Someone help me out here please. I am in the process of building computers for a couple of family members and I need a LEGAL copy of Windows 98 SE for each computer. I checked at the B&M stores and they all want well over $100. Then I decided to check on the internet and I found that I could buy the OEM version at www.altima2000.com for $75. I ordered four copies.
Then I got to thinking, if they can sell it to me for $75, I wonder how much they paid for it. I started doing some research on the internet and found that OEM versions of the Windows operating system should only be sold with a computer - or at least some type of hardware. I did not order any hardware - just four copies of the operating system. I went to Microsoft's website in order to find out how to tell if you have a legal copy of their operating system. One of the first things I read was that some huge number of software sales over the internet are illegal. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably isn't a legal copy. I called Microsoft to find out what price for Windows 98 SE OEM version would be reasonable.
Microsoft would not give me a price range but basically said that in order to assure that I bought a legal copy, I would have to purchase it from a Microsoft Recommended Distributor. If I bought it from anyone else, it would not be a legal copy unless it was sold pre-loaded onto a computer or at lease sold with some sort of hardware.
In effect, Microsoft is telling me that since I did not purchase any hardware with my software, the software is not a legal copy.
I tried to call Altima2000 to get their take on this but their phone is answered by a machine saying to leave a message and then another voice tells you that messages cannot be left on that system and I am hung up on.
Now I have some questions...
Based on the $75 price, does this sound like I am likely to get used software or pirated software? Is it possible that at this price I will get a sealed OEM version of genuine MS Windows 98 SE software?
Has anyone heard of or used www.altima2000.com? Are they reputable? Am I likely to get nothing at all?
If I do get the software and it appears to be genuinely manufactured by Microsoft and comes with the Certificate of Authenticity label and I am able to register the product does that make it legal? (Actually, I can give you Microsoft's answer to this: NO).
One guy at Microsoft finally looked up some prices for me and told me that I could buy 3 copies of Windows 98 SE from a distributor for $325, or about $108 a copy. Based on that price, I wonder how Altima can sell copies for $75 and not lose money (or be selling illegal copies).
One final question:
If the lowest price that Windows 98 SE can be legally obtained for is about $100, how can e-machines make and sell a computer (733 Celery processor, 64 MB SDRAM, 20 gig HD, CDROM, etc...) preloaded with Windows 98 SE and after rebates only charge $350? Assuming they paid about $100 for the OS that leaves only $250 for the computer. I priced the same system component for component on pricewatch using the cheapest parts I could find and I could just barely build the system for $250. How does e-machines make any money on these??
Then I got to thinking, if they can sell it to me for $75, I wonder how much they paid for it. I started doing some research on the internet and found that OEM versions of the Windows operating system should only be sold with a computer - or at least some type of hardware. I did not order any hardware - just four copies of the operating system. I went to Microsoft's website in order to find out how to tell if you have a legal copy of their operating system. One of the first things I read was that some huge number of software sales over the internet are illegal. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably isn't a legal copy. I called Microsoft to find out what price for Windows 98 SE OEM version would be reasonable.
Microsoft would not give me a price range but basically said that in order to assure that I bought a legal copy, I would have to purchase it from a Microsoft Recommended Distributor. If I bought it from anyone else, it would not be a legal copy unless it was sold pre-loaded onto a computer or at lease sold with some sort of hardware.
In effect, Microsoft is telling me that since I did not purchase any hardware with my software, the software is not a legal copy.
I tried to call Altima2000 to get their take on this but their phone is answered by a machine saying to leave a message and then another voice tells you that messages cannot be left on that system and I am hung up on.
Now I have some questions...
Based on the $75 price, does this sound like I am likely to get used software or pirated software? Is it possible that at this price I will get a sealed OEM version of genuine MS Windows 98 SE software?
Has anyone heard of or used www.altima2000.com? Are they reputable? Am I likely to get nothing at all?
If I do get the software and it appears to be genuinely manufactured by Microsoft and comes with the Certificate of Authenticity label and I am able to register the product does that make it legal? (Actually, I can give you Microsoft's answer to this: NO).
One guy at Microsoft finally looked up some prices for me and told me that I could buy 3 copies of Windows 98 SE from a distributor for $325, or about $108 a copy. Based on that price, I wonder how Altima can sell copies for $75 and not lose money (or be selling illegal copies).
One final question:
If the lowest price that Windows 98 SE can be legally obtained for is about $100, how can e-machines make and sell a computer (733 Celery processor, 64 MB SDRAM, 20 gig HD, CDROM, etc...) preloaded with Windows 98 SE and after rebates only charge $350? Assuming they paid about $100 for the OS that leaves only $250 for the computer. I priced the same system component for component on pricewatch using the cheapest parts I could find and I could just barely build the system for $250. How does e-machines make any money on these??
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