Ed Bott at ZD NET has recently decoded the mystery of the Windows 7 End User Licence Agreement with regards to whether people can buy copies of the cheap OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) copies of Windows 7 for their own PCs.
Microsoft has come under fire with Windows 7 for the licence agreement. The Redmond giant say they’ve made efforts to make it clearer and easier to understand, however there are still large chunks of it written in legalese. This has led to calls for much clearer licensing for Windows 8.
OEM copies of Windows are the cheaper copies that Microsoft sells to system builders. Many of these copies find there way into computer fairs and internet computer parts sites. The only difference between an OEM edition of Windows 7 and a full one is that the OEM copy doesn’t come with any support from Microsoft. The PC system builder is supposed to provide that support themselves.
Many people wouldn’t bother about breaking the Windows 7 licence agreement when buying a cheaper copy of Windows. Problems can potentially arise however when activation comes around. If Automatic activation fails and you’re put through to a person in a call centre, they’ll know you have an OEM product key and will ask if you bought the copy of Windows yourself, or if it cam installed on your own PC.
OEM licensing used to be much clearer, The Windows 7 EULA stated…
OEM system builder software packs are intended for PC and server manufacturers or assemblers ONLY. They are not intended for distribution to end users.
But then goes on to say…
Unless the end use is actually assembling his/her own PC, in which case, that end user is considered a system builder as well.
However this language is now gone and has been replaced by a vacuous space where there is now none.
Ed Bott says that a Microsoft spokesmen told him that the company’s policy towards OEM copies hasn’t changed. But does this mean their old policy, their new one of both?
In reality I cannot see a time when Microsoft will ever block activation on a PC. There could still be stormy times ahead though for Windows 7 purchasers.
We’d be interested at Windows 7 News if you’ve installed and activated an OEM copy of Windows 7 on your own PC.
