Vista slips out onto online shelves in the UK

There's some crazy pent-up demand out there for this new OS Microsoft has been prepping for the better part of the century -- you might have heard of it -- that's why it's not incredibly surprising that a few retailer are jumping the gun and getting real copies of Vista (as opposed to those completely illegitimate copies of Vista) into the hands of consumers a tad bit early. We're sure the Microsoftian repercussions will be swift and just, but for now you can snap up an OEM copy of Vista Home Basic for the low, low price of £54.99 in the UK ($109 US) from the oh-so-busted Overclockers UK online store. Of course, OEM operating system purchases aren't exactly on the up-and-up anyways, so this is just all the more exciting, right?

[Via The Inquirer]

[no1Joeno1 @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:03PM]

Ultimate OEM is also in stock. :)

[Ray-- @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:07PM]

they are probably just taking orders and will "delay" your shipment until the launch date... so as long as you dont receieve your copy before the launch date they should be ok right?

[FatJoe @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:09PM]

Its actually £64.61

[Wellard @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:10PM]

Nowt wrong with it if it's a pre-order.

[Tom Middleton @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:19PM]

The owner of OCUK, Mark Proudfoot 'spie' is openly racist and homophobic on his own forums and bans anyone who dare challenge him. Perhaps buyers might consider this more important than getting software a few days early.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=spie+racist&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[- @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:42PM]

Oh so true. Whatever happened to www.overcockers.com ? Was a great site when it was about

[Phil Perman @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:20PM]

I ordered my copy from there a while ago, its been shipped and should be in my hands tomorrow.

From what I can tell from whats been said on the sites forums Microsoft are aware of whats going on and don't seem to have any problems with it. People already have it installed and activated, and I hope to be one of them soon :)

[Alex @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:36PM]

oh well, so some people get access to buggy software first...

I won't care about vista till SP1 comes out...

[Chrisphillers @ Jan 22nd 2007 1:53PM]

Go here: http://www.spys8thplanet.info/forum/

for the overcockers replacement;)

[Mikeyg @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:47PM]

also OCUK's service is, well, shocking

[[e-mail] @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:58PM]

ah yes. spie's some guy alright. a really stand up thug who deserves all your money. unless you object to racism or homophobia that is.

[ben @ Jan 22nd 2007 1:00PM]

I get mine tomorrow! Excited I am. Its been confirmed shipped and next day devilery, nothing dodgy.

[the bastiche @ Jan 22nd 2007 1:13PM]

Recieved my copy of oem ultimate vista today. I'm a big fan of OCUK and have been using them for 6 or 7 years with no probs. Never met the boss man though.

[Karl @ Jan 22nd 2007 1:43PM]

I saw a few OEM copies of Vista in a store today. If anyone in London goes down Tottenham Court Road (Oxford Street end), there are a row of computer shops. Some of them have OEM vista available.

Karl

[tekdroid @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:12PM]

I'm waiting for the OEM version with Bill's sig...

[noise @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:16PM]

so where do you guys get PC hardware and software in the UK? i used eBuyer b4 using OCUK and OCUK were much better
can someone tell where the best for UK is?
cheers

[JRodgA2k7 @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:22PM]

That was the "old" ocuk, there has been a huge shake up in the company over the last few years and I am more than happy to buy stuff from them now. I went off them for a while 2 but have been buying from them solidly for the last year or two.
Bough vista on pre-order and it is installed on my system as we speak, oh and its verified from microsoft so I guess they dont care all too much ;)

One thing I will say is at least you can fone them unlike the terrible net service from companies like dabs.com

[Chrisphillers @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:36PM]

to be fair Overclockers are pretty good, good customer services, speedy delivery and decent prices. I would consider them, alongside ebuyer (cheap but terrible custmer services - really terrible (like 1 hour on hold to get through)) and aria - ok customer services and cheapish.

[Jakob @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:07PM]

Hmm, I think that is quite expensive. In Denmark the price of Windows Vista Home Premium OEM (32 bit) is 794 DKK ($132) incl VAT. And Denmark is knowed as a country with a very high VAT percent (25%)

I'm very exicted of the OEM packing. Will some one send a picture to me on jakobhenner [at] gmail.com, or post link here on engadget.com?

Sorry bad english ;)

[Jakob @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:07PM]

And a danish retailer have also Windows Vista Home Premium at stock, witin 1-2 day.
http://www.computermail.dk/core.php?ext=eshop.item&itemno=9010013.

I will purchase tomorrow!!

[SeanSolo @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:25PM]

Will Vista work on Macs?

[SeanSolo @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:28PM]

Do we know if Bootcamp will load Vista?

[spaceman @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:36PM]

They're selling the 32-bit and the 64-bit for the same price. It makes you wonder why the vista express upgrade is only offering the 32-bit version if you had a 32-bit version of XP.

What about all those 64-bit computer/notebook buyers that got MCE 2005 and the offer of an upgrade to vista? Shouldn't they get the 64-bit version?

[Jakob @ Jan 22nd 2007 4:12PM]

SeanSolo: Yes I have seen many examples. Officialy Apple doesn't support Vista yet in BootCamp.

You should do the same steps as with a XP CD. Search on Google: Vista on Bootcamp

[Spack @ Jan 22nd 2007 5:54PM]

Regarding the comments about Spie being a racist, homophobic bastard... yeah he blatantly is. I've been a member of OCUK for over 2 years now and find it incredibly hard to bite my tounge (finger?) when he posts. The man is so ignorant it almost defies belief... i'd love for him to meet someone in real-life and spout the same crap. He'd be flattened in a second.

You argue against the guy you're banned. You give an opinion he doesn't like and you're banned. It is without a doubt the most oppressive, nazi-like forum there is... but the reason I stay is because of a great and solid userbase. Sure, there are some real pricks there (who hang out mainly in Speakers Corner. A complete racist, xenophobic and antagonistic tit called VIRII springs to mind) but if you are into hardware there are some great posts. The graphics card section can be a real flame-fest full of semi-literate chimps all repeating the same argument ad nauseum, but you get used to that considering the mods are awful at stamping down on that kind of thing.

The level of racism and homophobia there is shocking sometimes... and as far as I know there is a minor investigation into the forums for hate crimes going on by a certain department. The true irony is that even minor swear words cause a person to get suspended or banned... they police them fanatically... but racism and homophobia fine apparently, even encouraged in a million threads about how terrible thay all are. As for muslims... wow that is one hot topic. The forum is HEAVILY anti-muslim.

Interstingly BBC's watchdog are also conducting an investigation into them, I know several people who've been contacted by them regarding past transactions which were disgracefully handled.

However, the Dons room archives sum the place and owner up... a foul-mouthed chav who does nothing but slag off his members and spread hate. I fully believe in karma and I truly believe he will one day get his come-uppance.

Until then, i'll continue to use the forums and laugh my arse off every time I see the ignorant lump post another threqad about immigrants or homosexualy, safe in the knowledge that while i'm nowhere as rich as he is... at least i'm not a complete and utter racist c***. :-)

[jonny @ Jan 22nd 2007 7:29PM]

I have to agree with the comments regarding 'spie'. If anyone is in any doubt that this guy is a complete moron, you only have to read some of the uneducated, small minded, hateful idiocy that he spouts so freely on his forum.

Freedom of speech is important, except on overclockers forum there is no freedom, unless you agree with spie. If he had any intelligence he would welcome the debate of others, however this is beyond his scope and anyone who voices any opposition to his point of view quickly finds themselves banned from the forum. As a result, the 'general discussion' and 'speakers corner' forums are mostly populated by the equally narrow minded which makes makes very unpleasant reading. Thus, Spie feeds from some perceived respect of his teenage, web addicted cronies, and his ego and self belief inflates to ever more massive proportions.

If this seems slanderous, please remember, spie in no way hides his racism or homophobia. Proof may be found very quickly that justifies the complete lack of respect this guy has from anyone with any intelligence.

[Richard Brooks @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:23PM]

Its up on Newegg.com right now for 119.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116202

[bento-san @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:21PM]

don't forget about Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate UPGRADE Limited Numbered Signature Edition [DVD], now there's a piece of operating system history right there. i'm waiting for the Gold edition of this. check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Ultimate-Numbered-Signature/dp/B000M2WPIQ/ref=pd_sim_sw_2/104-1611751-7630347

[Rob @ Jan 23rd 2007 7:25AM]

Heh, I just read this linked from a post on the ocuk forums... read down to the third comment - noticed that it was ever so slightly anti-ocuk and checked back to the forums to notice that three posts into the thread it said "this is going to go down well". i promptly refreshed the page and the thread was gone.

i found that kinda funny.

[Spacky @ Jan 23rd 2007 11:01AM]

This is the real Spacky the other Spack is some lame ass n00b imposter clearly too analistic in his response and not as eccentric, fecking spanner wannabes. Oh and I am also a mod on c0ckers aka DonRiddler4th :D

Any comments on that place post them away, oh and Hi Yewen.

[Phil Perman @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:48PM]

SO in an attempt to get this back on topic, my copy arrived today from OcUK, all installed fine and I'm using it right now. No problems so far, touch wood

[jonny @ Jan 23rd 2007 8:15PM]

I think this is more important than whether you're happy with Microsoft's latest. The question is this. Do we consider a social responsibility when shopping online. Would we buy from the local shop keeper who has extremist right wing views. The man who prompts discussion with his peers, 'Why do pakki's smell?'. I think not.

Just because we're on the internet, doesn't mean principles should be forgotten. This is an article promoting a retailer who is openly racist and homophobic on his shop website forum. Once prejudice has been demonstrated, can we acceptably feign ignorance?

[Lorenzo @ Jan 24th 2007 8:15AM]

I would never buy anything from OCUK. As said, the owner Mark Proudfoot, known as "Spie" on his lame forum, is a bigot and Nazi ******. He'll never get a penny of my money.

Oh, and remember Spie, money can't buy you genuine happiness or a clean conscience.

[Spackyer @ Feb 5th 2007 6:51PM]

S/he sucks cock.

http://www.spys8thplanet.info/

[dampsquid @ Feb 14th 2007 6:50AM]

Got to agree with all the guys about Spie and the Dons. I've been a member for around 5 years and it's bloody hard work having to bite lip and re-think everything you post incase your banned. I'm on my 3rd account now. I just wish the masses could somehow be shown the reality and come together in a new forum as the only good thing about OcUK is it's members.

[Surfer @ Mar 5th 2007 6:11PM]

just been suspended myself from Ocuk forums dunno why... no emails sent to me and no response from my emails to them. I occasionally tell ppl where to get a cheap laptop from so can guess thats why i was suspended but no warnings at all.

I stay away from all the controversial stuff... just post in pc games in hardware occasionally