illegal software with used MacBook?

[bhoup]

Hello. I just purchased an Apple MacBook on eBay. To be honest, it seemed like a deal too good to be true considering it came with $2000 worth of software. Before I purchased, I asked the seller if the original cd's for all the software would be included and he responded with:

"Hey.. no the original cds i have are corporation Programs so i will make you a copy of the cd with a legal cd key.. they work 100%." After I asked for further explanation he responded with...

"Corporation Programs are about 3 times
the price of the regular programs but can be installed on many
computers with one serial number. Corporation Programs come
with one cd and one serial number. What happens is that cd is
put into all the computers that are in that corporation and the
same cd key is used over and over again. Its done to make it
easier than having 100 cds with 100 serial numbers. SO thats
why i am giving you a COPY of that cd. Because i cant come over
and install the program on your computer i give you the
Program on a cd with the serial number that is 100% guaranteed
to work. You get that for all the programs that are installed on
that computer."

Is this legal?

TIA!
Brent

 

[techound1]

The legality depends on the license agreement with the vendor. Typically a vendor will sell a set number of "seats" of a product which can be installed with a single code.

 

[bhoup]

The legality depends on the license agreement with the vendor. Typically a vendor will sell a set number of "seats" of a product which can be installed with a single code.

Well he did include the copied back-up cd's (with registration numbers) as promised. Is there any way to find out using those keys?

 

[daflake]

I doubt it... Even if there are many "seats" available, most programs are licensed to the company. Considering the OP doesn't work for the company he is not entitled to use the program. The seller should have removed the programs and it sounds to me like he is actually selling you a pirated application.

 

[chameleon81]

he is fooling you. I can do the same thing by downloading from torrent and telling the same lie.


Don' t be too optimistic. No one will 2000 worth of software for nothing.

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

He most likely just downloaded them from torrents.. there are tons of them out there..

I doubt johnny law is gonna bang your door down but still not really legal

 

[keltorsori]

Regardless of whether he actually possesses valid site or corporate seat licenses for the software, your software is still no good. I've never seen a site license that is transferable outside the site. Most agreements are for a single location or entity. Since you are part of neither the location or the entity, licenses are no good. So, as they always say, if it's too good to be true, it probably is

 

[paolo-]

If he did get it off some corporation, he probably has the license and you don't...

Kind of like my university, full access to ALL (yes, that includes full server os, development environment and other...) software made by microsoft. But... I guess if I downloaded them and basically sold them to you, that would probably be illegal... Especially since that 'corporation' probably wouldn't allow it..

 

[plumbingandtech]

If it sounds too good to be true,

Dot. Dot. Dot.

 

[DaveF]

"Corporation Programs are about 3 times
the price of the regular programs but can be installed on many
computers with one serial number. ...

Is this legal?

No.

Assuming he's telling the truth, he's selling you software licensed to a particular company for their use, for so many users, for a certain time period. It would be a violation of that license to resell it to a third party.

 

[chameleon81]

Still u r fine . YOu can open a dispute on Paypal and get some 100-200 dollars back

 

[nope7308]

I guarantee you that it's pirated... but who the heck cares? So long as he's not driving up the price because of it, I'd say buy it.

Unless you're a professional (successful) photographer, I don't know how anyone can afford/justify the Adobe Suite. Don't feel too bad about it either - Microsoft and other corporations have gained a near monopoly of the market because their software is so easy to 'borrow'. If they wanted to make it 100% secure, they probably would have by now (Lord knows they have the money). The problem is, that would drive most people to other products that are easier to 'borrow'.

Is it immoral? Well, only if you see a face behind that software. Personally, I just have a lax moral conscience when it comes to computers.

 

[neiltc13]

I really, really hate it when people sell computers with pre-loaded pirate software on eBay. Not really because of the piracy aspect - if a home user wants to pirate a copy of Photoshop they're gonna do it, not many folks will shell out £300 just to edit a few home photos.

The real problem is that the pirated software on the computers hurts other sellers. I'm currently trying to sell my old MacBook and looking at the completed listings there are countless other sellers who think it's okay to sell on computers with this stuff installed which artificially inflates the price of their listings, making it hard for me to choose a price to sell mine at and also making it difficult for honest people to move their computers.

 

[bhoup]

I really, really hate it when people sell computers with pre-loaded pirate software on eBay. Not really because of the piracy aspect - if a home user wants to pirate a copy of Photoshop they're gonna do it, not many folks will shell out £300 just to edit a few home photos.

The real problem is that the pirated software on the computers hurts other sellers. I'm currently trying to sell my old MacBook and looking at the completed listings there are countless other sellers who think it's okay to sell on computers with this stuff installed which artificially inflates the price of their listings, making it hard for me to choose a price to sell mine at and also making it difficult for honest people to move their computers.

I agree with ya there!