XP asking me to activate?

[ikonia]

I have to agree - buying a OEM version as there was no retail stock....what no reatail stock anywhere in the country or the online dealers.

The terms of the License are the rules of use. Microsoft could make a term saying you can only use this software if you are right handed, its a poor rule - but thats the terms, if you don't like it don't buy it ! or wait a day or so for an online e-tailer to send you the retail copy you claim you where going to buy.

If you want to break the terms of the license - do so, its stealing plain and simple. Or go out and buy another oem copy or a retail copy that will protect you from this situation in future.

[Agent]

The terms of the License are the rules of use. Microsoft could make a term saying you can only use this software if you are right handed

Im pretty sure that would break a number of discriminatory laws

[htid]

Pff so basically it looks like i'll have to buy a new version, and I probably can't even get an OEM since I didn't buy it at the same time as my hardware. Should have got the one scan offered me when i bought my parts from them. This really is crap, i'm a student, i literally can't afford another £150 or so quid, and since MS have a basic monopoly on the OS market, that means in 3 days I have no computer. That's good, for a final year computing student, really good.

Also, i don't get why it only tells me today that i need to re-activate since i've been using it on this PC for 2 months with no trouble, and I installed the new graphics card 2 days ago with no activation message, yet today it pops up with 3 days left...could at least give me the usual 30 days to sort something else out.

[Agent]

If your at uni mate, its worth speaking to them. Most good unis have MSDN access for their students.

Its no wonder so many people pirate windows. Most people dont have an issue with buying software.....when they dont get screwed over.

[htid]

Thanks agent, i'll go in to uni tomorrow and ask...on the website it seems as though they have XP Pro 64bit version but I don't know if my software will work with 64bit version? I'll ring MS tomorrow and explain, and tell them i'm a student, then go into uni and speak to them, hopefully I can get something sorted in the next 3 days :/

[danroyle]

you own some plastic containing data

that data is covered by copyright

you are permitted to view and "use" the copyrighted data stored on the plastic by the license agreement made between you and the copyright holder

if you don't want to comply with the agreement, then you lose the legal right to the data

it cuts both ways - some companies have used software licensed under the GPL and breached their licenses - and been forced to stand down (by releasing source code or recalling products)

as someone who releases open-source software, i have a firm belief in the sanctity of software licenses, and if microsoft want to make certain "offensive" clauses, that's their right - i'd no more support someone violating a microsoft license than someone ripping off my work or the linux kernel or whatever

and as you seem to know so much about oem versions then you will also know that technically i bought my copy illegally as i bought it from aria online and bought nothing else with it except an antivirus disc or well really they broke the law selling it to me

[directhex]

and as you seem to know so much about oem versions then you will also know that technically i bought my copy illegally as i bought it from aria online and bought nothing else with it except an antivirus disc or well really they broke the law selling it to me

they violated the license, yes

the OEM system builder license states OEM XP can only be sold with "non-peripheral hardware"

[kalniel]

microsofts agreement is flawed when you purchase software you own it on cd

I'm not aware of that law - if it's true then it renders all of the licensing found on most products useless.

I thought you are actually buying a license to use software, not taking ownership of the software itself.

[directhex]

if you "own" what you buy on cd, then wouldn't that make it legal to makie copies & sell them?

no?

why not?

oh, that's right, because you *don't* own it, you merely *license* it

[danroyle]

if you "own" what you buy on cd, then wouldn't that make it legal to makie copies & sell them?

no?

why not?

oh, that's right, because you *don't* own it, you merely *license* it

so does that mean that movie you just bought you don't own you just paid for the right to watch it does that also mean that they can then decide you have abused your rights with that movie and take it back after all you don't own it do you


also how many license agreements actually are any good does it not say on the beginning of a dvd that it is solely for private home use of the owner so if your mate comes round to watch it with ya you break the law if you lend it to your mum and dad to watch you just broke the law

[directhex]

so does that mean that movie you just bought you don't own you just paid for the right to watch it does that also mean that they can then decide you have abused your rights with that movie and take it back after all you don't own it do you

correct. this is enforceable in hd-dvd and blu-ray, and merely implicit for current formats.

also how many license agreements actually are any good does it not say on the beginning of a dvd that it is solely for private home use of the owner so if your mate comes round to watch it with ya you break the law if you lend it to your mum and dad to watch you just broke the law

those are still counted as private use. rental would imply taking cash for lending it; public performance would imply playing it to people where a) you charge for admission or b) play it at at a public venue. for the former, you need to buy a rental copy (which costs a lot more than retail), for the latter you need a public broadcast license. the rules are in place to stop the bbc from buying a dvd from play.com and broadcasting it to 8 million people.

[vicar]

More reason not to throw good money over hd-dvd and blu-ray items.

If push comes to shove, try SUSE 10, or Ubuntu, It's free.

[Steve B]

i like ubuntu and im sure directhex does to

[dangel]

This thread smacks of holy-than-thou attitudes frankly.. Just do as suggested and sleep easy knowing that one way or another you paid for an MS product (licence or not - lol) whereas most don't. Chances of being sued by MS? Nil.
You may as well turn yourself in to the cop shop for taping a music cd for the car - it's just as illegal and just as risky.

[directhex]

This thread smacks of holy-than-thou attitudes frankly.. Just do as suggested and sleep easy knowing that one way or another you paid for an MS product (licence or not - lol) whereas most don't. Chances of being sued by MS? Nil.
You may as well turn yourself in to the cop shop for taping a music cd for the car - it's just as illegal and just as risky.

two products are sold. one costs more, and lets you do more

you're arguing that people should effectively be stealing the more expensive product because they won't get caught?

[dangel]

two products are sold. one costs more, and lets you do more

you're arguing that people should effectively be stealing the more expensive product because they won't get caught?

No, I'm _debating_ whether the black and white nature of your _arguement_ is in fact a falacy in day to day life. Letter of the law and spirit of? Would I rather have someone pirate my product without paying me anything or something? Would I rather a student pirate my product at college and go onto buy it when they start working for a living? You proport piracy to be morally wrong in all circumstances - I don't agree, nor do I think your views seem terribly realistic in the World we live in. I don't suspect either of us will make any ground here and i'm not looking to score points - but that's how I feel (and I suspect i'm neither a particularly bad person nor alone in such beliefs) as someone who writes software for a living.