> on the ladder with MS sales, and getting what I was told
> was an opinion from their legal dept -- that anything
> that extends the functionality of 2k3 server beyond that
> which is already provided is forbidden. Now, I've played
> the game with MS sales before (the front lines say no to
> everything that reduces sales) and as such took some time
> to try and get something resembling an authoritative
> opinion, which took several days and several phone calls.
> This was shortly after Win2k3 came out.
>
> The answer boiled down to this: if you use a product that
> provides the same function as something on the web edition
> does, but just does it better, then that is allowable.
> However if that 3rd-party product also extends the
> capabilities of the software to something not originally
> provided then that is forbidden. As such some things that
> CF does are OK, and some are considered in violation.
>
> I was also told that web hosts who go beyond the licensing
> in cases like this would very likely be just about last on
> the list of people MS will be going after for license
> violations. No explanation of that was given.
>
> Can you point to a published, official MS source, or someone
> In Charge who will go on record with a contrary position? It
> certainly would be a nice option, but I've been expressly
> told it doesn't exist. I haven't looked again since the above
> took place.
I wouldn't trust an MS sales guy as far as I can throw him. The only thing
that matters, in my opinion, is what MS provides in written form: the
product EULA, and their web site.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/web.mspx#usag
e
"Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, can be used solely to deploy Web pages,
Web sites, Web applications, and Web services. Customers can use Windows
Server 2003, Web Edition, to install the following:
* Web server software; for example, IIS.
* Web availability management software; for example, Microsoft
Application Center.
Installations of non-Web serving applications are prohibited. ASP.NET-based
applications that include code written in third-party programming languages
can include that programming language's runtime components. For non-Web
serving applications, you should consider Windows Server 2003, Standard
Edition."
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/priclicfaq.msp
x#web
"Q. What applications are restricted from running on Windows Server 2003,
Web Edition?
A. Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, is designed specifically for dedicated
Web serving needs, and its functionality has certain limitations as follows:
* Organizations cannot use Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, to deploy
enterprise Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)
services. UDDI is an essential component for enabling discovery and reuse of
XML Web services.
* Although computers running Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, can be
members of an Active Directory� service domain, Windows Server 2003, Web
Edition, cannot be a domain controller. Consequently, organizations cannot
use Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, alone to apply certain management
features, including Group Policy, Software Restriction Policies, Remote
Installation Services, Microsoft Metadirectory Services, Internet
Authentication Service, and others.
* As of August 2003, all versions of Outlook Web Access (OWA) and
Microsoft Exchange Server will not install on Windows Server 2003, Web
Edition.
* Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, is not licensed for use as an
enterprise database server. Database server software such as Microsoft SQL
Server(tm) and other non-MSDE-based databases are not supported and may not
run on Windows Server 2003, Web Edition."
In any case, I have serious doubts about MS's ability to control what
third-party products you can install on the OS you've licensed. Their legal
department can say all it wants about it, but just imagine the logical end
result - MS could prevent you from installing ANY third-party software they
didn't want you to use. "Windows Server 2004 Oracle- and Java-free Edition",
anyone?
Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software
http://www.figleaf.com/
phone: 202-797-5496
fax: 202-797-5444
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