6 ms·

Windows 8 is available for purchase now

37 points by kmfrk 14y ago

kmfrk 14y ago
At least as far as the en-US an en-GB versions are concerned for a European like me. I can't check what other countries they work for, so report back if your country/language is not supported.
octopus 14y ago
I find this discouraging: To install Windows 8 Pro, customers must be running Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. If you would like to upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro, click here. What if I want to install Windows 8 in a VM ? Do I need to install an older version of Windows first ?
- cabirum 14y ago
  You'll need System Builder edition for that.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
- tiredoffps 14y ago
  After you download the upgrade assistant helper and Windows 8 Pro, there's an option to create a .ISO for a clean install.
  - kaitari 14y ago
    Which means you need an older Windows OS installed first, because Upgrade Assistant only runs on Windows, right?
    - bunderbunder 14y ago
      Yup. But what they're selling on their website is only an upgrade version. So it's a pretty reasonable restriction.
WorkingDead 14y ago
Its on sale for $39.99. Just checked the Apple store and Mountain Lion is $19.99. Way to go MS.
- bornhuetter 14y ago
  This again? OSX versions are more incremental - part way between what MS would call a new OS, or a new Service Pack. MS don't charge anything for Service Packs. Apple also have lower margins on their OS because it's built into the cost of their hardware.
  - WorkingDead 14y ago
    Justify it any way you want to but MS is getting out competed in almost every area and that is just one more example. Apple gets a small sum every year form their customers and MS pisses theirs off with $140 price tags every 5 years.
    - subsystem 14y ago
      I'm guessing you haven't been a sysadmin at any midsize to large corporation...
    - bunderbunder 14y ago
      Apple gets a small sum every year from those of us who bother to upgrade. But every few years they get much more than $140 out of us in the form of the purchase of a much higher-margin computer for which they don't have to split the profits with anybody else. Also, let's compare apples to apples (ahaha). Apple only retails their OS in an upgrade so we can really only compare upgrade pricing. Apple charges about $20 for an upgrade every year, which averages out to $20/year. Windows 8 upgrades are selling for $40 right now, and the last version of Windows came out about 3 years ago. $40 / 3 = $13.33. Now I absolutely agree with your assertion that $20 is a fairly small sum. But I'm not sure I agree that $13 is a price gouge by comparison. (Spoken as a Mac and VMWare Fusion user.)
    - agentworm 14y ago
b3b0p 14y ago
From what it seems, I cannot download Windows 8 on my Mac for running in Bootcamp or VMWare. I have to download it using an executable from Microsoft that only runs on Windows. This doesn't make sense to me. Why can't I just buy and download? Why not make it simple and easy for people to access it?
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- kmfrk 14y ago
  I think Microsoft insist on making users run the upgrade assistant to make sure people can run the OS. They ran into a major lawsuit once, because they advertised laptops as Windows-ready, when in fact they weren't. I believe this is the lawsuit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Windows_Vista#Vista_capable_lawsuit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Windows_Vista#Vist....
- bunderbunder 14y ago
  They're only selling upgrades for the Pro edition on their website for the time being. So if you already have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate running in Bootcamp or VMWare, that's where you should be running the upgrade executable. If you're running Windows 7 Home or Home Premium, or don't already have a copy of Windows 7 at all, then what they're selling on their website isn't for you. You'll need to pick it up from a 3rd-party retailer for now. The fine print does suggest that they'll start selling all editions on their website in February. (Maybe they had some sort of agreement with retailers or OEMs?) In shopping around, I've seen the System Builder edition from a local big box retailer for as little as $80.
  - yuhong 14y ago
    Actually the Win8 Pro upgrade is for all edition of Win7.
    - andrewmunsell 14y ago
      Yeah, I did the Windows 8 Pro upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium.
mtgx 14y ago
Keep in mind that this is essentially an "upgrade" version. You can't do a clean install with this version. You'll pay $40 only to upgrade it from Windows 7.
abrkn 14y ago
Yep, was able to buy upgrade version from evaluation version of Windows 7.
thethimble 14y ago
I only use Windows to play games on steam. Would it make sense for me to upgrade?

37 points by kmfrk 14y ago

kmfrk 14y ago

At least as far as the en-US an en-GB versions are concerned for a European like me. I can't check what other countries they work for, so report back if your country/language is not supported.

octopus 14y ago

I find this discouraging: To install Windows 8 Pro, customers must be running Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. If you would like to upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro, click here. What if I want to install Windows 8 in a VM ? Do I need to install an older version of Windows first ?

cabirum 14y ago
You'll need System Builder edition for that.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
tiredoffps 14y ago
After you download the upgrade assistant helper and Windows 8 Pro, there's an option to create a .ISO for a clean install.
- kaitari 14y ago
  Which means you need an older Windows OS installed first, because Upgrade Assistant only runs on Windows, right?
  - bunderbunder 14y ago
    Yup. But what they're selling on their website is only an upgrade version. So it's a pretty reasonable restriction.

WorkingDead 14y ago

Its on sale for $39.99. Just checked the Apple store and Mountain Lion is $19.99. Way to go MS.

bornhuetter 14y ago
This again? OSX versions are more incremental - part way between what MS would call a new OS, or a new Service Pack. MS don't charge anything for Service Packs. Apple also have lower margins on their OS because it's built into the cost of their hardware.
- WorkingDead 14y ago
  Justify it any way you want to but MS is getting out competed in almost every area and that is just one more example. Apple gets a small sum every year form their customers and MS pisses theirs off with $140 price tags every 5 years.
  - subsystem 14y ago
    I'm guessing you haven't been a sysadmin at any midsize to large corporation...
  - bunderbunder 14y ago
    Apple gets a small sum every year from those of us who bother to upgrade. But every few years they get much more than $140 out of us in the form of the purchase of a much higher-margin computer for which they don't have to split the profits with anybody else. Also, let's compare apples to apples (ahaha). Apple only retails their OS in an upgrade so we can really only compare upgrade pricing. Apple charges about $20 for an upgrade every year, which averages out to $20/year. Windows 8 upgrades are selling for $40 right now, and the last version of Windows came out about 3 years ago. $40 / 3 = $13.33. Now I absolutely agree with your assertion that $20 is a fairly small sum. But I'm not sure I agree that $13 is a price gouge by comparison. (Spoken as a Mac and VMWare Fusion user.)
  - agentworm 14y ago

b3b0p 14y ago

From what it seems, I cannot download Windows 8 on my Mac for running in Bootcamp or VMWare. I have to download it using an executable from Microsoft that only runs on Windows. This doesn't make sense to me. Why can't I just buy and download? Why not make it simple and easy for people to access it?

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
kmfrk 14y ago
I think Microsoft insist on making users run the upgrade assistant to make sure people can run the OS. They ran into a major lawsuit once, because they advertised laptops as Windows-ready, when in fact they weren't. I believe this is the lawsuit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Windows_Vista#Vista_capable_lawsuit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Windows_Vista#Vist....
bunderbunder 14y ago
They're only selling upgrades for the Pro edition on their website for the time being. So if you already have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate running in Bootcamp or VMWare, that's where you should be running the upgrade executable. If you're running Windows 7 Home or Home Premium, or don't already have a copy of Windows 7 at all, then what they're selling on their website isn't for you. You'll need to pick it up from a 3rd-party retailer for now. The fine print does suggest that they'll start selling all editions on their website in February. (Maybe they had some sort of agreement with retailers or OEMs?) In shopping around, I've seen the System Builder edition from a local big box retailer for as little as $80.
- yuhong 14y ago
  Actually the Win8 Pro upgrade is for all edition of Win7.
  - andrewmunsell 14y ago
    Yeah, I did the Windows 8 Pro upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium.

mtgx 14y ago

Keep in mind that this is essentially an "upgrade" version. You can't do a clean install with this version. You'll pay $40 only to upgrade it from Windows 7.

abrkn 14y ago

Yep, was able to buy upgrade version from evaluation version of Windows 7.

thethimble 14y ago

I only use Windows to play games on steam. Would it make sense for me to upgrade?