[wellylug] Windows on Linux

[Wood Brent]

> 
> I don't see how that rules out using PC Anywhere or VNC.  Unlike a
> terminal server product, you can't run many copies of the same
> software.  If I am running VNC on machine Y and using Word on machine
> X, nobody else is using that Word executable -- even the person
> sitting at machine X can't use it, since I've captured the
> mouse/keyboard.  The software product is only being used on one
> machine -- Machine X -- by one user -- me -- and I just have a
> 'window' to that computer from elsewhere.

The software is running from Machine X, you are interacting with it (ie:
running it) from Machine Y. Which keyboard/mouse & screen are you running it
from? I think the Machine Y cpu, memory, graphics, etc. might be involved there
as well. The software is licenced to be used on a single hardware system. Only
1 cpu, motherboard, etc.

So the software is being used (in one interpretation anyway) on two computers
concurrently. Maybe a single user, but the EULA licences the user to only
install & use on one. Now two boxes are being used to run it.

That's one reason why tying the licence to hardware is a bad idea. It should be
tied to a user, but the idea of cheap OEM licences was too useful in getting
users stuck with Windows. A user based licence is more like the retail version
one, which is a different beast.

"You must aquire and dedicate a licence ... for each computer on which the
SOFTWARE PRODUCT is used or to which it is distributed."

That is pretty unequivocal. It is arguably used only on one, but is certainly
distributed to another one while being used over any network. This requires two
 licences.

Anyway, that's prob more than enough on MS OEM licencing in this forum :-)


Spotcha!!