Who has actually bought a windows OS?

**will1384** · 01-10-2007, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

Oh and my laptop has a copy of TabletXP! So 3 official copies on 8 computers including the car... Hmmm. All personal use though and since there is only 1 me, I can't use the same "copy" simultaneously. And I think that is in the legalities of XP's TOS. You are allowed to install it on personal machines as long as only 1 copy is ever in use at 1 time. So shutdown, move to the next, ect...

yea its nice to think that way, but most of the time there are no exceptions,
and most OS software that comes with computers is non-transferable,
if that computer dies - your not allowed to use it on another computer,
- not like I care, not that it stops me, but its most likely illegal,

**Rafster** · 01-10-2007, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by will1384

yea its nice to think that way, but most of the time there are no exceptions,
and most OS software that comes with computers is non-transferable,
if that computer dies - your not allowed to use it on another computer,
- not like I care, not that it stops me, but its most likely illegal,

I thought you could use XP on 1 Desktop and 1 Laptop... and be ok...

Rafster

**edrex** · 01-10-2007, 07:05 PM

The only one I've paid for was for my carPC. All other OS's have come preinstalled on PC's that I have bought.

**2k1Toaster** · 01-10-2007, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rafster

I thought you could use XP on 1 Desktop and 1 Laptop... and be ok...

Rafster

Ok after some digging in the EULA, this is what I found:

1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights provided that you comply with
all terms and conditions of this EULA:
* Installation and use.
You may install, use, access, display and run one copy of the Product on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device ("Workstation Computer").

Analysis
Microsoft explicitly states that you can only install and use this software on one, and only one computer. This does not allow you to install on two computers, and only use one at a time. Therefore, if you had one desktop and one laptop PC, you will only be able to install this software on
one of them.

This is the current EULA, however it was modified early 2003 so the wording could no longer be interpretted as how I thought. It used to be you could install it on every computer in the universe, as long as the purchaser was the only user of the computer and only used 1 copy at 1 time. No more.

Something else I found that I thought was funny from the original EULA:

The Product may not be used by more than one (1) processor core at any one time on any single Workstation Computer.

So all you dual core users out there, you are in breach of your EULA if you are using a pre SP1 copy!

I believe they have now changed this to 2 cpus is ok, no more.

**will1384** · 01-10-2007, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Rafster

I thought you could use XP on 1 Desktop and 1 Laptop... and be ok...

Rafster

I think there was a version of Office that was like that,

are you talking about the "1-2 CPU" on the COA sticker
- there talking about 1 to 2 processors in a single computer,
if you had more 2 processors you would need another license,

Here is a Microsoft OEM Licensing FAQ

One thing to note - is that replacing your mother board is viewed as a new
computer - and its no longer legal to use that COA

**2k1Toaster** · 01-10-2007, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by will1384

are you talking about the "1-2 CPU" on the COA sticker

No. The end user liscense agreement (the thing that pops up on installation and you have to press F8 to continue). And the original wording was "no more than 1 processing core". Meaining hyperthreading was ok, but Extreme Editions and Dual Cores (and the AMD equivelants thereof) are breaches! I don't know when this chaged, but it did. Now it reads "no more than 2 processors". So multiple cores for each processor is allowed, but maximum of 2.

It kind of reminds me of what my dad said when we brought home our shiny Packard Bell 200Mhz MMX processor: "Holy Crap! 2 full gigabytes of storage! There is no way in hell you're gonna be able to fill that up in my lifetime".

**EsKALad** · 01-10-2007, 07:33 PM

I go to DeVry and each semester were entitled to a software bundle of all different type of goodies. Win Xp Pro w sp2 and win64x or something. Along with office and visio studio and VB and all that stuff. Its a good thing i got it too because most of the classes they have require all the software.

**gameboy** · 01-10-2007, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by XxAndyxX

I'm in no way saying that downloading or using an illegal copy of windows is right, but as everyone knows, it's extremely common. I'm just curious how many of you have actually bought a windows operating system?

Personally, the first windows OS I bought was Windows XP. It had quite a few bugs so I haven't paid for another one yet. I'll probably end up buying Vista once it's been on the market for atleast a year.

buy software ?!?! what is this strange thing you speak of?

jk, i don't mind buying software that is reasonably priced....but how often does that happen

**swwesq** · 01-10-2007, 08:03 PM

I always buy windows. I have had to pay full price for XP Pro and MCE. I wished Microsoft charged closer to $50 for each, but I don't like messing around with my OS. Only full fresh install.

**Quattro** · 01-11-2007, 02:16 AM

I bought Windows 3.1 (came with the ****ty packer bell I got)

Then Windows 95 was purchased.

Windows 98 Came on a Dell computer

1 copy of XP was purchased.

The rest of the XP copies I got for free from school.

Windows Server 2003, got that free from school.

Windows SQL server for free from school.