[Computerbank] RE: Preinstalled Windows: AARGH! I can't get it off!

[Michael T. Cheshire]

I think you'll find what that is supposed to mean is that if you buy a PC with Windowz then the licence for Windowz must stay with the PC for life ie it cannot be transfered to another machine(s). I beleive they are saying this in the context that a donated PC should have a Windows licence as the pc was most likely sold with Windows. This doesnt mean you cant wipe the PCs and put Linux on - you'd just have a windows licence attatched to that PC which was not being used and could not be transfered.

M.

-----Original Message-----
From: Romana Challans [mailto:romana at timelady.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May 2002 10:46 AM
To: Computerbank Australia Inc; LinuxSA
Subject: Preinstalled Windows: AARGH! I can't get it off!


http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/25085.html

If a PC shipped with Windows preinstalled, can you remove the OS and install 
Linux instead? Well, no, according to Microsoft. A somewhat obscure Microsoft 
site aimed at helping schools deal with donated computers flatly states: "It 
is a legal requirement that pre-installed operating systems remain with a 
machine for the life of the machine." 
<snip>

the implications of this are, well, scary!
if anyone can't get the rest of the article, let me know, i'll post it...

romana:)
??????????????????????????????????????????????????
Romana Challans
Computerbank Australia  Incorporated -  SA branch coordinator
http://www.linunix.com/cbsa/

"Between the idea and the reality,
Between the motion and the act,
Falls the Shadow..."
(TS Eliot)
??????????????????????????????????????????????????

-- 
LinuxSA WWW: http://www.linuxsa.org.au/  IRC: #linuxsa on irc.linux.org.au
To unsubscribe from the LinuxSA list:
  mail linuxsa-request at linuxsa.org.au with "unsubscribe" as the subject