Yes, fellow TFP'ers, you can keep Bill Gates happy and break no laws. And still pay half of what CompUSA or similar will charge you.
Go to
www.pricewatch.com
Click on the "Software" link on the top.
Clickabout a bit and scrollabout a while and you'll see what I mean.
OEM XP Home discs can be had for a pittance. Rightly so, you can also copy them from your unwitting friend with a Dell or a Gateway. To wit, "Can I borrow your 'rescue disk' and see if it fixes my PC?'.
Liscenses for the Home version cost around $55 shipped. Be aware - all you get in the mail is a sticker with a number, but rest assured, that's all Bill needs to stay happy and rich.
The liscense agreement states that this super-expensive shiny sticker must be placed upon the machine to which the liscense is endowed. Your choice here.
Previous poster is correct in stating that these liscences (heretofore named as 'stickers') must be purchased with the purchase of additional hardware. The hardware is usually a $0.99 audio cable that goes from your CD-ROM to your motherboard or video card. BONUS TIP!!! When you upgrade to XP, you no longer need these cables! *Sweet Irony* XP sends the audio data digitally over the IDE bus instead of relying on the cheapo DAC's in your CD-ROM's to do the conversion and send the analog signal. So throw them ALL away!
I feel so glad to think I may have helped someone. If so, please let me know.
Iffin' you need further help, I can elaborate.
Happy new year to you all. A couple of years ago, I wasn't at all sure we'd see it.