Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Limited Numbered Signature Edition (seriously)

You have to be seriously freaking into Vista if you're even thinking about the Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Limited Numbered Signature Edition (seriously, we didn't even think Microsoft was capable of a title like that), but at least the price is on target for the upgrade ($259) and they claim it's signed by the man himself, Billy G. Something tells us it's just an embossed signature print or something along those lines, but either way it's down to you and 19,999 others prepared to get their fanboy on with the latest, greatest version of Windows.

[Thanks, ZRX]

[Dantidote @ Jan 20th 2007 8:37PM]

would the world end if I installed this on my MacBook Pro?

[Matt @ Jan 20th 2007 10:38PM]

well Bill Gates owns 40 percent of Apple shares... :S

[Randy @ Jan 20th 2007 11:40PM]

By installing it on a Mac, you may bring about a paradox that destroys the known universe. Go ahead, give it a shot.

[Jeremy K. @ Jan 20th 2007 8:41PM]

Oh yeah... like this is going to be worth something more than it's initial price in the future.

[Matt @ Jan 20th 2007 8:41PM]

ill stick with vista transform pack. its free and looks just like it...

[FrankTheCrank @ Jan 20th 2007 8:44PM]

Wow...so what your really getting is a limited edition plastic case!

There's nothing different about the software.

Just goes to prove how scummy M$ is.

[Rick @ Jan 20th 2007 9:00PM]

totally agree, this is why I'm waiting for the "alt.binaries" version - muhahaha! Last time I gave M$ any money was for the DOS 5.1 upgrade, felt ripped ever since.

[Zadillo @ Jan 20th 2007 8:44PM]

Yeah, I have a hard time believing Bill Gates sat there signing 20,000 Vista boxes. Seems cool though, and as you say, at least they don't seem to be pricing this ridiculously compared to the plain Vista Ultimate upgrade.

[Nakkel @ Jan 22nd 2007 3:24PM]

Hey, now we know why Vista was delayed all these years. ;)

[enzo @ Jan 20th 2007 8:45PM]

in 40 years, it will probably worth a lot on ebay. Or Google/Microsoft/Yahoo Live Virtual Auction, or something. Whatever's big in 40 years.

[Chris Merchant @ Jan 20th 2007 8:59PM]

Yeah, in 40 years- Micro$hit will have bought eBay, and turned it into (you guessed it) Windows Live Auction.

It's going to be complete crap, I can tell you now. But a few of us underground pirate types will keep the eBay hamsters rolling underground- for the chosen few that know the IP; eBay will live on.

;)

Chris

[Matt @ Jan 20th 2007 9:02PM]

so if i was browsing ebay in 40 years i would get a bsod via IE 20?

[steve @ Jan 20th 2007 10:17PM]

Windows Live Auction sounds a hell of a lot better than the Apple verson iAution

[Brad @ Jan 21st 2007 5:27PM]

And maybe MS wont screw all the sellers on Ebay when that happens...they at least try to keep their customers happy.

[tim @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:49PM]

why the heck would i want to list something on an underground auction site that only a few social retards even know the ip address to?

If your going to sell something you would use ebay or live auction or whatever the heck most popular auction site is avalible.

Besides what makes you think the ebay/paypal monopoly is not just as evil as M$ monopoly.
when you and your underground cronies hatch the next utube or whatever you will be just as evil for being successfull. and if you had half the business skills as M$ you would hire the same evil lawers to keep the money rolling in.

[Chris Merchant @ Jan 20th 2007 9:10PM]

>so if i was browsing ebay in 40 years i would get a bsod via IE 20?

In theory, yeah. Of course, you'd be using Firefox 53.2.1, still as big of a memory hog as ever- not like that stops anyone from using it.

Chris

[chris @ Jan 21st 2007 11:39PM]

uh no, in 40 years it will probably be IE 7.5 :)

[Rick @ Jan 20th 2007 9:04PM]

Vista Ultimate Greasy Hair Edition: now with more cooties.

[Jacob @ Jan 21st 2007 4:20PM]

Firefox does not have a memory leak. It's a myth. Firefox v2 fixes the memory "leak" (where all pages are stored in memory), and for 1.5 users there's an easy configuration switch to hit.

Please, don't spread rumors.

[martin @ Jan 20th 2007 9:20PM]

I'll probably get one of these for free randomly. It just happens.

[Kurt Huber @ Jan 20th 2007 9:35PM]

Way to go, Engadget. Totally leaving out important details, like this is only the UPGRADE edition... At least it's priced almost the same.

[Von32 @ Jan 20th 2007 9:35PM]

27.7 hours of nonstop signing if each signiture would be 5 seconds.

and it seems like it would take 5 seconds- it's pretty clear, and small. (not all over the place like marilyn manson's)

[Will @ Jan 20th 2007 9:39PM]

So hows that photo contest coming? Eh? 3 months? Come on guys, just sit down, go through them and get it over with (or just give me the camera :-p)

[Andy @ Jan 20th 2007 9:45PM]

Now I can forge myself a nice billion dollar check!
...
Stop the hating people, M$ ain't so bad!

[icepop4who @ Jan 20th 2007 9:50PM]

OMG OMG OMG OMG!
i'm gonna faint!!
I will hand over $259, o great one!
Billy G, i worship you

[nivz @ Jan 20th 2007 9:55PM]

you know what's gonna be big in 40years? bittorrent with the capability to send boxes over the net.. I'll definetely have one of these limited edition things when that happens.. untill then, I'm happy with plain old bittorrent. :D

[Greebo @ Jan 23rd 2007 11:09AM]

Of course this is only signature v.1.0. It will cost you more when the signature itself is upgraded...or you can subscribe to the subscription upgrade for only $20 per year...provided you have the Genuine Windows Signature Recognition software installed on your plastic case.

[Clayj @ Jan 20th 2007 9:55PM]

I have Bill's *real* autograph on a Microsoft Mouse 2.0 (the old Dove Bar mouse, circa 1994)... won it in a raffle when I used to work at Microsoft. The mouse has lived since then in a Ziploc bag, waiting for the right day when I will either sell the thing or get it encased in Lucite or something.

[Jonathan Worrel @ Jan 20th 2007 9:58PM]

=========================================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Just pre-ordered my copy from Amazon.com

IM NOT KIDDING. $259.00 and included free shipping. Now I'll I gotta do is wait til the 31st and I'll be set with a non-illegal RTM copy of Vista Ultimate, "signed" by Bill Gates!

Hey, the only thing I will ever buy for my computer is a new OS. I'll be honest with you guys. After all the pirating, I mean I've gotta give my money to something.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
=============================================================

[ZRX @ Jan 20th 2007 10:05PM]

First submit ! ;-)

[Louis S. @ Jan 20th 2007 10:05PM]

"Yeah, in 40 years- Micro$hit will have bought eBay, and turned it into (you guessed it) Windows Live Auction.

It's going to be complete crap, I can tell you now. But a few of us underground pirate types will keep the eBay hamsters rolling underground- for the chosen few that know the IP; eBay will live on.

;)

Chris"

Geez, what the hell people?

You act like Apple is like God's gift to man-kind and Microsoft is the spawn of satin.

Seriously, it's all business. Apple will take the chance to get as much money out of a product as they could. As would Microsoft. As would Google. As would every other freakin' company on the planet.

So, next time you speak out against Microsoft, for something they didn't even do, I want you to write a huge letter to Steve Jobs about how you wish you could meet him, and how you fought against "the great evil" and then he can use that letter to wipe his ass instead of the hundred dollar bills he normally uses.

That goes for you Microsoft fanboys, too. Just enjoy a product instead of going to a website to tell about how much you hate a company.

[inlogic @ Jan 21st 2007 9:01AM]

you sir are my hero.

[Kenofthedead @ Jan 20th 2007 10:11PM]

Ah good ole Microsoft, now using ideas from Baseball cards.

[2Perfect @ Jan 20th 2007 10:14PM]

LoL @ andy.

Is there any difference from the plain "ULTIMATE" (INTENSE!) version other than the number and the name on the box? Since it's the same price as the upgrade, I would assume there's really no difference. Really nothing too special about it.

Anyway, I'm sticking with windows XP unless I win a free copy ^_^ Even then I might just sell it.

PS: Can anyone explain to me the difference between upgrade and full? Does upgrade mean if you have to reformat, you have to install XP then upgrade to Vista again? =/ Never got what the difference is lol.

[Gary @ Jan 21st 2007 4:23AM]

It just means you have to "own" a copy of Windows XP/2000 to install it. You can still boot from the DVD and install it to a clean partition, but it will ask you to put in your XP/2000 CD to check you "own" it.

[Gary @ Jan 21st 2007 8:18PM]

All legitamate copies of Windows XP come with A Recovery CD, preinstalled or not. You'd find most laptops have an emergency recovery partition that enables you to reinstall Windows XP if everything goes wrong. if you were to leave this partition on the laptop before installing Vista, it would recognise it was there and continue with the install. nevertheless, There will still definatley be a CD with all legitimate editions. If you don't want to do that, then obviously there are places where you could "borrow" an image of the CD. As for the 2nd Question, there would be no problem using the same vista DVD media to upgrade all 3 editions, However, you would need to purchase 3 seperate licences to LEGALLY use all 3 operating systems, but, as with everything, there are always ways of getting it "free" from the internet.

Gary

Disclaimer: I do not indorse piracy in any shape, form or manner. I am simply providing relevant information to the question asked. This information should not be used for illegal purposes.

[Aj Collins @ Jan 20th 2007 10:18PM]

I'm going to start selling a copy of Ultimate that is signed by me, your Windows Vista beta tester. Any takers?

[2Perfect @ Jan 20th 2007 10:23PM]

Sold.

And clayj, where do you live? *shifty eyes*

[Clayj @ Jan 21st 2007 2:56PM]

2Perfect: Charlotte.

[sammy mazola jr @ Jan 20th 2007 10:26PM]

I'm waiting for the Steve Ballmer signature edition comes out. Written in his own sweat.

[Brendan @ Jan 20th 2007 10:28PM]

i work retail and it is actually 2500 not 20,000...pretty packaging though.

[catapults.music @ Jan 21st 2007 10:07PM]

Look the picture man. It clearly says "00000 | 20000."

As in number zero of twenty thousand limited edition copies of Windows Vista Ultimate. I wonder what number mine will be.

[Brendan @ Jan 21st 2007 2:36AM]

gah, cant type, i meant 25000 accidently left off a zero. DOH

[par @ Jan 20th 2007 10:31PM]

I'd prefer if it was a cheque with his signature on it.

[Nathan @ Jan 20th 2007 10:36PM]

$249 for the UPGRADE. The retail version will cost you a bit more.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 20th 2007 10:46PM]

Can you imagine what would happen if Steve Jobs sold autographed OSX boxes? Pandemonium on a global level.

[Tim Sonderman @ Jan 20th 2007 10:47PM]

The normal upgrade version sells on Amazon for $250, so $260 doesn't seem like that bad of a deal. $10 for a signature edition? I'd buy it if I wasn't getting the free business version.

[js @ Jan 20th 2007 11:06PM]

Why do people pick on Bill Gates? While I understand that he has more money than all of us, last time I remember him he gives more money to third world countries than Steve Jobs ever could.

Please enlighten me.

[Paul @ Jan 20th 2007 11:26PM]

The reason people pick on Bill Gates has nothing to do with the contributions he makes to charities. It has to do with the contributions his company makes to the industry, or lack thereof. The products Microsoft has put out recently aren't nearly as innovative or exciting as the products that are coming out of Apple. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Microsoft hater, I just think they have the potential to do better. But, for now, I'm an Apple fanboy, and I don't see Microsoft changing that for a long time.

[Greenline @ Jan 20th 2007 11:23PM]

Anyone else think the words 'Signature Edition' look like they are in the Apple Font? I mean could this box look anymore like an Apple wanna-be? Micro-Suck you Suck.