Last night, I remembered something that you will no doubt thank me for later. When Mac OS X Tiger came out a few years ago, I was ready to buy it. I had my $130 in hand and was waiting in line. But as I approached the cash register, I ran into a coworker I knew and he told me that the University of Pennsylvania’s bookstore, which was right down the block, was selling copies to students for only $40.00. Being the cheapskate I am, I dropped the box I was holding and we headed out.
Sure enough, upon arrival at the bookstore, OS X Tiger was only $40.00. Neither of us went to UPenn, so we grabbed some dorky kid walking past us and asked him to buy it for us. He did, my coworker and I split a copy and I get Mac OS X Tiger for $20. So, if you have a college bookstore near you, I suggest taking a peak in there. You may find incredible discounts when Leopard comes out, you may not. It’s up to you to seek out the hot deals near you!
Editor’s Note: It’s worth mentioning that it was only the UPenn bookstore that was offering the OS for $40. Everywhere else, it was regular academic price. This is no different than you getting a hookup from your buddy at Best Buy or any other retailer. If you had a friend at UPenn, were broke and could get OS X for $40, you’re telling me you wouldn’t ask him/her to pick up a copy for you? Puh-lease.
How do you split a copy of Tiger?
I suppose that you get all of your music for free as well on p2p? Abuse of student discounts is no different
It’s called retaliation So suck it
Ah yes. Endorsing fraud. Excellent use of an article.
Who cares
Hmm, I thought we could get that $0.00? Wouldn’t that be cheaper?
Is this a joke? This is illegal on two counts:
1) Buying an academic license for non-academic use.
2) Sharing the copy with your friend.
What’s up with this post? Arrington – are you reading this?
This would be a lot more interesting if it didn’t involve breaking licensing agreements, taking advantage of kids and fraud.
How about either supporting developers by paying for their work, so they can continue to bring out cools stuff – or supporting open source developers by hyping their stuff?
I like that “taking advantage of kids”
LOL :)
OK, I think that the point has now been made, no more beating is really required…. It may have been better however to consider whether $129 is an acceptable price to upgrade the operating system???
Compared to vista is is pretty good going isn’t it…. Yes MS has an upgrade path, but if you have a mac the only option is to upgrade anyway isn’t it?
Even with upgrade which vista version should be compared against? Home can be bought cheaper, but business or ultimate are double the cost, for an upgrade!!
First: Not cool.
Second: The educational discount is much less this year – only about $10 off instead of $50 (likely because of people like you), so even if you pull this dick move again, it’ll likely cost you a bit more.
yeah watch your dick moves
Or you could leave your fat ass sat in it’s chair while you ponder what to blog about next and download it off your favourite Torrent site / Newsgroup.
It’s just as legal.
So…lie? The student price for Leopard is $116. It was very different with Tiger. Way to research….and way to look like a jackass.
A big LOL @ people who pay full price, that’s all I’m going to say.
I’m reading your site with adblocker
First off, I’m a student.
It’s sad and pathetic that you’re encouraging people to behave fraudulently to save a few dollars.
Grow a spine.
First off, I am also a student.
It’s not sad or pathetic that he’s encouraging people to save money because a company wants a ridiculous amount for their product.
Good job
a student and a bitch
Better yet, sign up at the local college and take a class!
There are some really good classes for very little $$.
How stupid are the geeks these days?
If you want to get Leopard illegaly you are able to download it somewhere now already…
What was the entry test for getting permission to blog here?
Having a Name?
Since I dont see more content in this blog.
openbsd $0.00
freebsd $0.00
slackware $0.00
debian $0.00
ubuntu $0.00
The sanctimony on display here is just hilarious. Keep it coming.
What happen to the market setting the price instead of Apple?
I would split it with you.
The market does set the price by being willing to pay Apple’s price. Thats how a free market economy works. The relatively few individuals who operate outside of the market and wish to justify their theft are sidestepping the way the world works in a legal, ethical, and by some measures, moral sense. If you can’t function in society just admit it.
what if you don’t like society but are forced to be a part of it?
I’m all for using discounts but what this blog describes is both illegal and dishonest.
Imagine you are an independent software developer, and you’ve just invested several years and your life savings in creating a program.
While waiting at the checkout counter at your local market you hear a kid behind you brag to his buddy about how he downloaded for free the program you created, and how awesome it is.
How would you feel? Apple may be a large company, but the same principles still apply.
Awesome. Employed geeks are probably one of the highest paid professions in the country, and you’re going to lie and cheat to save 70 odd bucks. Damn. That is so freakin’ lame. Won’t be reading CrunchGear anymore.
You just lost a reader (and likely several more).
Just for a second think about this: you’re endorsing that people should take advantage of a much needed system that benefits students.
What happens when they drop student discounts because you ass hats decided to save $70.
Arrington should delete this article, and very promptly boot your ass out the door. You are giving TechCrunch a bad name.
Are you kidding me with all these comments? Give me a break!
Kudos on finding a way to get it for cheaper. Who doesn’t share software or cut corners to save money?
I’ll definitely be using this. Get over yourselves.
Nothing to get over. Doing things in a legal, ethical manner does not require any “getting over”. Immature theft because your immediate desire (not even a real need) takes precedance over social mores and rules is what needs to be “gotten over”.
Shut up about it already!!! If you don’t think this is good advice then DON’T TAKE IT. But some of us think this is very clever. Quit chastising him for trying to help his his mates. Mac overcharges anyways… o_O
Did you honestly just reply to someone who posted a year ago on a thread that’s now almost two years old? Yeah. GG. I can see why you need to break EULA’s since it doesn’t appear you’ve got the common sense to ever do much more than flip burgers.
Nothing to get over. Doing things in a legal, ethical manner does not require any “getting over”. Immature theft because your immediate desire (not even a real need) takes precedance over social mores and rules is what needs to be “gotten over”.
Can’t believe that the editor has waded in, condoning the post. But is he right? If the Best Buy or whatever store could supply at $40 through employee discount, then if my mate was working there I would be first in line. However only if it was a full and legal version.
Does apple operate on software to offer a student license to use the software. If not and it is just a student discount on a full and legal copy or you were to clarify that you were a student at the time then I apologise . It may have been worth clarifying in the post exactly what was bought for the $40 dollars. It would also be interesting to know what the Apple license agreement states about installing on two seperate machines but I would be very surprised at apple allowing this. Again if I am wrong I shall eat humble pie, but a full explanation would help to clarify.
I’ll be sure to never read anything you write again.
You’ll have enough people like Morriwi who think that since lying and stealing are so common, it makes it OK. The truth is people like you make this world suck. You do something dishonest then pat yourselves (don’t worry…your not alone) on your backs. Congratulations!!!! You’ll get what you put out in the end. Not now, but eventually.
Enjoy it while it lasts you spineless losers
It’s awful that TechCrunch has this article, which explicitly endorses fraud. You would hate to see bureaucracy with the editing of articles before they are posted. But, it may either have to come to that or Mike Arrington re-thinking who posts articles and a set of principles for these articles. This is necessary to continue the growth of the “Crunch” group with respect to readers and reputation.
That editors note is funny. It still doesn’t explain the 2 for 1 discount.
Hey Vince…..according to the editors note it’s OK to go and do this if were all “broke”.
So my question to you while you continue to pat yourself on the back is this…
How “broke” is an established tech writer when he has to “split” a piece of software, a major new operating system, for 40 bucks?? Your so smart, and yet you couldn’t simply get 1 for you, then grab another “dorky” kid to get another one???
I’d love to see an intelligent answer to some of the above posters!!! But that might be a stretch…..your probably to busy LOL @ people who have enough sense to be honest.
CG just jumped the shark.
I can’t believe that CrunchGear has allowed this post – endorsing piracy and fraud.
Shame on CrunchGear.
Unsubscribing from CrunchGear and TechCrunch.
Unbelievable
If you want to save money on Leopard, why not buy the Family Pack which offers a five-user license for $199?
I remember times at Techcrunch where something like this wouldn’t (ever) be posted. Shame.
Well I’m just glad I never read this blog. The editor and writer may think its a good idea, but simply posting this will surely lose them a lot of readers. Good job, way to lose someone who probably would have found your blog interesting before he even started reading/subcribing it.
Unsubscribed, kthxbai.
I want to copy all past blog posts from TC and CG so that I get the advertising dollars from someone else’s blog postings. Editors should have no problems with this copying since I need the money.
All you people that pay full price for MacBooks are stupid. I have a really brilliant way of getting a *FREE* MacBook. All you gotta do is put some chloroform on a rag, wait for the shipment at your local best buy, and…
Why is this even posted here? Promoting piracy and passing it off as an ingenuous way to get a low-cost version of software? People like you are why we are burdened with DRM and DMCA. Makes me sympathize with the music industry when I see just how harmless people think this stuff is.
Lol, share it with 39 friends and get your OS for just a dollar!
Getting a student to score a copy of the reduced-price version isn’t something I can get too worked up about, but the “let’s share” approach is just dumb. Here’s hoping your machine flakes out and needs a reinstall when your pal has the DVD somewhere far away.
If you’re interested in breaking rules, why not just download and burn yourself a copy?
Be legit or don’t. Paying $20 for your copy does not make you legit.
This post is illegel and pathetic. I’ve now unsubscribed from CrunchGear.
Vince Veneziani should be fired.
To all of those complaining about breaking the rules, remember that the next time your surfing the net at work on company time, using company resources for your personal use. Using company paid T1 lines, company servers for your personal entertainment, e-mail, chatting, surfing or whatever….gee whiz….there is NOT one single person on here that doesn’t obtain something without breaking some sort of rules or policy.
The way it should be:
openbsd $0.00
freebsd $0.00
slackware $0.00
debian $0.00
ubuntu $0.00
openMAC OS $0.00
openVISTA $0.00
It’s true, many people may be breaking rules by reading this thread while (for example) at work. But one ethical flaw does not excuse another. I (luckily) am allowed, even supposed, to browse the Web in my job as a Web development technology instructor. Even better, I get to use this thread as a discussion point with my students regarding software piracy. By the end of the year my students, who write software, have a new appreciation for the value of their work.
Point being, it is a fallacy of logic to dismiss an individuals lapse of ethics because others also display a lapse of ethics.
y’all have a nice day, ‘k’?
well said zoltar. everyone get off their high horse.
40 $, THE RIGHT PRICE !
Not agree with the method described here…
But open your eyes !
To be honest: 40 $ would be the right price for Apple OSX or Windows XP / Vista…. The best way to stop the international fraud around OS.
Why Linux 0$, OSX 129 $ and Vista equal or more ?
The gap between those is not really justified, specially for Microsoft which is really hard to evit when you want to buy a PC from Toshiba, HP, Gateway, Acer… A free Linux shoud be intalled first on every PC with a multi-boot for those who want to pay for OSX or Vista. More simple than to fight with the CLUF when you don’t need of Vista on a new PC with it on… Make a test !
We need a revolution in commercial pratices ! 2 OS on each PC to sell – Ubuntu / Vista for exemple – and you pay for the second after 8 days of discovery only if you need it. Not when you get the PC, like an unavoidable Microsoft tax…..
Why not just shoplift it from BestBuy?
if you’re going to go that far, you may as well go the extra 1/2 mile and torrent the thing…
The highlight of school for me right now is discounts on Mac software. I work was only 39.00, so I hope I get a large discount on leopard too!
Ok, sharing the copy was definitely not cool, that is illegal. However, I think everyone is just pissed because they didn’t think of this themselves! Apple is still making money hand-over-fist at $40, and I hardly believe most of these nay-sayers never asked a friend who works somewhere to purchase something with their employee discount.
And what about this piss-poor educational discount for not only Leopard but iLife 08 and iWork 08!?! I drove 45 mins to the Apple store to get them using my student ID only to find out I have to purchase them online to get my discount, at $8 a pop it wasn’t worth it. From what I have been reading, some schools are getting better discounts on 10.5 than others, that’s not cool. I know I’m gonna shop around for the best deal I can get just like I would with ANYTHING I buy. Thanks for the post!
Vince, you’ve pissed off the Woz. Thanks for that!
If you have an ethical problem with this, you need to pull the splintery stake out of your sphincter.
There are lots of ways to take a benefit from someone and give it to your self. Creating a poorly designed web page is a good example – it wastes attention, time and perhaps ultimately money for the reader. But when one of the ten commandments is broken (and piracy is “stealing”, obnoxiously roars Hollywood at the beginning of most movies in the states), its time to get indignant. I’m sure TechCrunch is happy to lose you xxdesmus.
lol . . . Leopard is $69 at edu price but that price is only available at the campus stores. Apple stopped making the edu prices available through their edu website.
I think its fine that you got a student to grab it for you at edu price. However it is really silly to then share it. As others have said you should either be legit or not, no half and half.
But at least you are on apple’s side (i.e. OS X) and not the Dark side. :) +2pts.
I see why everyone’s up in arms. Yes, doing illegal things is, well… Illegal. Yes, sharing programs and getting them for less money is discouraged and loses money. But here’s the things that bother me about all these people complaining:
a) It’s not YOUR money he’s stealing, is it?
b) With Apple’s release of the iPhone and new iPods, along with everyone who legally buys Leopard, do you think Apple will miss a few bucks?
c) Not all of us have $129 to spare on an upgrade that.
d) It’s not as if no one has ever downloaded SOMETHING illegally. It happens, and is going to happen in an age where the Internet exists to satisfy every need we could want (and people then try to apply that to real life).
So, while I get what people are trying to say, just lay off. If you want him to support the developers, why don’t you get a copy of Leopard for him? That way, he gets it for free, you get the satisfaction of knowing he didn’t get it illegally, and Mac’s money-hoarding developers get their “fair” share. Everyone wins.
Lady Tima,
Are you a complete and utter moron?
a) “It’s not your money he’s stealing, is it?” Who do you think ends up paying for his theft. The consumer that purchased it legally. Look at the education discount at apple store now. There may as well not even be one. It’s theft, pure and simple.
Basically, your logic is that if someone does not have the money to purchase something, then they should just steal it. My car is getting pretty old and I need to upgrade, but I don’t have any money to spare. Any suggestions?
We found a real genius here.