Win95 CD

[Doug V.]

I recently bought a Win95 CD at a local computer show. The booklet that came with it says "for distribution with a new COMPAQ pc only", and has an OEM number. Is there anything proprietary written into the CD so that it will only work on a Compaq pc, or will it work OK on a system I'm building for myself? Is this a legal CD? There is no Microsoft registration card with it. Also, it is supposed to be Win95B, but when it's in the cd drive it says "W95_full_ar". Is this the earliest version of Win95 before versions A, B, or C came out?

[MadMax]

You purchased illegal software. OEM software says "for distribution with a new pc only" for a reason. OEM software is supported by the pc manufacturor, not the software company. If you try to obtain support from ms w/ your oem product id, you'll be out of luck. Unless the disk is a "Companion" version of w95, it will function as a standard cd. The lack of a registration card indicates that not only have you illegally purchased oem software, you have purchased PIRATED oem software. Last thing, the version of w95 will not be displayed on the cd volume name. It is displayed on the first tab of the 'system' icon in the 'control panel'. "A" was the earliest version but you won't see an A unless you have installed the Service Pack 1 patch.

Just as a thought. I think that computer shows should be outlawed. I have been to over 100 of them (never purchased anything) and they are all the same. Illegal/junk software AND hardware that gives the buyer no recourse if they are not satisfied. Unless you REALLY know what you are looking for, these rip off events will sell you stuff you will regret later. Don't go to them and then complain that what you bought is not what you wanted.

[This message has been edited by MadMax (edited 06-14-99).]

[Doug V.]

Hi MadMax,

Thanks for the reply. You said what I expected to hear about the software. That's one lesson learned for me. I like Win95B, but there is nowhere to buy it. Microsoft is peddling Win98 now. I had Win95 version 4.00.950 (no letter A, B, or C) on a previous computer. I thought that was the first version. The "System Properties" shows the version only on installed operating systems. What I am looking for is the version of the CD I have. I've looked at the Readme files, and everywhere else I can think of on the CD, but don't see the version. Shouldn't the version be somewhere on the CD?

I think what you said about computer shows is true for the most part. I have only been to one show, and I came away thinking that if you know what you are doing, you can probably get a good deal on certain things.

Thanks for your help.

Doug

[This message has been edited by Doug V. (edited 06-14-99).]

[Bazango]

I also have purchased Win95 as OEM. Mine came in a package that was to go with a manufactured computer. If you install it, the version will show under the "system" icon.

The question of legallity is strange. If you purchase a computer with Win95 installed don't you also own the software installed on it? This doesn't give you the right to distribute the software, but the sale of that ONE registered copy should be yours to dispose with. If the manufacturer installs the software via a local network (which I imagine is typical) and THEN sells the CD package that MS says is the distribution, then THEY are pirating software. You are innocent since you have the official documentation and the original lithographed CD. That to me is the test of ligitimacy. Perhaps the lithograph on the CD can be copied, but the label on the documentation is especially designed to prevent copying and to MS, this is the true test of legitimacy. If the CD has NO lithograph then you can bet for sure that it has been pirated. A copied CD can be corrupted, don't ever rely on software distributed this way. Floppies are the exception here.

Software constitutes property as a matter of law and those who own the rights to it determine how it is sold. It's kind of like music. Single unit sales of old software like this in distribution packages might not trouble Microsoft IF IT WERE NEVER INSTALLED.

I purchased a copy of FoxPro used at Classifieds2000. It was boxed as it was originally with the original floppies. Was I violating the law? When you pruchase new software, you have rights too.

[LJE2]

OEM Software such as the Win 95 version, "for distribution with a new PC only" is illegal software, unless is comes with a new PC, Software manufactures sell this software to distributors at a reduced cost for 1 reason, (they don't have the added expense of providing Tech Support for the product) For a company to purchase this OEM software at a reduced price and then turn around and sell it without the hardware is illegal and a form of "Pirating"

[MadMax]

Bazango~This subject always makes great conversation, but...

What you say is true, from a private sale point of view. However, as a retail reseller(someone that has a business licence), you are limited to the terms of resale. Microsoft does NOT authorize their oem products to be sold to the end user as stand alone items. Resellers get substantial discounts purchasing this class of software because they are supposed to assume all support responsibility. Also, their are many watermarks that help with authenticity and the product registration sheet is one of them. No registration sheet>probably not authentic.

As far as sales and rights of the purchaser...
For a private sale, it does not matter if the software in question had already been installed on 1, 15 or 20,000 different computers before it is sold. As long as it's not installed on any other system at the time of sale, it's legal. It's for public sale that this area gets dicey. You are not violating any law unless you KNOWINGLY purchase illegal (pirated) software. That's mighty tough to prove in court, though. Also, as a reseller, if you market your software as a new product and it is not, that's illegal too.

These shows are the American technology sectors biggest shame. Everyone hate remarked hardware and pirated software but people flock to these shows and spend big $$$.