Cheapest place for Software

Sandeze

Please can anyone tell me the cheapest place to buy PC software on the net.
Many thanks.

superscaper

Probably depends on the software. You'll probably find the answer will be different whether it's games, office, OSs, etc.

millwalll

depends on you too are you a student work for the nhs so on

williamrobb88

Always cheaper to buy OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) versions of software, as opposed to retail. OEM software is software that doesn't come with loads of manuals etc. The manual is on the disk. An example of this, is a company who assemble and sell PC's. Imagine if they built 1000 computers and asked Microsoft for 1000 retail boxed Windows xp's. It would weigh a ton! Therefore, the company just ask Microsoft for 1000 OEM versions. Now Microsoft just ship 1000 disks, without loads of glossy manuals etc. Another example is if I go and buy a new AMD CPU. The OEM CPU is just a CPU in a tiny box, smaller than a cigarette packet. The exact same CPU retail version, comes in a box the size of your car, with glossy images, brochures etc.

Therefore, that's why OEM stuff is cheaper!

Hope this helps.

superscaper

Does depend on what it is you're after, MS have recently been in the news because those people who bought XP OEM are NOT eligible for the recent free vista upgrade. There are certain licence restrictions with OEM as they are only really meant to be sold to system builders only.

Sandeze

Acronis True Image 10 home to be precise.
Thanks.

williamrobb88

OEM's are allowed to be sold by ANY registered vendor.

Check this:

http://www.spotonuk.com

A VAST array of OEM stuff, ALL guaranteed!

superscaper

ebuyer.com sells it for £23.21 with the super saver postage.

superscaper

williamrobb88 wrote:

OEM's are allowed to be sold by ANY registered vendor.

Check this:

http://www.spotonuk.com

A VAST array of OEM stuff, ALL guaranteed!

Something being sold isn't a validation of licensing terms. I was going off a recent quote by Microsoft themselves:
Microsoft insists, however, that OEM versions of its operating systems should not be sold to individual users. 'The OEM product is designed to be sold to System Builders and not to consumers,' a company statement reads.
from a PC Pro article on Vista free upgrades. In that case it was Amazon who were selling software against license conditions so simply giving an example of somewhere that the software is sold doesn't really prove anything as far as the license goes.