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#11
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
No. It is not legally OK to run an unlicensed copy of Windows 98, and it
won't be until Microsoft officially places the software in the public domain, which is not likely to happen any time soon. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "gluino" wrote in message ... Is it now (in 2009) legally OK to run unlicensed copies of Win98 / Win98SE? |
#12
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Jeff Richards wrote:
No. It is not legally OK to run an unlicensed copy of Windows 98 What exactly is an unlicensed copy? A product key represents the license. You must provide a product key and agree to the EULA in order to install and operate the product. Microsoft has no way of knowing that you have installed and are running any copy of windows 98. |
#13
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Jeff Richards wrote:
No. It is not legally OK to run an unlicensed copy of Windows 98 What exactly is an unlicensed copy? A product key represents the license. You must provide a product key and agree to the EULA in order to install and operate the product. Microsoft has no way of knowing that you have installed and are running any copy of windows 98. |
#14
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
An unlicensed copy is a copy of the software for which the user does not
have a valid license provided by Microsoft, either through purchase of a Microsoft or OEM product, or obtained through transfer from the previous licensee. The process by which the license can be transferred from the previous licensee is defined in the license terms. A product key is not a license - it's simply a mechanism by which you confirm your acceptance of the license that you have acquired. Entering a product key does not create a license if it doesn't already exist (as has been discussed here in detail in the past). -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "98 Guy" wrote in message ... Jeff Richards wrote: No. It is not legally OK to run an unlicensed copy of Windows 98 What exactly is an unlicensed copy? A product key represents the license. You must provide a product key and agree to the EULA in order to install and operate the product. Microsoft has no way of knowing that you have installed and are running any copy of windows 98. |
#15
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
An unlicensed copy is a copy of the software for which the user does not have a valid license provided by Microsoft, either through purchase of a Microsoft or OEM product, or obtained through transfer from the previous licensee. The process by which the license can be transferred from the previous licensee is defined in the license terms. A product key is not a license - it's simply a mechanism by which you confirm your acceptance of the license that you have acquired. Entering a product key does not create a license if it doesn't already exist (as has been discussed here in detail in the past). -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "98 Guy" wrote in message ... Jeff Richards wrote: No. It is not legally OK to run an unlicensed copy of Windows 98 What exactly is an unlicensed copy? A product key represents the license. You must provide a product key and agree to the EULA in order to install and operate the product. Microsoft has no way of knowing that you have installed and are running any copy of windows 98. |
#16
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Thanks for the input.
Might it be "OK" in weaker sense? Perhaps due to its EOL status, Win98 is entirely off the radar of enforcement? Not OK in principle, but OK in practice? On Jul 30, 8:42*am, "Jeff Richards" wrote: No. *It is not legally OK to run anunlicensedcopy of Windows 98, and it won't be until Microsoft officially places the software in the public domain, which is not likely to happen any time soon. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)"gluino" wrote in message ... Is it now (in 2009) legally OK to rununlicensedcopiesofWin98/ Win98SE? |
#17
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Thanks for the input.
Might it be "OK" in weaker sense? Perhaps due to its EOL status, Win98 is entirely off the radar of enforcement? Not OK in principle, but OK in practice? On Jul 30, 8:42*am, "Jeff Richards" wrote: No. *It is not legally OK to run anunlicensedcopy of Windows 98, and it won't be until Microsoft officially places the software in the public domain, which is not likely to happen any time soon. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)"gluino" wrote in message ... Is it now (in 2009) legally OK to rununlicensedcopiesofWin98/ Win98SE? |
#18
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Your question related to the principle, and I think that's the only basis on
which it would be proper to offer advice in a public forum. It is not reasonable to assume that illegal use of W98 is entirely off the radar, as there is a lot that is common between W98 and later versions of Windows, and MS has legal reasons for not wanting to appear to condone licensing infringements, however old the product. It's probable that there is not much active enforcement happening outside those areas where serious commercial copying is occurring, but there are probably very few people who really know. We do know that MS monitors eBay offerings and will make enquiries with sellers who appear to have unlimited supplies. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "gluino" wrote in message ... Thanks for the input. Might it be "OK" in weaker sense? Perhaps due to its EOL status, Win98 is entirely off the radar of enforcement? Not OK in principle, but OK in practice? On Jul 30, 8:42 am, "Jeff Richards" wrote: No. It is not legally OK to run anunlicensedcopy of Windows 98, and it won't be until Microsoft officially places the software in the public domain, which is not likely to happen any time soon. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)"gluino" wrote in message ... Is it now (in 2009) legally OK to rununlicensedcopiesofWin98/ Win98SE? |
#19
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
Your question related to the principle, and I think that's the only basis on
which it would be proper to offer advice in a public forum. It is not reasonable to assume that illegal use of W98 is entirely off the radar, as there is a lot that is common between W98 and later versions of Windows, and MS has legal reasons for not wanting to appear to condone licensing infringements, however old the product. It's probable that there is not much active enforcement happening outside those areas where serious commercial copying is occurring, but there are probably very few people who really know. We do know that MS monitors eBay offerings and will make enquiries with sellers who appear to have unlimited supplies. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "gluino" wrote in message ... Thanks for the input. Might it be "OK" in weaker sense? Perhaps due to its EOL status, Win98 is entirely off the radar of enforcement? Not OK in principle, but OK in practice? On Jul 30, 8:42 am, "Jeff Richards" wrote: No. It is not legally OK to run anunlicensedcopy of Windows 98, and it won't be until Microsoft officially places the software in the public domain, which is not likely to happen any time soon. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)"gluino" wrote in message ... Is it now (in 2009) legally OK to rununlicensedcopiesofWin98/ Win98SE? |
#20
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Win98 now considered abandonware?
gluino wrote:
Thanks for the input. Might it be "OK" in weaker sense? Perhaps due to its EOL status, Win98 is entirely off the radar of enforcement? Not OK in principle, but OK in practice? It's almost always the case that people that worry about using software in a "legal" manner are those that are going to use it in a corporate environment where they believe that they would expose their company to some liability or suffer some non-trivial penalty if they get caught using software for which they can't show they posess a "proper" license. Given that we are talking about windows 98, it's highly *unlikely* that gluino is considering using windows 98 in a corporate setting. In a home or small-office environment, the likelyhood is reduced to close to zero that an angry employee (or ex-employee) or friend or family member would inform the authorities (or Micro$haft) that there might be improper use of software at that location, and it is much more likely that gluino is considering using windows 98 in a home or soho setting. The only other possibility is that gluino is building or offering computers for sale to others, or he is refurbishing computers in or for a charitable environment, and he has a request for a PC with windows 98 installed on it, and hence since he can't buy windows 98 from Microsoft or an OEM/VAR channel partner, he's wondering what exactly is the (enforcement?) status is of the product. Again I repeat what I've already said, which is that Milkro$oft has no way of knowing if, when, where or how any copy of Windows 98 is installed on any PC anywhere in the world. They have no way of knowing (remotely or directly) if any given windows 98 product key corresponds to a valid or invalid license or if the owner/operator of the machine is the valid license holder for the corresponding product key. My opinion is that if Macro$oft had an expectation of financial gain or loss with respect to the Windows 98 product that they would still be selling that product today. If any company no longer sells a product, then they can no longer expect revenue from that product and hence they suffer no loss through the transferrence or duplication or any other use of that product that the marketplace desires of or for it. Microsoft has sold millions of Windows 98 licenses. Several hundred million most likely. There is no time limit on those licenses. They are perpetual licenses. Unless there are more PC's running windows 98 at any given time than there are licenses that were sold, then Microsoft can't claim (in general) that they have suffered any loss. Each license gives the license holder the ability to install and/or operate windows 98 on a single PC. Licenses are transferable. Microsoft does not register or keep records of who has been assigned the ownership or possession of which license, nor are they involved in any documentary or proceedural way when a license-holder gives or sells their license to someone else, or when a license becomes abandoned by it's holder and is acquired by someone who discovers it. So gluino, it all comes down to practicality. Windows 98 is like a book that is no longer in print. There are a finite number of copies in circulation. But even books that aren't being printed - they can be printed at some point in the future by the copyright owner. Windows 98 will never again be "printed" by Microsoft. There is nothing that is legally preventing you from obtaining one of those windows 98 licenses that are no longer in use and using it for yourself, just as if you went to a used book store and obtained a copy of a book that is no longer in print. What does it mean when you obtain a windows 98 license? It means that you are in possession of a windows 98 product key. The key is the practical and effective "embodiment" or representation of the license. The license is just a boilerplate document that is not even signed by anyone. Gluino, you will be and are being told here in this forum that practically speaking, if you don't already own or hold a windows 98 license, then at this point you really can't "legally" acquire or purchase or obtain one or that your options are severely limited. There are Microsoft appologists and phsycophants who are paranoidly devoted to or owe their living and their reputation to Meekro$oft and will act as Micro$haft's guard dogs and staunchly defend what they perceive to be Microsoft's best interests, and they are posting replies to you in this thread. You will not find ANY actual Microsoft employee post anything in these windows-98 newsgroups to answer your question or guide or otherwise help you in this regard. So, in summary, unless there is anyone close to you that is or could become your enemy and inform Microsoft or any other authority that you are operating a questionable copy of windows 98, then there is no other way that Microsoft could ever or would ever know anything about what you've done. And to go one step further, Microsoft has NEVER taken action against individuals in this regard even if they are informed - only corporations and computer shops that sell computers. If it was ever put to a test, it's up to Microsoft to prove that you are not the legitamate owner of a windows 98 license for which you have a product key for. And it's a virtual impossibility for Microsoft to be able to do this for Windows 98. Microsoft knows this, and it's the fundamental reason why they created the on-line product activation for Windows XP and other software products starting in 2002. |
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