Free Microsoft Software

djpailo

I don't understand, when I click the link it leads to something called TechNet Plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot???

Wow, is this legal? I'm very worried

isofa

jasonwatkins wrote: »

you're using firefox - it doesn't work in firefox.

use internet explorer and it will work

It does work in Firefox but you need to read the instructions, most MS Tech/Partner sites are expectedly geared towards using IE.

devizes18193

jasonwatkins wrote: »

you're using firefox - it doesn't work in firefox.

use internet explorer and it will work

course the microsoft mind set all working now ta

isofa

djpailo wrote: »

I don't understand, when I click the link it leads to something called TechNet Plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot???

Wow, is this legal? I'm very worried

It's legal for the Technet community, testers and developers only, but this the pilot project has been leaked giving wider access.

You need to register to gain access with your details etc, but I'd be very surprised if MS doesn't pull this shortly.

djpailo

isofa wrote: »

It's legal for the Technet community, testers and developers only, but this the pilot project has been leaked giving wider access.

You need to register to gain access with your details etc, but I'd be very surprised if MS doesn't pull this shortly.

So if we download anything and install it, will it be ok? I'm downloading something at the moment, but if it's illegal I will remove it immediately. I just want to make sure

jasonwatkins

djpailo wrote: »

So if we download anything and install it, will it be ok?

100% legal and above board.

just make sure you take about 5 years to properly evaluate the software

djpailo

jasonwatkins wrote: »

100% legal and above board.

just make sure you take about 5 years to properly evaluate the software

Aw thanks mate. I'm downloading Office 2007. The OS's look cool but I don't really need them. lol

Fonz_2

People saying this is 100% legal are being slightly misleading here no?

It stays legal if you stay within the terms of the license agreement - i.e. you're a developer or are using this in a professional evaluation environment for a fixed amount of time.

If this isn't your purpose or you're just a home user looking for cheap software then it fall outside of the license agreement and very quickly becomes illegal.

jasonwatkins

Fonz wrote: »

People saying this is 100% legal are being slightly misleading here no?

Well yeah, to be fair that's true.

it's legal in the sense you're not downloading it from the pirate bay with an activation crack.

it's "properly" obtained software from a reputable source.

this is why i think it's an error on microsoft's part - if they knowingly activated this then they must have realised how many people would have downloaded the software for personal use.

which, as i've said, could well lead to all the keys being issued today being invalidated.

Fonz_2

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the 'source' of their software determines it's authenticity and usage rights.

This is very different to the legal picture of 'licensing'. Just because something was obtained from a Microsoft website rather than thepiratebay, mininova, etc it doesn't automatically give the user rights to actually use the software.

These rights are contained within the license agreement itself - namely in this case for Technet the high level terms are that the software is not for home use, and is only for use in a development or evaluation scenario.

Further to this, the license is not perpetual meaning that even if you were using the software in the correct environment for the duration of the trial, the license instantly runs out the second that trial expires - essentially making the continued use of the software piracy.