Reasonable OEM Prices?

[yclyde]

I was looking for windows oem license. Do these prices seem reasonable?

http://saveateaglestore.site.yahoo.n...in98seoe3.html

http://saveateaglestore.site.yahoo.n...win20proa.html

http://saveateaglestore.site.yahoo.n...winxpprod.html

Thanks for comments.

[PresterJohn]

just make sure you read the description carefully before buying. some oem licenses only have the COA and manual - no cd!

[yclyde]

Would it be legal to use my own "copy" (legal)?

(as a cd for the license)

[iNeb]

What's COA?

[JimG]

COA = Certificat of Authenticity ...
You need it to show the software is legal and that you paid for it.
Microsoft's take on it here

[PresterJohn]

>Would it be legal to use my own "copy" (legal)?

then yes, you can use an *original* ms cd to install the OS to the other machine. it must be an original, not a copy since microsoft's EULA expressly forbids making copies of OS cds.

edit: basically, the way the oem licenses work is that provided you have at least one original ms OS cd, all you need to do is to purchase the required # of licenses (COA), ie. you don't need to have an additional cd for every new machine.

[yclyde]

Thanks for your info PJ.

VM Appreciated!

[Richard Cranium]

microsoft's EULA expressly forbids making copies of OS cds.

Correct on Win XP

Incorrect on W98/95/ME

[PresterJohn]

Originally posted by Richard Cranium


Correct on Win XP

Incorrect on W98/95/ME

you are gravely mistaken, doc. when it comes to OS, microsoft is extremely rigid about their policy. if you go to the ms site, it is stated.

need to find my recent thread about this...back shortly

[PresterJohn]

here is the thread and my post:

http://www.techimo.com/forum/showthr...threadid=44284


>I beg to differ. When you purchase the license you are fulfilling licensing requirements. If you can obtain the media from another source it is not illegal.

azwelkers,

well, you may choose "to beg to differ", but microsoft & the anti-piracy groups will see things differently.

you need to distinguish the difference between licenses and your right to copy software.

the coa or more specifically, the eula portion, grants you the right to run the os on a computer. you have a legal obligation to purchase matching numbers of eulas against the number of machines you install the os on. and for certain types of software, the eula does allow you to make backup copies of the software cd.

however, this does not apply to operating system software. while you may copy the cd to a network storage point for installation distribution, it is illegal to make copies of the cd.

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/tools/faq_default.asp

the purpose of buying the coa/eula thru retail channels is to satisfy the licensing requirement. under this scenario, microsoft assumes you already own an original microsoft operating system cd, not a copy. this means that you can purchase a hundred eulas but if you cannot produce one original CD, they can choose to prosecute you.

thus, while you may purchase a coa/eula, if someone makes a copy of the windows cd and gives it to you, both you and they are breaking the law.

nuff said!