Downloadable MS Software

[User]

Hello

I was just asked by a student of mine if I knew anything about this website:
<a href="http://blyapal.com">Blyapal.com</a>. Does anyone know if this is a
legitimate website. They sell brand name software, including most of
Microsoft software, for a fraction of the cost. They supposedly provide a
compressed downloadable copy with no documentation or support. I don't want
to tell my students they can use this site if the software that is being sold
is illegal.

I hope someone has some knowledge regarding this site.

thanks

Art

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

From their terms page:

2.1. You are informed that the software is in English language only unless
noted differently on the site or by the Support representative;
2.2. You will thoroughly follow the downloading and installation
instructions on your account;
2.3. You cannot register the software with the manufacturer and updates are
available not for all the products;
2.4. You do not receive printed license documentation;
2.5. You do not receive a copy of the software on a disk.
2.6. The Store will assist the Customer with downloading and installation
issues. We will not provide technical support after the software product is
downloaded and installed; neither will it be available from the manufacturer
of the software product.


Think about it - does this SOUND legal? Hint - The answer is NO!!! It is
illegal. And I would certainly hope that a teacher would not advocate the
use of illegal software.

 

[User]

Thanks for the reply, JoAnn. A simple, "no this is not legal" would have
sufficed. I did not ask for nor do I need or appreciate your patronizing
and moralistic final comment.

cheers
art

From their terms page:

2.1. You are informed that the software is in English language only unless
noted differently on the site or by the Support representative;
2.2. You will thoroughly follow the downloading and installation
instructions on your account;
2.3. You cannot register the software with the manufacturer and updates are
available not for all the products;
2.4. You do not receive printed license documentation;
2.5. You do not receive a copy of the software on a disk.
2.6. The Store will assist the Customer with downloading and installation
issues. We will not provide technical support after the software product is
downloaded and installed; neither will it be available from the manufacturer
of the software product.


Think about it - does this SOUND legal? Hint - The answer is NO!!! It is
illegal. And I would certainly hope that a teacher would not advocate the
use of illegal software.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Hello

I was just asked by a student of mine if I knew anything about this
website:
<a href="http://blyapal.com">Blyapal.com</a>. Does anyone know if this is
a
legitimate website. They sell brand name software, including most of
Microsoft software, for a fraction of the cost. They supposedly provide a
compressed downloadable copy with no documentation or support. I don't
want
to tell my students they can use this site if the software that is being
sold
is illegal.

I hope someone has some knowledge regarding this site.

thanks

Art

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

The terms are from that "vendor's" site. As for the moralistic comment, I
happen to hold teachers in high regard and would have thought that you would
know enough that you can't buy $500 software for $50. At least not legally.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Thanks for the reply, JoAnn. A simple, "no this is not legal" would have
sufficed. I did not ask for nor do I need or appreciate your
patronizing
and moralistic final comment.

cheers
art

From their terms page:

2.1. You are informed that the software is in English language only
unless
noted differently on the site or by the Support representative;
2.2. You will thoroughly follow the downloading and installation
instructions on your account;
2.3. You cannot register the software with the manufacturer and updates
are
available not for all the products;
2.4. You do not receive printed license documentation;
2.5. You do not receive a copy of the software on a disk.
2.6. The Store will assist the Customer with downloading and installation
issues. We will not provide technical support after the software product
is
downloaded and installed; neither will it be available from the
manufacturer
of the software product.


Think about it - does this SOUND legal? Hint - The answer is NO!!! It is
illegal. And I would certainly hope that a teacher would not advocate the
use of illegal software.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Hello

I was just asked by a student of mine if I knew anything about this
website:
<a href="http://blyapal.com">Blyapal.com</a>. Does anyone know if this
is
a
legitimate website. They sell brand name software, including most of
Microsoft software, for a fraction of the cost. They supposedly provide
a
compressed downloadable copy with no documentation or support. I don't
want
to tell my students they can use this site if the software that is
being
sold
is illegal.

I hope someone has some knowledge regarding this site.

thanks

Art

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

A Microsoft product is not legitimate unless you receive the
Certificate of Authenticity, original Microsoft installation CD,
and the original documentation. Any web site offering a download
is 100% illegitimate and is offering an illegal, pirated version.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Hello
|
| I was just asked by a student of mine if I knew anything about this website:
| <a href="http://blyapal.com">Blyapal.com</a>. Does anyone know if this is a
| legitimate website. They sell brand name software, including most of
| Microsoft software, for a fraction of the cost. They supposedly provide a
| compressed downloadable copy with no documentation or support. I don't want
| to tell my students they can use this site if the software that is being sold
| is illegal.
|
| I hope someone has some knowledge regarding this site.
|
| thanks
|
| Art

 

[User]

Hi Carey

Thanks for your response. I did initially tell the student to wait until I
could find out more information about this site. My initial reaction was
illegal software however the site has such a slick, professional layout that
many visitors would think it was legit.

The larger question is why hasn't MS and the other software companies not
forced this site to shut down?

thanks

 

[Gary Smith]

Offshore scam sites like this pop up faster than anyone could possibly
shut them down and may be effectively beyond the reach of legal action
anyway. This one appears to be located in Tahiti, but that information
could be faked.

 

[Timothy L]

My recommendation would be for you to tell your student about Microsoft Office System Trial Software.

ONLY Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 Trial (available on Microsoft.com) can be downloaded and used
legally if you are getting it directly from Microsoft.



Here are those links:


Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 Trial
http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/prodinfo/standardtrial.mspx

Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 System Requirements
http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/prodinfo/standreq.mspx

Activate Your Microsoft Office System Trial Product
http://www.microsoft.com/office/trial/activate.mspx

How to Buy
http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/howtobuy/standard.mspx

Find a Third-Party Retailer
http://shop.microsoft.com/helpdesk/reseller.asp



How to convert to the full version:

How to convert an Office 2003 Trial edition to a full retail edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831023

How to Convert Microsoft Office System Trial Product to a Full Version
http://www.microsoft.com/office/trial/convert.mspx

NOTE: If you received your trial as part of a purchase of a new computer, follow this conversion process:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/pctrial/convert.mspx

 

[Timothy L]

I shouldn't say that Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 Trial is the only one that can be downloaded
legally (from Microsoft.com), because the following Office related software is also available as a
downloadable trial:

Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005
Microsoft Communicator 2005
Microsoft OneNote 2003
Microsoft Project Standard Edition 2003
Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2003
Microsoft Visio 2003

Source:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/trial/default.mspx