I suggest you seek clarification from the admins via the Contact Us link.
If I were to interpret that rule the way you seem to want me to I would have deleted all posts that suggest using OEM software since you are essentially advocating bypassing the System Builder License.
Advocating violations of the SB policy and providing a realistic option are two different things. The OEM solution I suggested is a very viable solution, it's implemented today by many major OEM's (just not with our company) and is a valid option. I never said that it was the only solution, I said that it was the better of the ones being suggested. I also did not provide information as to who to inquire about acquiring an OEM license for personal use.
You on the other hand have posted direct information as to how to circumvent and violate the product(s). You gave enough information regarding how to perform workarounds for a product that's clearly not intended to work that way (fresh installing an upgrade disc by using it as the prerequisite product), etc. If nobody has gone that far as to thinking about how to do it, well now they do.
Look to the left of my post. See the bit that says "(Moderator)"? Do you think I am operating in a vacuum without checks and balances with the rest of the staff?
I've been a moderator and admin for a very long time on other forums, do you think Moderators don't violate forum rules? A Moderator is not an Admin, a moderator is a normal user with elevated privileges usually bound to a specific forum section.
I stand by what I posted earlier, the rules are crystal clear. See the area in bold in my previous post? Read that a few times, then think about your involvement regarding.
FWIW if you posted something along the lines of "there are methods that exist which circumvents and/or possibly violate the terms of a product's use on the internet if you search for it, however the details are beyond the bounds of this forum..." then I'd have no issue with it.
I repeat: nothing I am suggesting is possible requires any hacking or even registry modification. You still need to get a product key by some means to activate it. Those are the bits you are paying Microsoft for. The ISOs are trivial to download from Digital River, etc...
Altering or making entries into the Registry or making suggestions to it to make an Upgrade Product work is considered "hacking" a product. I challenge you to use your powers of copy/pasting to show me a link on MS's site that says altering the Registry on their products is a valid method of its use for its installation. I also challenge you to find me any official MS material which states you can use the same Upgrade disc as the prerequisite product in order to use it IAW its License and/or EULA terms. If not, you need to re-read the Macrumors rule #6 again.
Getting a product key from "some means" could mean a key generator or one off a list. You need to obtain keys in the manner in which it is legal, IAW the software manufacturer's requirements. I'm not sure why I need to go over this so many times before you understand this. However it's okay, it simply points out that you're the type of person who simply can't admit when they're wrong, and I'm fine with agreeing to disagree on this topic.
Basically what it boils down to is that we cannot stop people from using products they obtain legally in unlicensed/off-label ways. (Using OEM, hackintoshing, jailbreaking, clean installing upgrade only products (e.g. Lion), installing Snow Leopard upgrade over Tiger ...).
What does that have anything to do with this? You're saying the sky is blue and the ocean has water. My issue is your stance on being the certified expert on MS Licensing for which you're clearly not (see the credential issues I posted above). You act like you're the SME when you're not. All you've done is what anyone else can do which is search online and copy/paste onto your posts. That alone isn't enough, your reference to your ZDnet article proves my point, some areas are gray, the manufacturer admits that it's not always crystal clear.
I on the other hand am a registered a OEM which uses and distributes their products IAW MS's requirements. Do I claim to be the expert on the Licensing and terms? No. I can only acknowledge what goes on in the professional market, we don't deal with the gray areas because we don't really have to (we're not a retail support line). Have we as professionals been confused or not absolutely clear about each MS product's intended use? Yes. Have we asked them questions about it, yes. Have we received enough clarity on the subject to put our concerns to rest from the manufacturer, yes.
My OEM solution is in that gray area, not saying it's right or not, which is why I always suggest users to call into the company directly and get their answers there which is why I always say, it's best to get it from the horse's mouth. Are you trying to say that regarding MS Licensing issues that we should not call MS directly and have them refer to balamw on Macrumors.com?
Your suggestion on altering the Registry, using the same upgrade disc twice, is not in any gray area, that is a clear violation of the products terms of use.
You keep saying that if MS didn't want people to be able to use OEM they would stop retailers from carrying it. Similarly if Microsoft cared about the fact that upgrade media and product keys can be used on bare metal for a clean install they would have made the installer actually check and they would ask their good friend Paul Thurrott to take down his very easy to find page.
No, I didn't "keep saying", I only mentioned it once previously. I'm just saying it from a general perspective, it's like someone advocating something to happen through certain channels (OEM) yet they allow it to be distributed through retail channels. If a company was really strict and insistent on how OEM products should be handled/used, it's my opinion that they shouldn't create a gray area to begin with. It's just my perspective on the matter.
We can and do crack down on keygens, torrents of modified software, ...
B
You can start by rethinking about your posts when it comes to workarounds.
