NXT-G 2.1 educ.: purchase vs dowload patches/fixes to 2.0

[legoslo]

My high school, where i teach a technology class, has a site license of NXT-G 2.0 educational, and we are about to do an install on 30 student laptops. but then i learned of the NXT-G 2.1 educational edition upgrade, available for purchase. one disk purchase upgrades the site license.

But there are also software downloads. Is this the same thing, for free?

http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/suppor ... tches.aspx

Software 2.0 fix http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/suppor ... px#Patches
"This is an update for LEGO NXT software 2.0 - If you are using LEGO NXT software 1.1 or earlier, you need to upgrade to the latest software first.
This update primarily resolves issues with Flash 10.1 and compiler issues, for a full fix list, please see the read me file in the download.
This does not upgrade your NXT version to NXT 2.0"

Driver 1.02
http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/suppor ... spx#Driver
Description
"This software updates the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT driver and addresses an issue that prevents the firmware from being downloaded to the NXT on some occasions.

When you have installed the new driver and want to download new firmware to the NXT, please initialize the NXT brick before you start downloading the firmware. If your NXT is clicking when you insert batteries, push the hardware reset button for five seconds before you insert the USB cable. This will ensure that the brick initializes correctly for the firmware download. The hardware reset button is located within the LEGO Technic hole below the USB connector on the NXT brick. If your NXT brick is not clicking when you insert batteries just go through the normal firmware download process as described within the manual when the new driver is installed."

I experience many bugs in teaching with this software, but most reproducible was that the Bluetooth "wait for message" block never worked. always had to use "bluetooth receive message" in a loop as a work around.

Anyone know the value of upgrading to (purchasing) the 2.1 for a new install, vs. installing the patches?

[hassenplug]

I can't say for sure, but if it were me, I'd start by downloading the free patches, and see what that does.

I suspect you'll get the same thing either way, but buying the CD may be easier.

Steve