[mso] Re: Office 2000 - OEM

Well, you don't really have to so long as you buy a piece of hardware (say
a disk drive) and the software as OEM distributed with that hard disk.
That's the practice Dian's first sentence refers to. It has always been an
edge of ethics behavior to sell OEM this way in my mind. However, MS
tacitly allows it and continues to teach System Builders (small OEMs in
Microsoft parlance) that this practice is within the licensing guidelines.
Also note that Office 2003 will introduce more changes to licensing from
Microsoft which may or may not exclude this sort of purchase.

Microsoft has long allowed this sort of transaction. BUT if that hard disk
you buy travels to some other person, the license is void and the
installation must be wiped. Why is this exclusion allowed? The support
burden lies with the OEM who sells you the package. In fact, the entire MS
OEM program was originally based on the premise that the only way to
purchase a full version (i.e., not an upgrade) of an MS Operating System
was to be an OEM. Some info on OEM licensing is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/evaluation/news/bulletins/volu
mefactsx.asp

And more specific to your situation is
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;300273 ,
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/applications/oem.mspx .
According to MS sales and support folks I've talked to over the years,
this System Builder part of the OEM reseller programs is deliberately
vague so your only guidance is available at the OEM and Piracy sites.

I'm also relieved to see that Microsoft has changed its stance regarding
donated systems to schools  They used to not engage in any licensing
caveats for organizations and schools. That left the field open to
Commodore and Steve Jobs. More at
http://www.microsoft.com/education/default.asp?id=freshstartfaq

Greg Chapman
http://www.mousetrax.com
"Counting in binary is as easy as 01, 10, 11!
With thinking this clear, is coding really a good idea?"


> -----Original Message-----
> From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of CEB
> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 10:24 AM
> To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [mso] Re: Office 2000 - OEM
>
>
> Thanks Dian.  I guess I knew the things you mentioned but it was nice
> to have them summarized so nicely.
>
> I think I'll pass on the OEM software!
>
> Chuck
>

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