Windows 7 with manufactors name on it

[brandonkick]

I can't speak to the legality of the contract between Dell and MS. Comon sense says it's not legal based on what is printed on the disc. However I don't see why the disc couldn't be just another OEM copy of Windows with Dell's label on it. It which case why couldn't it be resold?

Because each individual disk is to be used with the computer it was "married too". Be it through a system builder who built a new system with an OEM license or a retail license that was applied to a machine.

I think a simple phone call to microsoft would sort it out. Ask them how it works with a retail disk, and then ask them how it would work with a dell OEM disk.

They have no reason to lie to you.

 

[nlinecomputers]

One of the fun things about a forum like this is when you start talking legal advice from people who you really know have no idea what the law is or what any legal contract is but that does not stop them from trying to force-ably push their opinions.

I'm not saying you are wrong, although I am confident you are, but that is not the point the point is we do not have the means to make a determination.

See now your are talking a different subject. What is not legal verses what Microsoft will hunt down and shut down. Those are two totally different things. Cause see what most people don't realize is that Microsoft wants to encourage a small amount of quasi piracy of it's products. Microsoft has documentation all over the internet about how illegal this is. Yet they let it happen. Why? Because they would rather you purchased a gray market, yet pure and not altered with backdoors, copy rather then go to Linux or counterfeited copies for which Microsoft isn't paid any money. If it has that Dell sticker on it then Microsoft got paid for it. If it is a Chinese knock off then Microsoft didn't get paid.

But times are changing. Windows 8 can't be sold in this way because the keys aren't on Stickers anymore but are built into bios chips. If Microsoft is closing that hole why would Bmem be any more immune to being shut down? It's not like Microsoft hasn't turned the tables on it's vendors before. Hello Surface, hello axing SBS, axing technet. Microsoft seems to be closing alot of long standing method of doing business.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Grey market software has never been applied to equipment. They come out of the box from MS and go right to ebay or the resellers.

Because each individual disk is to be used with the computer it was "married too". Be it through a system builder who built a new system with an OEM license or a retail license that was applied to a machine.

I think a simple phone call to microsoft would sort it out. Ask them how it works with a retail disk, and then ask them how it would work with a dell OEM disk.

They have no reason to lie to you.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I'm not so sure! If its not legal MS or SA will hunt you (US business) down faster than the cia looking for Bin Ladin.

See now your are talking a different subject. What is not legal verses what Microsoft will hunt down and shut down. Those are two totally different things.

years ago they used to have the rumor that MS lets pirated office go here or there and that africa and china is allowed to use the OS so 1 billion Chinese learn MS and India the same way. That was 20 years ago. Today MS does not look the other way at all at least not in N America.

If it has that Dell sticker on it then Microsoft got paid for it.

I think MS and SA are on the ball as far as North America is concerned.

 

[nlinecomputers]

It wasn't just Africa. Remember Office 97? There was a flood of grey market copies of Office 97 that hit the market back in late 96 and 97.

The disks were supposed to be used only for Volume Licensing. But there were a couple of weird things about it. They shipped with a CD-key an 11 digit key when everything else, Win 95, NT, and 98 including retail versions of Office 97 had 10 digits and Microsoft made MANY more copies then could possibly be needed for easy fulfillment VLK needs. The purpose which everyone will of course deny was to flood the market with cheap copies of Office and kill off Word Perfect. NOt that Novell wasn't doing there best to kill it off anyway. Everyone was selling them to anyone even the major vendors. The company I was at got hundreds of them from Tech Data. About 9 months into this our Tech Data rep was arrested. It took 9 months before M$ shut them down and it still doesn't explain how they had the media ready to begin with.

 

[Tallgrass Computers]

It wasn't just Africa. Remember Office 97? There was a flood of grey market copies of Office 97 that hit the market back in late 96 and 97.

I got burnt with those - big time. Sold around 60 of those to my biggest client - then all hell broke loose when I discovered they were not true copies.

 

[josho]

I have never seen that site before, but whats stopping people for building custom computers and selling them via Craigslist and Ebay?

 

[brandonkick]

I have never seen that site before, but whats stopping people for building custom computers and selling them via Craigslist and Ebay?

Nothing really, other then the law.

What stops someone from driving over the speed limit? A police office. If they are in the right place at the right time to catch the offender.

These were OEM licenses sold by Microsoft to Dell (or HP, ect...) and were meant to be used with machines that Dell or HP or whatever built themselves. As I understand it, they were not sold to Dell for the intents of reselling them. I feel that if this were the case, then you would see them on Dell's own website and for a good bit more then $45 per copy.

Using these with a new machine that you built would be legal, if they weren't branded to an OEM builders name. I imagine Microsoft would not be ok with them being resold, even if they were still being used with a system that was built new.

Now will they hunt people down for it? I don't know that... doesn't really matter. It's like asking if the police are actively looking for speeders, to try to determine if you should speed or not.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

You can, LEGALLY, purchase "Branded OEM" Microsoft software from 3rd party vendors that are not any of the "Brands" like Dell or HP.

Let me give an example....
DiscountMountainSoftware, which I learned about from this forum here, and we've been using for the past...6 or 9 months, they are a fully legit software house that you can purchase Microsoft (and other) software from. When you purchase it they even send you links to Microsofts own Digital River download servers.

Here is an example of a Windows 7 "Branded OEM" license they sell
http://www.discountmountainsoftware.com/miwi7prfuveo6.html

A description of their packaging
http://www.discountmountainsoftware.com/miwi7prfuveo6.html
states that "Branded OEM: Branded software will have a HP or Dell logo on the disc, but you can install it on any Windows based computer. It is the same as the regular OEM as far as packaging and functionality."

Discount Mountain is a HUGE online store, right in Colorado. They've been selling products for a long time, and it's easy to find on their website. If it were illegal...don't ya think MS police would be making the short drive to their building a long time ago?

 

[brandonkick]

All I'm saying is that it doesn't seem like a good business practice as far as those OEM brands are concerned.

Why wouldn't Dell list it on their own website and sell it themselves? They could probably even charge MORE then places like bmem and digitalmountian and sell it like hotcakes.

Even at that, I still can't see M$ liking the idea of Dell buying the license and then selling it off.

Do I know for a fact that it's illegal, no. Would I ever use a Dell branded OEM license? No. Not without calling Microsoft piracy center and asking a few questions.