Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler DIY HTPC builders, where do you purchase your OS?

With a little research I found this must be BS. The IP originates in Russia, not a good sign. In addition, I found a website that showed how they like to change their domain very often. They used to offer ordering on non-secure website, now they offer secure, still a scam in my book.

Yup. I mean, it's probably legit in the "it's not illegal in Russia" way, but that ain't saying much.

In Russia, gray-market software buys YOU!

Having sworn off of /. for life, I had hoped that I would never hear another one of those jokes again. I see my hope was misplaced.

Peter has a great memory.

Yea, be careful of those sites. Many of them are illegal. I've heard stories on both sides of people who have gotten their software all happy dappy, and who havn't.

Honestly, I think buying it from that site is just as legal as downloading Windows from bittorrent. Only difference is, you are paying for it.

If you want free, go for linux. :-)

However, it sort of lacks some media center...ammenities. Good luck getting a remote to work with it. I had trouble getting linux to recognize a 5 button mouse.

Anyways...

I don't think you can get a very cheap copy of MCE legally.

I have a friend who works in Redmond. He can get deeply discounted software at the company store (including other versions of the OS), but NOT MCE. Same thing with Xbox Hardware.

And no, being a "friend of a friend" doesn't get you anywhere. Sorry.

Abhorrent as it is, sometimes, you've just got to pay retail.

I hear ya Tom, working in IT for a very large company, believe me, I've got connections also.

Considering the cost of building an HTPC , the cost of a legal copy of the OS is not a major concern for me, average price is about $109.

Yeah, but there is one difference, you don't have to ask for permission.