Readers contribute to the discount debate
By Scott Dunn
Following last week's
story on OEM software, readers raised legitimate
concerns about OEM discounts and some crippled academic software.
Other readers offered even more ways and places to get software with a
whopping educational discount.
OEM discounts: too good to be true?
A handful of readers expressed concern about the information in my article
on OEM discounts. Windows Secrets contributing editor Susan
Bradley sent her own take on this line of thought:
-
"Over the last couple of newsletters, several ways to cheaply upgrade to
Vista have been discussed. However, the best and cheapest way to 'upgrade'
or 'buy' Vista is still the way my sister bought her Vista operating
system. She bought it preinstalled on a computer, with the proper drivers
already included.
"OEM licenses aren't legal for the average computer user to purchase and use to install on existing computers. Most of us can't legally buy or install this software on our computer systems because we aren't system builders. OEM software by definition is 'original equipment manufacturer' software and is licensed to system builders to install and bundle on, typically, new systems.
"You can read the EULA for the OEM software that I copied on my Web site. When you purchase OEM software, you are stating that you are a 'system builder' of computer devices, that is, you are a manufacturer of computer equipment. You also certify that you will provide all support for that system. And, you need to affix a Certificate of Authority to the system.
"The bottom line is that unless your name is Michael Dell, chances are most of us aren't system builders. Therefore, it's not legal for us to buy OEM software and use that license to install it on our systems."
In addition, OEM versions of Microsoft software can only be sold by "authorized dealers", found on a Microsoft list (this link requires IE), to "system builders," who are required to register with the Microsoft Partner Program. This language leaves little room for a home user to take advantage of these discounts while still complying with the license agreement.
Let me be clear that I do not encourage anyone to break the law or behave unethically by violating software license agreements. My story reported the fact that a large number of online stores do sell OEM versions of software. These sales attract customers, some of whom may not understand the legal details or choose to ignore them.
Some academic software is different than retail
OEM discounts aren't the only complicated subject in the software marketplace. A reader named David points out that not all academic software is created equal:
-
"Student versions of software vary widely in their restrictions. Macromedia,
for example, used to limit the size of projects in Director and put a 'bug'
[logo] on the output to indicate it was produced by a student version so it
couldn't be used for commercial projects.
"Adobe, on the other hand, has been easier. I got my first copy of Photoshop as a 'student OEM' version with no handicaps and have not had any upgrade issues since. It was 25% of the cost of retail.
"Other products may block professional output formats or limit the number of projects produced. So, do your research to see what your best value really is. Typically, upgrades are the same cost for everyone, so if offering a discounted version gets you started with them, vendors are happy to support it."
An educational way to get software gratis
Other readers wrote in with more ways and places to get software discounts. Karl Poehleman clues us in to another educational discount option:
-
"Your discounted software finds are all very nice, but you left out an
alternative — free! As in free Microsoft software from Microsoft
Academic Alliance. All one needs to do is take a computer-related class
at a local community college (or other qualified educational outlet),
and then voilà — free software!
"Sure, you can buy it discounted there as well, but I picked up copies of Vista Business, XP Pro, Access 2007, Visio Pro, and more for nada, zip, zero. The software itself needs to be downloaded, or in some cases checked out for copy (so you need to have a burner, or in the case of Vista, a DVD burner). This is a great option that deserves mention."
Because of the emphasis on software development, the program does not include products such as Microsoft Office, but it does include some Microsoft operating systems, as Karl mentions. Some schools may not include the software with the enrollment fee, so check with your local educational institution about policies and pricing.
Find academic discounts in Australia, too
To help academic readers in Australia, reader Sam McCleary chimes in with some sites that offer educational discounts in the land down under:
-
"After reading your article on academic pricing, I thought I'd add my
two-cents worth and tell you where to get discounted educational software
in Australia. SI Group sells discounted
Microsoft and
Adobe software to students
of an accredited academic institution."
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