Windows 7: More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

Thanks Night Hawk. I just ordered 2010 from Newegg - that's the easiest for me. No brick and mortar store around here had it in stock.

As for retail outlets forget it after the first six months or so. You are lucky if they even restock something once all copies are sold and simply shove some other software where you would have found the retail package sitting.

Unlike the OSs the store clerks simply stuff what comes off the delivery truck wherever there's space on the softwares shelves while the OSs see a display. Often if a store doesn't have the push in pull out spring loaded rows you have to sift through all the loose softwares found in a bin or see an empty spot on some shelf.

Actually in the last few years retail stores in general have been cutting the volume of first pc games and eventually all softwares down since people would simply buy online or the programs weren't moving fast enough. If you run into a smaller shop that deals with PS3 Nitendo, X-Box you may or may not even find any pc games stuffed into a small space on one shelf!

That's how it's been here in the states for some time now anyways. I think you may find the stores where you are may be following a similar trend to some extent.

Right, the stores I checked were Office Depot, Staples, BestBuy and Sam's club (where I bought my first Office 2007). All those stores are within 5 miles of my house.

Staples at one time had rows of software in one section now all reduced down to one aisle in each store I have been in recently. When first ordering 7 back in '09 I noticed things were slumping but found only one rack when buying the 2010 Acronis!

The Game Stops and other small shops as well as the local Walmarts all started reducing that type of inventory as well. Of course with these places they were starting to push for more online sales as well. "See our site blah blah blah.." Most of the stock you see now will be the usual daily, weekly, monthly carry out purchases rather then the "buy once only" items like softwares and some other things once gone never restocked. Walmart of course is rather notorious for not restocking things!

Maybe that's why Walmart went broke in Germany. They tried to set foot in the country for 7 years with quite a lot of stores, but then they folded tent. I read that they lost 350 million dollars (or Euros) each year. Shows that the customers are different in different countries. Plus in Germany there are a lot of very large chains with rock bottom prices.

In France they did not even try. There they would have run against such local giants like Carrefour, Leclerc, Cora, etc.

You just said a mouthful there, brother! They are also bad about keeping regular merchandise in stock. I've learned to stock up when they do get stuff in.

I have 2 unused licensed copies of Windows 7 sitting on the shelf. I'm also happy with my 3 user 2007 Office pack. I wonder if these W7s OSs will see the light of day.
How is "Wine" (not the drinking stuff) going in terms of compatibility with 3rd party paid apps on linux. There is a lot of GNU high quality license software but there is still some tied to MS.
I'm not trying to be overly controversial but is the writing on the wall? Do many people really need Windows?

I use Linux OS .. Ubuntu 12.04.. on a back up computer.. when i lost the vista computer due to hardware failure.. i was able to run all programs i needed.. for free.. so.. hopefully this Win 7 OS will stay good.. i do have back ups of my Vista . but. i really like this win 7 os alot better..

I know that one only too well when going in and finding a particular flash light in their camping section(not a coleman) and you would see 5,6,7 hanging on a rack and buy one or two to hand out. Then you go back and you may or may not find the last one or an empty spot. That particular brand and style once gone never is to be seen again! Likewise small bath mats with designs, clothes hampers, and other everyday type items poof once gone something takes their place!

The secret there besides transferring inventoroies around between stores is they buy in bulk and once the bulk item is sold out... ??? where can you get that same thing again? Other items you find regularly once sold stay gone for days and even weeks for some until a truck comes in and they put stuff back on the shelves. There is no backroom inventory to replenish shelves while they do offer layaway or free shipping to have something like a swivel chair transferred to the location you choose when not instore when going to order something online.

With the software section before one store expanded to add in grocery and bakery sections resulting in another long time food store closing up during the same time the shuffle practically wiped all softwares out period! You might it online however while the inhouse inventory was replaced by PS3 and other gaming systems and the game cartridges. What does keep them going since that's one area were retail chains come and go is being able to outprice the retailers that last in those same areas by price cutting or beating any coupon you bring in.

The recommend here for software shopping in general is to do a little leg work on Bing and find who sells what for less along with media if you are not simply looking for a download type purchase.

You can have a go at making 7SP2 - pretty easy, just follow the instructions :

TEST -Update 7 installation media