[SpamCop-Social] Re: Windows Vista

[Chris Wright]

Sylvesterthekat wrote:
> Chris Wright <chris.a.wright at gmail.com> wrote in
> news:e54ph9$l8f$1 at news.spamcop.net: 
> 
>> All depends on the image and if it contains 'HAL' information. (Which
>> in basic terms means hardware specific differences such as motherboard
>> etc). If its a pure software install with generic drivers, then it
>> should be ok, but maybe not legal.
>>
> 
> Not LEGAL?! Where do they get off deciding where you can use something 
> you've purchased? It pisses me off bigtime.


Because the OEM paid a fraction of the cost of a complete license to 
ship with their machines.
You can legally get OEM copies/issues of XP SP2 for under $60, even less 
if you can buy in mega bulk quantities.  So this is just another area of 
profit margin for the mass producers of 'crap' store badged PC's.

The license belongs to the 'hardware' which should have the authenticity 
sticker on it.  You break the license when you install the OS on another 
system, but NOT if you were to transfer the sticker to the new machine. 
(Try removing the damn sticker..).

In the UK you can go to the store buy a TV, but you cannot use it until 
you buy a license.
Give that TV to someone else, they must buy a license (assuming they 
don't have one, and the license is per person rather than TV really).

But because you bought an OEM copy of the OS which costs a fraction of 
the price of the full version, it has its limitations.
If you want the ability to move and install your OS at your will, then 
you should expect to pay the full price to enable you to do so.
Otherwise the already extortionate 'in store' price of PC's will raise 
significantly.