OEM Licensing

seanparkin

You expected somebody from Microsoft NOT to lie?
Thats like asking an MSE to turn down a freebee! :rotfl:

Mr_Skint wrote:

Aaah Ok I see the man at Microsoft the other day was lying to me :rolleyes:

Mr_Skint_2

seanparkin wrote:

You expected somebody from Microsoft NOT to lie?
Thats like asking an MSE to turn down a freebee! :rotfl:

Well I was face to face with him.....

blinky

There is no difference between the software supplied in any M$ OEM and Retail or VLK products, other than the bit which controls the type of licence key which can be accepted.

It used to be the case that you got a full manual with the retail boxed versions, rather than just the installation guide which you receive with OEM editions.

Other companies do make a difference between the feature sets of the OEM versions and the full retail ones, e.g. Ahead, Powervision, Cyberlink etc.

The main difference is the OEM which provides support rather than the parent company i.e. with OEM M$ products you should go to your OEM supplier rather than M$ support. AFAIK The only company which really enforces this restriction to any extent is Creative where some of their drivers will not install on the OEM versions of the cards without a bit of fiddling.

OEM software and hardware is supposed to be supplied to system builders rather than to end users. M$ has been trying to clamp down on this in the last few years and to try and get people to buy retail software. It's not difficult to see why...

XP Home OEM=~£60 Retail = £180.

Vic_980

Hmm... huge difference of opinions here.

My question is then - can I get away with using the OEM licence on my laptop, given that my desktop has bitten the dust?

I'm a business user and don't particularly want to shell out for another copy of XP Pro.. but nor do I want to be chased by FAST or whoever they are?

Mr_Skint_2

No you cant use a copy of XP from one machine to another as that will
contravene the licence agreement (allegedly)...........

BoltonMinx

As a business user, I wouldnt chance it

DonnyDave

blinky wrote:

OEM software and hardware is supposed to be supplied to system builders rather than to end users. M$ has been trying to clamp down on this in the last few years and to try and get people to buy retail software. It's not difficult to see why...

XP Home OEM=~£60 Retail = £180.

I'm considering Microsoft Office for Word and Excel. I see there's different versions, the Standard version (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint) is more expensive than the Basic Edition.

Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2003 (Word, Excel, Outlook) is for distribution with new PCs. However, it is available from Savastore, details are here and states Licence qty: 3 Users. Does this mean that it can be installed on 3 PCs simultaneously, ie it comes with 3 licences?

Doonhamer

Any retail version of Office can be installed on two PC's so long as they both belong to and are used by the same person. The idea is that you can have a copy on your desktop and laptop. Not sure about the 3 user one though.

*!*HIBS*!*

Mr_Skint wrote:

Well I was face to face with him.....

Maybe he was trying to make you happy as you don't look happy in your pic
:rotfl: