I can't find Joerg's pre-installed-XP thread

Don't know which thread you were looking for. Certainly wasn't mine though. Maybe this one?

?action=printpage%3Btopic=16577.0+*-*-*-affirmed-*-*+*-business-purposes+*-*-no-fee+no-XP-drivers-*-*+no-longer-offers-*+*-business-*-rep+*-*-*-*-*-*-call-*-ask+*-*-*-fib+*-no-time-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*+driver.CD+toothless+XP-*-preinstalled+no-*-charge+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Acer's-downgrade-program+*-*-*-*-warranty&strip=1

$65000+Nail.Your.Boss+$35000+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-treats-us-poorly+unlicensed.copies+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-to-fight-them

It may be the time that not only Microsoft loses some biz but also the big hardware outlets. Ok, Dell lets you "downgrade" but first you need to pony up some extra dough for a more luxurious Vista version you don't need.

That puts ye olde PC wrench shop down the boulevard at an advantage. Unless you need a laptop they should be able to accommodate an XP wish with ease. Provided they make sure there's always a large enough stack of licenses on the shelf.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg wrote:

Now that my geshfinkto memory has been prodded, I believe it *was* Richard Collins' question I was remembering.

Linux support vendors too. It seems likely folks will start investigating whether they can do what they need to under WINE rather than paying the Microsoft Tax(tm) **twice** to get what they wanted from the start.

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Sure but that often ends where I've seen it end in a case lately: All nice and smooth, then comes a piece of HW (in this case a programming pod) that they absolutely need but that absolutely will refuse to run unless there is an XP SP2 environment.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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That can be where virtual machines come in handy !

--
Best Regards:
                     Baron.

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$65000+Nail.Your.Boss+$35000+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-treats-us-poorly+unlicensed.copies+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-to-fight-them

tigerdirect.com is selling OEM versions of XP Pro. You do not have to order a system from them. I'm updating some of my win2k systems.

--
Joe Chisolm
Marble Falls, TX

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$65000+Nail.Your.Boss+$35000+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-treats-us-poorly+unlicensed.copies+*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-to-fight-them

In the past PCClub would sell a bare box without OS installed, with the individual install CD's for the accessories. I did just that when Win2K went out of favor. Bit of a pain... a 5-call to the oldest son episode before I got everything working ;-)

...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, P.E.                           |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
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These OEM versions will not let you upgrade. You have to reinstall any software. I just dont want to get stuck with Vista - IMHO not enough horsepower and memory in the known universe to run that toad.

--
Joe Chisolm
Marble Falls, TX