Windows 7: Resale of Used Software Licenses Legal in EU

I do wonder how something like this ruling can effect the difference between Window operating system OEM and Retail. I do believe the pirates will be coming out of the woodwork. Smiling like a opossum finding a fresh road kill.

The smart licensing for MS software is for a family (3 or less) to get a single Microsoft Technet subscription. It will give
3 licenses of all Microsoft workstation products. Cost $550 the first year, then $250-300 each year on renewal. So get your Windows 7 keys (3) and Windows8 keys (3) when it is released. Also gives (3) keys for all the Office products.

Hi there
Doing this is probably why Ms keeps reducing the number of keys --two years ago or about you used with a professional level subscription to get 10 (yes TEN) keys per product - then it dropped to FIVE and is now only THREE.

TechNet is meant to be used for TESTING -- if you start using these as your everyday OS'es then you are breaking the agreement and what's more probably actually BREAKING THE LAW as well in whatever country you live in.

Ms should themselves perhaps introduce a Family Licensing scheme --would make a lot of sense and probably stop a lot of piracy too.


@Layback Bear ==> the serial nr or product key will enable MS to ascertain that the product is an OEM version or not.

What the pirates will do of course is image their own system -- sell on the Windows version (Retail) with one of two options ==> tell MS that the've removed the software whether they have or not in which case the new buyer *might just get a chance* of activating Windows again -- or sell on anyway --we've all seen how totally imbecilic lots of people get when confronted with "a possible bargain". In this case the buyer is just left with a totally useless product.

Courts should realize whatever their intentions are there's a HUGE HUGE difference in GETTING a Court Judgement and actually ENFORCING it.

I like the idea of this but Ms licensing need to be able to deal with the various ramifications and likely scams to be associated with this -- as do Adobe and other suppliers of good high quality expensive professional Software.

Games are probably easier to deal with since they are so riddled with DRM and other restrictions that I doubt if there's much of a market anyway (and the trend is now to have more and more only available to be played on external servers or at least you have to be connected to a server in order to play the game even if installed locally on your PC).


Cheers
jimbo

As far as a Technet subscription being intended to be used for "Testing", just about everyone thar reads Sevenforums
qualifies as a tester. It only takes 1 in the family. Technet subscription is the cheapest no hassle way to go
with Microsoft software. Having had a technet subscription my self the last few years, Microsoft will actually call me
on the phone about 30 days before the subscription is up. They never ask how many computers or why, Microsoft
just wants the money. Do not be afraid if you feel you do not qualify for a Technet subscription. Just get it and
save your self some money and hassle.

To sign up for a Technet subscription, you must have a Windows Live or Hotmail address. Be logged into this mail account using Internet Explorer before you try to download a given CD image. Just how it is with Microsoft.

Technet CD key serial numbers even work for "Windows Anytime Upgrade". Myself I do not recommend MS OS major
upgrading of a OS. But it has the best chance of working if you need it. EVERYONE qualifies for a technet subscription.
All these Sevenforums people qualify. By MS definition of who qualifies. All us 7forum people are tinkerers. That qualifies.

Perhaps the dumbest reply here but if I build or buy a machine with Windows installed on it or any other software for that matter and then when I am fed up with it or want a new machine I sell the machine to say my friend down the road does that make me a criminal?

Because in theory I am transferring the activation for any software to him or her?

Or am I really that dumb to think that?