XP Home - many strange issues

**slgrieb** · May 14th, 2009, 09:16 PM

You are absolutely right Niclo. And I'm really not accusing jakkwb of anything improper. I'm just suggesting that if his client was in fact running some warez, we might have saved some time and effort had we known. I think jakkwb probably didn't understand the situation. We've all been there. Tell a client we need to reinstall his software and listen to 45 minutes of him saying he isn't a thief and a pirate and do you actually have to buy software, isn't it free?

Personally, I always address this upfront as a worst case scenario. "If your hard drive explodes, I'll need your original media or your licenses to get replacements for you." As professionals, this is just one more thing of which we need to be aware.

Edit: The problem with dealing with thieves is that they'll steal from you as quickly as anyone. Just from a purely practical standpoint, there's no reason to do them a favor. It just marks you as a chump and a target.

**NooNoo** · May 15th, 2009, 02:15 AM

I am simply amazed how many people are running pirated office from a CD from a friend. With the cost of home and student with 3 licences being around £60, why do it? They will spend that much in one evening down the pub!

**Niclo Iste** · May 15th, 2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

I am simply amazed how many people are running pirated office from a CD from a friend. With the cost of home and student with 3 licences being around £60, why do it? They will spend that much in one evening down the pub!

Because that would make sense!
Actually my step dad pirates movies, and music when he can (Not warez he just finds ways to make copies of the media for himself). I can't figure out why as I've looked at the pains he goes through to achieve it and in a lot of cases I see it as being just as expensive if not more just to pirate whatever it is. I think people get a misplaced sense of revenge on the stores that sell items at prices that are too high for the buyer by giving that money to someone else.

**jakkwb** · May 17th, 2009, 07:15 PM

OK, let me clear this up. I do NOT pirate software. This laptop had a valid XP Home key on it (label). MS-Office was also on it, but no key or media. Other softwares of less value.......

I put XP Home back on it. That's all. I then suggested Open-Office to them. They will probably get back online and get the pirated version of Office again and reinstall.

Thank you forum people for all the help you give,

Jakkwb