Thread: Microsoft makes life easier for cyber cafes

Microsoft just changes the licensing of Windows and some licenses of Office 2007 to authorize rental or lending of machine.

The limits of a license Windows and Office

As the recall Microsoft's site, only the person or entity who purchased the license has the right to use it. It is possible that an employee uses a license for a company's activities and is allowed to share his computer in a private (home of the circle being the most common example). However, the kiosk computers found in airports or hotels, and cafes, directly violate the terms of the license from Microsoft.

To circumvent this problem, Redmond had developed an agreement, the Service Provider License Agreement, or SPLA. But the problem was that this system was complex and expensive, prompting many companies to violate the license of Windows and Office.

A more appropriate solution

To overcome this problem, Microsoft is now offering a new license that comes to graft on one purchased when buying a machine or a version of Windows or Office, which allows the leasing of its software. The publisher has set up a promotional offer to encourage the companies concerned to take the step. Thus, a rental license for Windows will be sold $ 23 (approx. 15 €) instead of $ 32 (approx. € 22) per copy of the operating system. A license for Office Standard rental is available during the promotional offer, $ 45 (approx. 30 €) instead of $ 64 (approx. 45 €) and License Office Professional is $ 58 (approx. 40 €) instead of $ 83 (approx. 60 €). Each license is valid only for one year and must be renewed if the company renting the machine decides to continue its activity.

The promotion will end June 30 next and is available worldwide, the new rental license is valid today in every country in the world. The exact price in euros is not yet known.