Student software
 

Is there a difference between student software and regular?

Example being Windows XP Pro sold for 5 dollars at my university's bookstore.

Is this stripped down or is it the exact same software?

same software...
your school has a site license... your supposed to uninstal it when your off campus... but they cant really tell if ya did or didnt...

Chances are they have a huge license for Windows XP, and they just make CDs that give you a link to download it. They bought a mass license that covers all the computers on their campus, so they can do that. It is exactly the same software, but it's not on the CD (probably. It might be a copy)

My University did the same thing with Norton Corporate, only they distributed CDs for free. All that was on the CD was a link to a download site, and that download only worked if you were on the University network.

Edit: JStrider is a fiend. He got there first.

So they couldn't tell if I use it at home instead of at school?

nope... well atleast not here...

its a on your honor kinda thing...

the copy of SPSS i got was a 'student' copy, and apparently it dies after 4 years or something. so it may depend on the company and where you bought it.

A couple of my friends at Purdue have the same deal. XP Pro for 5 bucks but you have to be a registered student there to buy it and you are only able to purchase one.

Even in most retail outlets, you can buy student software much cheaper, with the condition in he EULA that it not be used for commercial gain, i.e. in an office environment.

Shoot, I have buddys that work for MS that can't even buy XP Pro for $5. They have to pay $30, but they get the full retail.

Take the good deal and run. And get your friends to buy em too, even if they don't need em. Got to figure you can sell em to someone for $50 or more. :)

I got a free copy of VS .net that doesn't qualify for tech support from Microsoft, but that's the only downside.

Actually, I have 2 copies.

Slightly off-topic, but still related. Having just switched from Computer Science to Fine Arts Digital Design, I was in the market for the Adobe and Macromedia suites, but of course they're crazy expensive. I found a site called Academic Superstore which has a large inventory of things that you can purchase, so long as you are student or faculty.

One point that no one has mentioned: this massive site license that the university has purchased is paid for out of your tuition dollars. Basically, you pay a fee (hidden somewhere in there) that is probably close to the actual cost of the software for the "privilidge" of purchasing MS software. You pay this fee (and it generally ends up in the MS coffers) whether you buy the "discounted" software or not. Wonderful, ain't it?