| Forum Home | ||||
| Press F1 | ||||
| Thread ID: 42937 | 2004-02-27 05:57:00 | TradeMe selling Windows C.O.A. | Nigel Thomson (629) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 218562 | 2004-02-27 05:57:00 | I have noticed people on trade me selling Windows COE (Certificate of Authenticity) with no disks, As I am in the market for an O/S these do seem really quite cheap especially the W2k ones as that is what I will probably be getting How legal is this? Am I able to register as the new owner of the software the COA is for? Thanks in Advance |
Nigel Thomson (629) | ||
| 218563 | 2004-02-27 06:05:00 | Sounds pretty dodgy, probably illegal. Where are you going to get the software from if they don't provide it? I guess you could download it, but if you can only produce a COA when M$ do an audit and not the cd you might be in trouble. |
PoWa (203) | ||
| 218564 | 2004-02-27 08:15:00 | From memory there has been many a discussion on the legality of this one on Trademe. I suppose only MS would have the definitive answer. Some argue that the COA is the only definitive way of claiming legal ownership (I mean right of use) of the O/S. Having the cd and no COA means its illegal. Mind you, having a COA and no cd's seems bizarre. | Dolby Digital (160) | ||
| 218565 | 2004-02-27 08:44:00 | In actual fact, I have seen fully sealed windows COAs and licenses put up as lots at Turners Auctions, once a tea-chest full. Presumably these may have come from an organisation that had installed many copies of windows, most probably just from one disk, and had all these unopened licenses. In any case they have at some time been paid for and Microsoft has received payment for them. If subsequently they are mated up with OS CDs that dont have a licence, then there can be nothing wrong with that? |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 218566 | 2004-02-27 19:36:00 | however if you pair up a C.O.A and an illegal burn of an O/S CD, is it legal? | Megaman (344) | ||
| 218567 | 2004-02-27 21:01:00 | > however if you pair up a C.O.A and an > illegal burn of an O/S CD, is it legal? You've already answered your own question Megaman... You used the word illegal, so obviously it is. Mike. |
Mike (15) | ||
| 218568 | 2004-02-28 13:09:00 | Depends on you definition of an "illegal burn". I thought that was a copy without a C.O.A. - therfore once you have a C.O.A it effectivly stops being an illegal copy and is no different to a ligitimate backup. |
hillisp (4195) | ||
| 218569 | 2004-02-28 15:37:00 | So - the current position is- people value the certificate more than the software? |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 218570 | 2004-02-28 19:06:00 | COA's sold in this manner (by MS originally) only apply to OEM versions of Windows. The COA key will not work with anything but an OEM version. Many PCs are sold with no OS CD (only a restore disk which is non recognised or reuseable on other hardware) and COA's are sold to assemblers for this purpose. |
godfather (25) | ||
| 218571 | 2004-02-28 20:04:00 | What's an OEM version, please? My computer was bought second=hand last year from a travelling firm which specialises in former office machines. With it came one disk which I knew nothing about (We're talking totally computer-illiterate here) so put it in " a safe place " in case it was needed. It hasn't been so far - and the box is currently behind some stored furniture....but I assume it's what I've now learned is a restore disk. Obviously it's time to find out what I've got. ..and should have? The friend who set up my computer on Day 1 has moved, unfortunately. The selling firm is large & apparently reputable, but only visits here every few months. If I'm missing something -either technical or legal - I'd like to know, so that I can fix it. |
Laura (43) | ||
| 1 2 3 | |||||