posted on May 15, 2001 09:37:46 AM
I listed a "recovery CD" set for a popular laptop computer. The laptop in question in a 3 year old business class machine. Many of these units are coming off corporate lease and are being sold to consumers on eBay and elsewhere.
Loading an operating system and getting all the drivers is no easy task. The recovery CD automates the task and you're left with a "fresh" load of Windows 95 or 98. These CDs are hard to come by. Bidding is strong for these items.
eBay ended the auction (along with a bunch of similar auctions last night) at the request of Microsoft. Doesn't the second owner of the laptop have the right to restore the originally licensed operating system? I'm selling original CDs...they are not copies. (I got them from a sale at work.) These CDs will not work on any other computer. It's not like an regular copy of Windows.
posted on May 15, 2001 09:48:15 AM
They have to be included with hardware, regardless of the fact if they work with only a specific type of hardware.
They probably presume (without knowing how it may be set up on the disc) Many people would figure out how to install just the Win9x image from it's folder without going thru the main install that restricts them to a certain computer.
This is all considered OEM software to them, and MUST be included with the hardware no matter what.
I also know that there have been instances where an auction for hardware was killed when it listed the original OS image discs were included as well. Apparently their shrinkwrap licence may only extend to the original purchaser and noone else on resale.
Get used to VEROing of more things like this, it's the wave of the future as companies continue to protect their rights (as they see them)
