MS used to have lots of different deals going with different prices.
I can't speak with first hand knowledge about most of that.

IF you are a home user, (building one computer), the only way to
get a legitimate license that is legal (and I am no Lawyer)
is to buy the OEM version WITH qualifying hardware (as per
the terms of the license), and pay the full price (the MS going rate).
Anything else voids the terms of the license, (you must read it
since I do not have it). So in that case, you might as well get
the cheapest since you are out of compliance anyway.
With Product Activation(/deactivation) we all know who gets
the last word in this sort of battle...

That is the difference. MS has been using words to get more
money (for the "same things" for years.  (Think of all the poor
companies that had to BUY two Windows OS licenses of the
same version for the same computer, but that is another story
for another time...)
                                               Rick Glazier

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Castorf" <[log in to unmask]>
> So my question boils down to "What do I get for the extra $55 besides a
> piece of fancy paper?"
> Also, "Why do these non-COA versions exist in the first place, assuming
> they're not counterfeit?"

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