I figure that with XP MS provides the manufacture one copy of the system and a license fee of a few buck for each system, but now the manufacture loads the system on the hard drive, and provides MS with the serial number of each machine made. When you register Windows with MS they read the serial number of the OS which tells them who it is that loaded it, and the serial number of the machine which tells them if the vendor paid the license fee. If both match they provide support, if they do not they refuse to register it. Since the vendor only has one copy he can not provide disks, but you can copy a back up from the system for your use.
Stupid? Yes. But that is the MS way.
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William Robb wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Boros Attila"
Subject: Re[2]: Computer Question
I understand M$'s wishes to stop piracy, but this is not the right way to do that.
I think MS's idea is that you don't actually own the software on the machine, but are merely buying a license to use it on that machine. Change machines (or any portion thereof) and they want you to relicense. I'm with you though. No set up CD, and I won't purchase the machine. If I don't get the CD, I have no assurance that I am the only person on that license.
William Robb
-- graywolf http://graywolfphoto.com/graywolf.html
