EULA question about Windows XP

[omega2]

I was reading the EULA for Windows XP Pro academic edition, and I have a question about it. It says something about that you can buy and use it if you are qualify for it. Does this mean that students can continue to use it when they finished their educational studies? Or does this section mean that you can buy it during the time you are in a qualify educational institution, and that when you finished, you have to upgrade (or should I say re-buy) to the regular version?

Also, what is the difference between the academic version of windows xp pro and the regular one (the one you would normally buy in store shelf? Is the only difference in the CD art work? Or is there actual difference in the file itself on the CD?

Why to companies make their EULA so complicated to understand?

[golferboy32531]

They use legalese to screw you in the end. If I had a copy of the EULA, I would have my dad decipher your "rights" from it, but it is my guess that you could only continue to use the academic version for 6 mos or so after you finish your studies.

[Atmo]

Does this mean that students can continue to use it when they finished their educational studies?

Im not 100% sure, but i'd seriously doubt microsoft could or would even bother trying to find out if you're still studying, so i guess so.

As for differences, im not sure, since i didnt realise MS made an academic version of windows until now (i thought it was only available for office etc.), but im gonna grab a copy of XP pro academic upgrade (my fathers a teacher, so theres no worries there) for my next system...Its only $220 aus, only $20 more than the retail version of home upgrade. :D

[omega2]

golferboy32531, if this is the case that you can only use it after 6 month you graduate, that means isn't it possible that the product key is encoded somehow that after a while it won't work? Vs a regular version where it will still continue to accept it? I mean, how long can you be in your studies.

[liquidmotion]

/me checks..

yep, still says forums.winamp.com in the address bar (read "not support.microsoft.com") :D

[Atmo]

golferboy32531, if this is the case that you can only use it after 6 month you graduate, that means isn't it possible that the product key is encoded somehow that after a while it won't work? Vs a regular version where it will still continue to accept it? I mean, how long can you be in your studies.

You dont even have to activate, let alone register an academic copy, so it'll work for as long as you want it to.

All you need to do is sign that you are a student/teacher/parent of a student and that you wont install it on more than one machine and its yours.

[omega2]

Originally posted by Atmo
You dont even have to activate, let alone register an academic copy, so it'll work for as long as you want it to.

All you need to do is sign that you are a student/teacher/parent of a student and that you wont install it on more than one machine and its yours.

Actually, you do have to activate it, i saw the process, it's like the regular version.

[liquidmotion]

my academic version didn't need activation or registration.

[omega2]

liquidmotion, is your an upgrade version or full?

[Atmo]

Originally posted by omega2
Actually, you do have to activate it, i saw the process, it's like the regular version.

Could you provide a link?

The info i found with google stated that activation and registration wasnt required.

Although there could be a difference with the upgrade and full versions, even if it does require activation it really wouldnt limit the ammount of time it could be installed, as i seriously doubt microsoft would bother checking....their legal team seems to be struggling to keep up with the freeloaders pirating copies, let alone checking up on people who bought their copy legaly, even if they may be breaking the eula after a period of time.

[Some1]

Why to companies make their EULA so complicated to understand?

Because they know that nobody actually reads them...if I remember correctly, the Winamp EULA has (or at least had at one pont) a section describing how Winamp is not to be used for "high risk applications" like controlling the coolant system of a nuclear reactor, or a life-support system in a hospital...sure, it's there, but does it actually mean anything?

[Trigear]

did you find anything in the eula about making copies? i think i might have violated it somehow by getting my copy from a friend, and then passing many many copies to other people. could you look in there and see what it says about that? :igor: