No cracks but legit software question,...

snipped-for-privacy@good-home.net, sayed:

Thank you Bill for what is an excellent post, I leave it unedited :-) To supply one answer to your question, I say, IF you understood how Licence worked for Copyright and the mechanisms that are in place within whole organisations for maintaining License then you would have the complete answer to your question. The short answer is "As SW buyers actually *own* nothing they then have *nothing* to sell (or give away for that matter)". Go read any License/EUA to get just a glimpse of the truth of that statement. Now, I am located in The Great Southern Land so YMMV buuut generally speaking there are no recognised "outlets" for 2nd hand SW of any kind here. What does exist is the occasional stall at weekend markets and advertisements in industry publications for pre-loved SW, along with the usual Ebay options of course

I hear what you are saying as to "hacks or cheats", a wise man would not run a business based on using such avenues, true, however there are avenues available to try out various SW compilations prior to purchase of any License. Might I suggest (as help) you develop the "suck it and see" approach before investing? In your location you may well find fabric enhancement magazines that carry "for sale" advertising of pre-loved SW in their columns. There may well be an option, but again, be careful as to just what you can then use the SW for,, in any business activity.

..thanks again for your words :-)

le.ÞêêmÞ

The largest software pirate in the world speaks news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

I realize that the actual compliance of the agreement is up to the individuals involved in the transaction (and no, I never really dove into the fine print simply because it usually is a lawyerly way of saying we aren't responsible). I also believe there is a legitimate use for 2nd hand software. I loved browsing a consignment shop that dealt with old software and used it to experiment without investing large sums of cash.

Furthermore, I've rebuilt many older used PCs for some retired folks and single-mom friends of my daughter-in-law for basic browsing, email and homework use. I have no reservations about installing older versions of software that I have long since replaced with newer versions. Of course the disk goes with the recipient of the PC. In many cases, it is required because the targeted system is older and not able to handle the latest and greatest. That might be the case here as the PC I am targeting for this is at least 10 years old and I doubt today's version will run on it.

I guess my question has been answered though. I really don't wish to get into the piracy debate. I googled the term "used QDT" and was presented with a link to QDTs website touting used software (the link no longer works) so I assumed there WAS a market. I guess I'll see what the EDS-III system does that was installed on the PC that came with the package. (Don't worry - we have the install disks for that as well).

Don't feed the troll please. This moron has been the scourge of Usenet for years. Do not grant audience.