Do I need another full license of Vista Ultimate?

[John Barnes]

Definitely agree. However, there are many vendors on both EBay and Amazon
who are selling sealed full versions and if nervous, you can but the one
from Amazon itself for $60 less than full retail.

 

[Mark Conrad]

Let me provide the voice of experience on purchasing major software
second-hand:

Works great and it is cheap! (In my case, it worked for about two years.)
1. Sometimes the first owner simply wants to recoup some of their money
and keeps the original installed on their computer and a backup disc sitting
on the sidelines. (That 120-day thing mentioned earlier allows both to
operate... for a while.) When the two of you finally hit close enough on
updates (which is going to happen if you have updates on automatic), both
computers are tagged as "non-genuine." You can call Microsoft all you
want... all you will get is, "Contact the vendor where you made your
purchase." They are not responsible. Of course, you cannot contact the
vendor (it was ebay or amazon or...) and you have one of two choices:
a. Purchase a valid product, again.
(The first one should have been.)
b. Have a product that will no longer activate or update.
(Hope you never have to re-install.)

Unfortunately, you WILL have to re-install at some point. And until then,
as far as MS is concerned, you're a thief (casual or otherwise.)

2. I've also been burned from an "Authorized Dealer" on Ebay that sold me
a copy of MS Office Pro 2003 (holographic disc, coa, etc.), but gave me a
Volume License. Again, worked great for about one year, then it was "banned"
by MS. Turns out the COA was fake. The disc was real (second-hand.) The
license was real, but not authorized for sale. Eventually, he sold too many.

Now, I pay the price (for upgrades) and get discs from people I can return
to and hold responsible. In the end, it costs less.

Wow - okay, that is enough for me, think I will play it safe and buy
from the Microsoft site, that place where they just sell you a new
license for Vista, a license that can be used with an existing Vista DVD
on a different PC, for a $40 discounted price.

( $359 instead of $399 )

Lemme see, where was that "add license" site that R.C. posted,

Ahh, here it is:

<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/addl
icense/howto.mspx>


Mark-

 

[Mark]

Last note:
While I have been burned by this route, not everyone has. I didn't mean to
disparage all online vendors with my statements. You can get good deals
online, but make sure you can actually contact them later, if needed.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Mark

Those are software dealers, not disgruntled owners.

Be careful and make sure you get the installation DVD. Some of these may be
an OEM version and the product key for an OEM version cannot be used with a
DVD for the full, retail version. Also, make sure that you check the seller
to make sure they are legitimate and have a good approval history.

 

[Guest]

You know, I'm sure this has been discussed at length before, but I have to
say, I think this policy of forcing people to buy several copies is one of
the reasons why piracies are so common.

I know people who would never steal a stick of gum from the grocery, but
think nothing of downloading a 'cracked' version of Windows. Sure, for one
things it's easy. But another reason is that people don't want to spend
several hundred dollars for the same OS just because they have more than one
computer.

For example, I have 3 computers at home (2 desktops and a laptop). Even with
the 'discounted' price for a second OS, it's still far too much to buy 3
separate copies of Vista for my 3 computers. Why can't MS do what anti-virus
vendors like McAfee and ZoneAlarm etc. do, and make the licence valid for
more than one computer (the above allow 3, which works out perfectly for
me...)? I already paid several hundred dollars not too long ago for 3 copies
of XP (well, okay, 2, since the laptop had it preloaded), and am not keen on
doing it all over again any time soon.

There's a reason why Vista sales have been so disappointing in most places
(and I mean ACTUAL Vista sales. Buying new computers that come preloaded with
Vista doesn't count).

Adeel F.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

You know, I'm sure this has been discussed at length before, but I have to
say, I think this policy of forcing people to buy several copies is one of
the reasons why piracies are so common.

I know people who would never steal a stick of gum from the grocery, but
think nothing of downloading a 'cracked' version of Windows. Sure, for one
things it's easy. But another reason is that people don't want to spend
several hundred dollars for the same OS just because they have more than one
computer.

For example, I have 3 computers at home (2 desktops and a laptop). Even with
the 'discounted' price for a second OS, it's still far too much to buy 3
separate copies of Vista for my 3 computers. Why can't MS do what anti-virus
vendors like McAfee and ZoneAlarm etc. do, and make the licence valid for
more than one computer (the above allow 3, which works out perfectly for
me...)? I already paid several hundred dollars not too long ago for 3 copies
of XP (well, okay, 2, since the laptop had it preloaded), and am not keen on
doing it all over again any time soon.

There's a reason why Vista sales have been so disappointing in most places
(and I mean ACTUAL Vista sales. Buying new computers that come preloaded with
Vista doesn't count).

Adeel F.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Bruce Chambers]

You know, I'm sure this has been discussed at length before, but I have to
say, I think this policy of forcing people to buy several copies is one of
the reasons why piracies are so common.

That is utter nonsense. Seriously, though, does your local grocer let
you walk out of the market with three loaves of bread when you've paid
for only one? No? Does that then justify your stealing another loaf?
Can you drive two cars home from the dealership if you've paid for only
one? Does your local clothier allow you to leave the shop with two
shirts if you've purchased only one? Have you noticed a trend, yet? In
the simplest of terms, you get what you pay for. Simple common sense
says that, regardless of price, if you buy and pay for only _one_ item,
_one_ is all you get. Nothing could be plainer. This principle remains
the same whether you're buying a physical product, a service, or a
software license. Anyone who expects it to be otherwise is not fully
partaking of reality.

I know people who would never steal a stick of gum from the grocery, but
think nothing of downloading a 'cracked' version of Windows. Sure, for one
things it's easy. But another reason is that people don't want to spend
several hundred dollars for the same OS just because they have more than one
computer.

And they don't need to. No one is forcing these people to have the
same OS on every computer they own.

For example, I have 3 computers at home (2 desktops and a laptop). Even with
the 'discounted' price for a second OS, it's still far too much to buy 3
separate copies of Vista for my 3 computers.

If you can't afford 3 licenses for Vista, simply don't buy them. There
is absolutely *NO* reason for you to have Vista on all 3 computers other
than your personal desire to do so. You want something, you buy it.
That's life.

Why can't MS do what anti-virus
vendors like McAfee and ZoneAlarm etc. do, and make the licence valid for
more than one computer (the above allow 3, which works out perfectly for
me...)?

Because it's their business, to be run the way they choose. If you
want to install the same OS on multiple computers, either purchase
multiple licenses, a volume license, or an OS whose license permits
multiple installations, such as Linux.

I already paid several hundred dollars not too long ago for 3 copies
of XP (well, okay, 2, since the laptop had it preloaded), and am not keen on
doing it all over again any time soon.

Why do you think you need to?



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Guest]

Also, I think you have invalidated your XP Pro license by upgrading without
reinstalling.

 

[Guest]

That is utter nonsense. Seriously, though, does your local grocer let
you walk out of the market with three loaves of bread when you've paid
for only one? No? Does that then justify your stealing another loaf?
Can you drive two cars home from the dealership if you've paid for only
one? Does your local clothier allow you to leave the shop with two
shirts if you've purchased only one? Have you noticed a trend, yet? In
the simplest of terms, you get what you pay for. Simple common sense
says that, regardless of price, if you buy and pay for only _one_ item,
_one_ is all you get. Nothing could be plainer. This principle remains
the same whether you're buying a physical product, a service, or a
software license. Anyone who expects it to be otherwise is not fully
partaking of reality.

When I buy a loaf of bread my entire family can eat it. I don't buy a loaf
for me, a loaf for my wife, a loaf for my son and loaf for my daughter. When
I buy a car my entire family can drive it, I don't buy a car just for me,
just for my wife, just for my son, just for my daughter. When you buy a new
car you get two sets of keys for a reason. When I buy a shirt, my entire
family can wear it if they wish. If they chose to look goofy, thats thier
problem. Using your logic and Microsoft, a trip to the grocery store would
cost the price of a new car.

But you keep believing Microsoft. They love people like you. Seems like you
need the reality check more than the original poster.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

When I buy a loaf of bread my entire family can eat it. I don't buy a loaf
for me, a loaf for my wife, a loaf for my son and loaf for my daughter.
When
I buy a car my entire family can drive it, I don't buy a car just for me,
just for my wife, just for my son, just for my daughter. When you buy a
new
car you get two sets of keys for a reason. When I buy a shirt, my entire
family can wear it if they wish. If they chose to look goofy, thats thier
problem. Using your logic and Microsoft, a trip to the grocery store
would
cost the price of a new car.

But you keep believing Microsoft. They love people like you. Seems like
you
need the reality check more than the original poster.

In your zeal to make comparisons to everyday situations, you conveniently
ignore one important fact. When you purchase Vista, you do not purchase a
physical product, you purchase a license to use the product. You can install
the product on one physical computer, and as many people who wish to can use
that computer. You cannot install the product on as many computers as you
wish. You cannot make a copy of your drivers license and give a copy to
every family member to use, can you?