OEM software

[aberal]

Would anyone be able to tell me about the legality and/or legitimacy of buying OEM software - in this case Microsoft Office 2010, from websites like this...link They claim to be legal, (but of course, they would) and appear to have been around since 2004, yet no address is given on their website. They do offer refunds and "support", but I guess that that is easy for them to say.

 

[vernon]

Why buy MS Office 2010 when LibreOffice is (conscience)free?

The answer to your question is that it's probably illegal as the OEM software is meant to be sold and used with with specific hardware as part of the OEM license.

I was once bored enough to read through the licensing terms of MS Windows 95 when I had around 120 copies and investigated the legality of selling them on behalf of my employer - it was clearly stated in the small print that selling on/installing it on a compter other than the one it shipped with was not permissible.

You do realise that, for the site you linked to, you'd not get the physical software? You are only purchasing the software key code.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Do you realise that they aren't selling software, just the license to use it ?

 

[aberal]

My website is hosted by Microsoft - specifically, Microsoft Office Live which is being shut down and replaced with Microsoft 365. This in itself isn't a problem, but to transition all my email and contacts I need to buy Outlook 2010 so was trying to hunt down a cheap version and came across that website. I'll almost certainly give it a miss but was curious about its legality. I've tried alternatives to Microsoft Office and although they work well enough, they tend to lose formatting when I import documents from others etc. It's more trouble than its worth I found.

 

[Peteaud]

No they are not legal.

I work with a bit of software that cost £20k, its available from certain sites for £50, i also know a £80 copy of a £45k software.

If its to good to be true - it probably is

 

[machew]

OEM software is only valid for the first PC it is installed on, however I have had long discussions with MS Licensing about this. As long as one piece of hardware is from the old PC then the license is is valid. However MS Licensing do not like talking about the fact that in theory you could over the years replace every part of the PC and it will be the same PC (Theseus Paradox).
As for digital licenses, the may be taking advantage that some versions of Office allow you to legally install the software on more that one PC at time and are selling the same license more than once.
OEM versions must be shipped with a COA ( COA and Hologram) as they are not shipping one out to you then I would question whether it's a legal version

 

[on the road]

OEM software has to be bought with hardware like memory for example, otherwise it has to come with a new computer.