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Author Topic: OEM image software  (Read 6628 times)

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  • Tolkien Queen
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OEM image software
« on: February 11, 2007, 09:26:23 AM »
As far as price, I've also just discovered legal OEM selling. A fraction of the price, with the caveat that there's no support from the software company. I can count the times I've used direct company support for any software on one hand, so I don't consider that a major drawback. I'm still not quite sold on the idea, but if I decide one of the high-priced programs is the way to go that's very likely how I'd buy it.

Right now I'm looking at all kinds of things, from vectors to forums to shopping carts, to decide what steps to take after my current updating is finished - but that's going to be awhile (I'm up to "gray" alphabetically).
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  • Sami
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OEM image software
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2007, 10:19:00 AM »
BUT...just because you CAN purchase it, the question comes in...SHOULD YOU? 
Just because it is a big NAME brand, it may not be the best fit for your skills, or you may have TIME to invest to learn it, or you may not like using it.  All about choices. 

I love finding legal DEALS. :boogie: Freeware and Open source (like this forum) without scumware or spyware are the greatest. Why pay huge $$ just to have NAME BRAND if you can find something that suits you just as well or better?
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OEM image software
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2007, 12:28:20 AM »
Exactly - That's why I said if I decide one of the high-priced programs is the way to go. As far as finding a vector program, it's important that it be able to translate to print well (which I haven't found in open source, although Inkscape seems to work fine for online graphics), and if there is a really good raster tracing function out there I'd like to know that. OEM Illustrator or Corel Draw would cost about one-third to one-half of the price of XXPro, which I haven't (yet) found available as an OEM option - but maybe it's out there and I just haven't run across it.
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OEM image software
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2007, 12:29:31 PM »
The VAST majority of OEM sales are copies of programs, not legit.
The licenses for the software they sell clearly state the software is ONLY licensed to the original EQUIPMENT owner and the support is provided by the EQUIPMENT manufacturer.  Since you are not buying the EQUIPMENT, you are not licensed to use the software.

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Is it legal to install an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) version of software on a computer other than the one on which the software came?
OEM software is only distributed when sold with specified accompanying hardware. When these programs are copied and/or sold separately from the hardware, it is a violation of the license with the software publisher, and therefore illegal.

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Very few graphics software programs are licensed to OEMs for bundling.
Most of the bargain sites advertising OEM software are actually selling pirated counterfeit copies.

Microsoft and others have this policy:
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Can I transfer this OEM software to another computer? No. OEM software has no transferability of license rights. This is not new and has been the case for a long, long, long, time. Look in your End-User License Agreement (EULA) for your OEM software. You will notice it does not include Transferability of License Rights. This is just one of the many differences between OEM and Retail or Volume License software.

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From Microsoft site: Prior to September 1, 2005, an OEM Microsoft Desktop Operating System license (such as Windows XP Pro or Windows XP Home) could be sold with a hard drive, motherboard, CPU, memory, etc. if that hardware component is being used in the computer that the Desktop Operating System software is being installed.  ...Since September 1, 2005 the OEM software can be sold legitimately only with fully assembled computer systems.

Buying OEM's without the assembled computer is dangerous territory!
« Last Edit: February 13, 2007, 10:26:07 AM by Samrc »
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TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )

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Re: OEM image software
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2007, 04:53:49 AM »
Yep, the way our auditors have explained OEM software:

The primary purchase is the hardware and OEM software is usually preloaded and licensed to the purchaser of the hardware. OEM software is not bought and not owned even though the hardware is owned. Only the right of use is owned.

This means, for example, when valuing assets of a company, only the hardware (e.g. a PC) has a value in the balance sheet, not the OEM software (e.g. OEM Windows XP). Other non OEM software (say you bought Windows XP) that was purchased from a legitimate dealer does however have a value in the balance sheet.
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Re: OEM image software
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2007, 09:22:33 AM »

The one site I've found that seems unquestionably legitimate (httpx//---.viosoftware.com/index.php) has a very limited selection of OEM software (they also sell full retail versions). If you click on a specific brand, you don't see their whole line but only a few options, so I imagine these are the minority that are available honestly. They're also very clear that the OEM licenses are for one computer only and are nontransferable, so if someone was thinking about changing to a new computer anytime soon this wouldn't be a good option. (Since all of my tax calculations are done on the 1040EZ, asset ownership isn't an issue for me, but the "one computer only" license might be.)
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Re: OEM image software
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2007, 10:09:26 AM »
I forgot to mention that OEM stands for 'original equipment manufacturer'.

See this link for some interesting FAQ's on OEM: http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2005/06/06/425681.aspx
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Re: OEM image software
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2007, 10:11:52 AM »
(I had put definition of OEM in a quoted section in a previous post, ;))
Thanks for the MS link.  Good info on that one!! 
« Last Edit: February 13, 2007, 10:20:31 AM by Samrc »
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-Samantha
TNG: "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose" - Capt Picard to Data
(:turtle: In memory of Turtle: May 22, 1944 - Nov 24, 2007  GURU, mentor, and really nice guy! :turtleleft: )
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