I haven't noticed a increase or decrease in performance (that has not bee driver related obviously) on this machine over Win2K SP2, and I believe that MS may have actually got this one right, although it pains me to say this.

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Yes it is the real deal
Let the Boobies hit the floor

[This message has been edited by Darren Wilson (edited September 13, 2001).]

[derrick]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by Cobra:
Bob, you must not be talking about the same version of Windows XP I have. I'm on XP Pro OEM right now and it's great. The activation process is totally painless and all this talk of it flipping out if you change any hardware at all is just plain, utter BS. There are 4 components that it assigns a unique ID from - the hard drive, the CPU, the motherboard & the memory. In a span of 8 months, you can change up to 3 components once, or one component 3 times. More than that, you simply have to call M$ to re-activate it. There is no additional fee, it just involves taking a bit of time to talk to someone with a pulse to verify that you do own a valid license for the software. XP could care less about the CD-ROM, the modem, the video card, etc...it's just those four components that it monitors.

I admit, XP is a bit heavy on the eye candy, but to be honest, I actually see better memory management with the Luna desktop enabled, and it's not anywhere near as visually offensive in the silvers scheme.

It appears to be more backward compatible than 2K pro is, and just about as stable. Just wanted to point out that XP isn't the monster everyone is making it out to be.

</font>

Well the thing is, I change my hardware out all the time at least 5 times a month. Install reinstall etc. So this activation crap is crap


This is one reason why a tech like me would never goto XP. It is fast and Nice (kinda, still has a ugly GUI) but for the activation and serial junkl sorry ill pass, plus win 2000 has only been out for 1 year, comming to one year. I injoy that for a windows OS, when in a Microsoft Platform.

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Stop bustin my chops!
Ill do it!

[Cobra]

Derrick, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I'll have to respectfully disagree here. As a Tech, XP is going to make my life infinitely easier. I will be able to use remote desktop to fix the simple problems on customer's machines without having to leave the shop. M$ has dumbed everything down, so I won't get stupid questions like "How do I make a CD"?

And from a usage standpoint, I agree that 2K is great, but XP has support for pretty much everything 2K does and then some. The backwards compatibility is excellent, and at no real expense to the overall stability of the OS. Everyone who says XP is just 2K with more eyecandy obviously hasn't dug deep enough into the OS to discover some of its secrets.

As for the activation thing, I admint, I don't like it. It is easily beaten (not saying how) and it's not going to stop piracy in any way, so I think MS is wasting their time with it. If you are changing your hardware 5 times a month like you say, then no, you probably don't want to put up with the activation process. But I'm happy with what I've got hardware wise, and I usually only change hardware around 2 or 3 times a year, so the activation doesn't hinder me.

Once again, I think MS has done a great job with XP, as much as it pains me to say it.

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Yes this is THE Cobra....

LET THE PANTIES HIT THE FLOOR!

[derrick]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by Cobra:
Derrick, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I'll have to respectfully disagree here. As a Tech, XP is going to make my life infinitely easier. I will be able to use remote desktop to fix the simple problems on customer's machines without having to leave the shop. M$ has dumbed everything down, so I won't get stupid questions like "How do I make a CD"?

And from a usage standpoint, I agree that 2K is great, but XP has support for pretty much everything 2K does and then some. The backwards compatibility is excellent, and at no real expense to the overall stability of the OS. Everyone who says XP is just 2K with more eyecandy obviously hasn't dug deep enough into the OS to discover some of its secrets.

As for the activation thing, I admint, I don't like it. It is easily beaten (not saying how) and it's not going to stop piracy in any way, so I think MS is wasting their time with it. If you are changing your hardware 5 times a month like you say, then no, you probably don't want to put up with the activation process. But I'm happy with what I've got hardware wise, and I usually only change hardware around 2 or 3 times a year, so the activation doesn't hinder me.

Once again, I think MS has done a great job with XP, as much as it pains me to say it.

</font>

I agree but the only thing stoping me is the activation. That's all, if Xp was license like windows 2k or 98, sure ill have no problem running XP. The features in it are very nice makes it eaiser for tech to help a customer and also more options thatn any other Windows platform. But the day the activation is gone is the day ill run it. (From past experiance talking with microsoft over the phone I dont want to do this every month)


------------------
Stop bustin my chops!
Ill do it!

[condor]

like Darren said Windows XP was pretty bad up to RC2. I got my final and I have to ssay it's pretty impressive. I still hate the eye candy but that can be quickly disabled and the system seems to be pretty stable.

as for activation - I have mixed feelings about it. I reinstall a lot and would hate to call M$ every time - basically I do not find any thing better from Win2k Sp2 so I'm not gonna upgrade anytime soon.

but for home users that want something other than the BSODs of ME, windows XP will be a good solution.

------------------
Main Entry: Cal·i·for·nia condor (noun), circa 1889
Etymology: California, state of U.S.
A large nearly extinct vulture (Gymnogyps californianus) found most recently in the mountains of southern California that is related to the condor of So. America

[Mogul]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by bob_moquin:
Not to be long winded or a know it all, but I've beta tested several beta versions of XP Pro. My advice is to run as fast and as far from it as you can!!! First off when you install it, it will only boot 50 times. The 51st time you have to call Microsoft. They inturn guide you in a DOS mode and you read to them through DOS the serial numbers of several of your components such as the serial number of your hard-drive, CD Rom, motherboard, CPU and such, as well as the key code that came with you copy of Windows XP. They then give you an other code number for you to type in, that will allow your computer to run for 18 months. At the 18 month time your computer will again shut down. At this point you now have to call Microsoft on a 900 number to the tune of $150.00 I understand, for another code that will get you another 18 months of use. The other option after the first 18 months is to go out and buy Microsoft's newest and greatest operating system that is on sale at that time. This is Uncle Bill's new and improved licencing policy. Now as far as the reading of those serial numbers that I had mentioned, that is because Microsoft enters them into a main computer and that computer is what comes up with the code that they give you to type in to reclaim your machine on that 51st boot-up. This is what stops you from putting the same OS into more than one computer (Pirating). One other great feature to this new and improved anti-pirating/activation coding, if you legitly install XP on your computer and then up-grade or change three or more major component, like maybe a faster motherboard, CD-ROM to a DVD/CD-ROM, and say maybe a faster CPU to go with that faster mother-board, now the computer will shut down after 50 boots of these new improvements as the Operating System now sees it as a different computer. So you again are on the phone to microsoft and now you have to convince them that this is still the same computer owned by the same person so you can get a new code to let your computer run for remainder of that 18 months. Good luck!! Not to mention, on the machines that I did test XP in, all would not run all of the programs that was in the computer before the installation, such as pager activation programs, cash register programs and such. Stick with 98 SE. It's the best thing that ever come out of Microsoft. By the way, this is also the biggest reason that large companies and governments are taking a real close look at open source software, and the reason why Bill Gate is bashing open source. Take the time and read up on the daily computer news posted every day on the openning page of windrivers.

</font>

Sorry I'm a little late to this one. Did you make up these "facts" as you went along? It's people like you who've created wive's tales about XP and created a backlash against it. I was a critic at first, but I tried it, and I gotta say I like it. Obviously you have yet to reboot your machine more than 50 times because if you had, you would have found out your theory is utter BS. Please research the "facts" before you go spouting off at the mouth next time. Thanks.

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He's baaaaacckkkkk!!!

[Mogul]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by techs:
I will be honest, I didn't read the license agreement and if I did I problably wouldn't understand it. So, can I slap it on one of my demonstration computers in my shop and let the customers play on it?
Also, I have windows xp professional, will there be a standard or is this the one they intend to ship on consumer pc's?</font>

It wouldn't be a bad idea to display it now, seeing as as of Monday, all the major chains are displaying and selling PC's loaded with XP.

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He's baaaaacckkkkk!!!