[ubuntu-uk] [OT] - MS XP Pro OEM CD - How?

[Tony Arnold]

Tom Bamford wrote:
> Alan Pope wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 01:52:46PM +0000, Tom Bamford wrote:
>>> You're right, any OEM install disc will do as long as you have valid
>>> license stickers/serial numbers. I use a mastered ISO which has every
>>> version of XP in both OEM and retail flavours on the one CD. One of
>>> these should do the job:
>>>
>>> http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=windows+xp+9+in+1+torrent
>>>
>> I'd really rather we didn't promote software piracy on this list. Whatever 
>> the status and legality of the license the fact is that using bittorrent in 
>> this way means you are _sharing_ the (copyrighted) software that you are 
>> downloading. You will notice that the vast majority of legal threats have 
>> been thrown at people who are sharing content, as such I don't think we 
>> should advocate either downloading or sharing of copyrighted software, 
>> whatever the source.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Al.
>>
> 
> My apologies, I wouldn't encourage anyone to run unlicensed commercial 
> software, though there is an arguable legal difference between the 
> distribution medium and the license. It won't do you any good to 
> download and install this anyway unless you have a valid unique license 
> key, MS product activation will see to it that your system completely 
> disables itself if you run unlicensed for over 30 days.

You would have to read the Microsoft license agreement very carefully to
see if copying the distribution media is legal or not. You also run the
risk when downloading such copies that the software may have been
tampered with, so I would always recommend getting hold of genuine media.

As an aside, some time ago, if you bought a boxed set of SuSE Linux, it
was in breach of copyright to copy the disks supplied. You could install
the software on as many machines as you like, but the disks themselves
were copyrighted. Strange, but true.

Regards,
Tony.
-- 
Tony Arnold, IT Security Coordinator, University of Manchester,
IT Services Division, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL.
T: +44 (0)161 275 6093, F: +44 (0)870 136 1004, M: +44 (0)773 330 0039
E: tony.arnold at manchester.ac.uk, H: http://www.man.ac.uk/Tony.Arnold