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Microsoft Legal Software

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by winex

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Microsoft made every protection for its Software by way of copyright laws but consumer interests are not taken into account at all and the world is not reviewing this fact.
Year after year MS releases new versions making the older versions out of reach and obsolete and at the same time, maintains such old and obsolete versions are illegal to use under the copyright laws in many countries if the software is not original or priated.
How can a pirated software which is obsolete as declared by MScan be covered under the copyright laws when the original software itself is out of the market and sale?
Interestingly, MS insists consumers to buy current versions which are generally very expensive, and will not run on older/obsolete systems and MS allows to use older versions (even pirated) under their downgrade advantage which is not justified at all. Can someone can see a solution to correct this scenario all over the world please?

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by thechas

I don't recall the exact number, but copyright protection extends for something like 80 years from the date of the copyright.
Further, there are procedures for renewing and extending the copyright.

So, just because the software is replaced by a new release, the older software does not become public domain.

Look at books. The first edition does not become public domain when the 10th edition is published.

As to the issue of old hardware, Microsoft sells the OS to the major OEMs at a discount. Part of the restriction imposed to optain the discount is that the OS license is not transferable to a different PC, or owner.
Now, I don't fully agree with this myself, but it is an intrinsic part of keeping all parties in business.

On the plus side, this is a much less restrictive arrangement than exists in the mainframe computer market.
There, you pay annual fees, and have no rights of transfer of any kind.

The solution:
Switch to open source software.
Linux, Open Office, Mozilla, FreeDOS, and numerous others are working to produce software that is free to the user.
Check out one of the main sites for open source software www.sourceforge.net

Chas

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