buying W2K license?

W

Walter Roberson

I'm investigating buying a Windows PC in order to
interface with a particular peripheral. My [home] network
has no Windows machines at present.

My readings have led me to understand that I cannot
use Windows XP for my purposes, as I fully intend
to connect to the system using VNC from non-Windows
systems, which I understand is not permitted under
the XP license. Or did they eventually drop that
license term? (I would have thought it constituted an
illegal restraint on trade...)

But how do I actually -get- a W2K or W2K Pro license
these days? When I look at (e.g.) new Dell systems,
W2K is not an option.

I seem to recall there used to be a mechanism by
which one would purchase the device with an XP license
and then purchase a right to use a previous version.
Is that still an option?


The Microsoft product information site consistantly
redirects me as if Windows 2000 itself no longer
existed, pushing me to Windows 2003 Server when
I ask for Windows 2000 itself. Sometimes the
microsoft product information allows me to look
at Windows 2000 Profesional. Finding a feature-by-
feature comparison of W2K vs W2K Pro is difficult or
impossible on the microsoft site :(

Another item I seem to have trouble locating on
the microsoft site is copies of the license agreements...

Walter Roberson (e-mail address removed)
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

Some WinXP Pro licenses, such as OEM or open/Select Volume
Licensing (One must read the specific EULA for verification), do
provide for downgrading of the license to an earlier version of
Windows, but there is still no way to downgrade the installed
operating system, short of formatting and performing a clean
installation. In order to do this, one must have a valid installation
CD and Product Key for the target OS.

Microsoft Downgrading Chart
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...4d-4a6d-aed9-f2c1f8f23e14/downgrade_chart.doc

However, I find nothing in my WinXP EULA that prohibits incoming
VNC connections, regardless of the OS on the originating machine.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH
 
W

Walter Roberson

:Microsoft Downgrading Chart
:http://download.microsoft.com/downl...4d-4a6d-aed9-f2c1f8f23e14/downgrade_chart.doc

Thank you for that reference.


: However, I find nothing in my WinXP EULA that
prohibits incoming
:VNC connections, regardless of the OS on the originating
machine.

http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/03/18/020318oplivingston.xml

Microsoft's XP license agreement says, "Except as otherwise
permitted by the NetMeeting, Remote Assistance, and
Remote Desktop features described below, you may not use
the Product to permit any Device to use, access, display,
or
run other executable software residing on the Workstation
Computer, nor may you permit any Device to use, access,
display, or run the Product or Product's user interface,
unless
the Device has a separate license for the Product."


But there appears to be some disagreement over what it
means. See for example this discussion:

http://groups.google.ca/groups?selm=232201c27401$7e297270$37ef2ecf@TKMSFTNGXA13
 
S

Steve N.

Walter said:
I'm investigating buying a Windows PC in order to
interface with a particular peripheral. My [home] network
has no Windows machines at present.

My readings have led me to understand that I cannot
use Windows XP for my purposes, as I fully intend
to connect to the system using VNC from non-Windows
systems, which I understand is not permitted under
the XP license. Or did they eventually drop that
license term? (I would have thought it constituted an
illegal restraint on trade...)

But how do I actually -get- a W2K or W2K Pro license
these days? When I look at (e.g.) new Dell systems,
W2K is not an option.

I seem to recall there used to be a mechanism by
which one would purchase the device with an XP license
and then purchase a right to use a previous version.
Is that still an option?


The Microsoft product information site consistantly
redirects me as if Windows 2000 itself no longer
existed, pushing me to Windows 2003 Server when
I ask for Windows 2000 itself. Sometimes the
microsoft product information allows me to look
at Windows 2000 Profesional. Finding a feature-by-
feature comparison of W2K vs W2K Pro is difficult or
impossible on the microsoft site :(

Another item I seem to have trouble locating on
the microsoft site is copies of the license agreements...

Walter Roberson (e-mail address removed)

I know of no restriction in XP concerning using VNC. I know that M$ in
the past has allowed the purchase of a currently available OS or
application licence to be applied toward the use of a previous version
of OS or application. I doubt that this has changed.

Steve
 
W

Walter Donavan

Finding a feature-by-
feature comparison of W2K vs W2K Pro is difficult or
impossible on the microsoft site

That's because they are the same program. W2K *is* W2K Pro. You can still
buy Windows 2000 Professional. Perhaps you are confusing Windows 2000
Professional with Windows 2000 Server?

Seems to me your best bet if you have five or less computers to network
would be Windows XP. If you have more than five, use Windows XP
Professional.
 
F

Fred Ma

Walter said:
But how do I actually -get- a W2K or W2K Pro license
these days? When I look at (e.g.) new Dell systems,
W2K is not an option.

That *sucks*. My Win2K CD is a Dell CD. It's probably
the same a microsoft installation CD, but with Dell's
name on it. It's 1.5 years old, I think. Or was that
2.5 years? Anyway, Dell's abandonment of Win2K is
disheartening. I wonder if they are being leaned on by
microsoft to discourage proliferation of Win2K in
favour of getting people on the XP bandwagon. From
everything I've heard of XP, I prefer Win2K. System
rollback or not.

Fred
 
G

Ghostrider

Fred said:
That *sucks*. My Win2K CD is a Dell CD. It's probably
the same a microsoft installation CD, but with Dell's
name on it. It's 1.5 years old, I think. Or was that
2.5 years? Anyway, Dell's abandonment of Win2K is
disheartening. I wonder if they are being leaned on by
microsoft to discourage proliferation of Win2K in
favour of getting people on the XP bandwagon. From
everything I've heard of XP, I prefer Win2K. System
rollback or not.

Fred

Don't blame Dell. Dell has to license Windows 2000 from
Microsoft and when there are no more licenses to obtain,
that's the end of it. The option to use the XP license
to load an earlier version has long expired. The retail
version of Windows 2000 is still being sold.
 

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