M$, piracy, and registered names

[Kristi]

M$, piracy, and registered names

1. Is it piracy to put a version of W98SE on a computer other than the one on which it was initially installed? The original computer no longer has it.

2. Does M$ have product keys with registered names?

Thanks for any help,
Kristi

[not important]

If the other computer no longer has that copy of W98SE I wouldn't see any legal problem with it.
I'm not sure about the second question. I'm not clear on what youre asking.

[Kristi]

The situation is:

A friend of mine (no really, it is for a friend) obtained the os from his business place, which is no longer using it.

Someone told him this is still piracy, because the os was originally installed on another computer. True?? He was also told that because the os was registered in his company's name MS could discover that by a visit to their website.

I remember reading about a year ago that MS was going to crack down on piracy by making sure their software was registered correctly. I usually save info like this, but right now I can't find it.

My friend is very ethical and would rather buy the os off the shelf than be guilty of piracy. (see I told you it wasn't me!!)

Thanks,
Kristi

[reboot]

If the original computer is no longer using that copy of the OS, then it's fine. If the CD he bought was registered to that company at one time, then he (providing he has the key code that came with THAT particular disk) can re-register it under his name with MS.
There's nothing illegal about what he's doing.
To clarify a bit...if there's a computer still running anywhere, with THAT copy of the OS and key code on it, then it's piracy. If that OS and key code are no longer in use, on any other computer anywhere, then it's completely OK.

[Mac Medic]

If it's an OEM license then it cannot be installed on another PC, regardless of wether the OS was taken off the original PC.

[edfair]

If OEM and it was transferred by itself it is a violation of the license agreement. If it wasn't OEM, no problem.
Microsoft evidently allows the transfer if CPU, M/B, or memory is transferrred with it. See some of the ebay listings to see how it is handled.