Maybe it's for the cardboard laptops?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/06/cardboard_laptop/

"Windows XP / Vista / 2000, No Operating System" is just the system requirements, meaning it can be installed on computers with or without Windows already installed.

It's not an empty box at all, you have to look on ebay for those. (I hear someone's already sold an empty iPhone box)

Maybe I'm the only one who thought it made sense, as "Windows XP / Vista / 2000, No Operating System" are obviously the platforms under which you can install/upgrade to Vista. Though, I'm sure people don't always read it that way.

Funny article, guys.

But no operating system is Microsoft-ese for "This Copy Of Windows Can Be Installed On A Blank Hard Drive." Most Windows discs sold insist on a pre-existing copy of Windows being already present on C.

Nice try on the title though.

Doesn't that No Operating system, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Vista tag just mean that you can use this on a computer with either No Operating system, Windows 2000, Windows Xp or Vista?

Who don't want to install it, but feel a need to pay the Microsoft Tax.

I have numerous colleagues that would simply commend Amazon on its "Truth in Advertising" stance.

Outstanding gullibility as performed by commenters of this thread! Maybe The Reg need to introduce a 'tongue in cheek' gauge for the 'simpler' breed of readers..

I alone in the universe realised that this is not actually an empty box. It is the system requirements for the computer to run it (it's a full version and not an upgrade so will install on a computer with no OS).

Clearly Mr Austin Modine is not as clever as I am because his article was a genuine tome of idiocy and not a little bit of tongue in cheek comedy to brighten up my morning. I felt the need to post on the comments to explain that Austin Modine is wrong and I am right to prove my superiority over him. Arise Simon Painter, cleverest of them all and quick witted savour of the poor and easily confused Mr Austin Modine.

Seriously though, El Reg. Maybe you should cut the comedy because it seems that many of your readers are not clever enough to work out when you are having a laugh.

If you go to the description page you'll read "PLEASE NOTE: Both the 32-bit DVD-ROM and 64-bit DVD-ROM are included." for Ultimate and "PLEASE NOTE: Only the 32-bit DVD-ROM is included." for Home Premium. So maybe they're not that empty ;-)

"Maybe The Reg need to introduce a 'tongue in cheek' gauge for the 'simpler' breed of readers.."

Long-standing readers will know that they already have. They just don't use it often enough:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/01/the_color_of_irony/

And there isn't a colour for 'thinking you're being hilarious about mundane typos on websites', which would seem to be El Reg's main requirement.

I remember purchasing an evaluation kit from Microsoft (£200) a few years back and was sent a very well-packaged smart-looking box by courier. Inside the letter-sized x 3cm deep box was a laminated card with a phone number to ring whereupon a Microsoft representative would then take your details and ship the boxful of goodies.

I think there is a mistake we have all overlooked, "No Operating system, " should surely be "Not Operating 'as they should be and were advertised to' systems: ", isn't it just a statement about the products listed? A category maybe?

I'm not bitter about having to downgrade to XP from Vista at all ;o)

Microsoft have been bombarding up with Vista marketing for so long, I'm surprised you guys haven't caught on earlier:

Vista is no operating system, it's a whole new user experience!

Vista's exciting features allow everyone to experience the joys of being a new user, on a daily basis.

they list vista as a OS they can install over... but the box is or vista?

Why install what you already have? they must be hard up for cash if they are trying to sell it twice :D

shut the hell up!