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    Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved IT Discussion
    licensingis this legal
    19 Posts 7 Posters 1.9k Views
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    • IRJI
      IRJ
      last edited by

      As some of you may already know, you can buy legitimate licenses on Bonanza for Windows and other software for next to nothing. I have read that it is legal, because in the EU you are allowed to sell your licenses if you ever dispose of the PC , upgrade or whatever.

      I know people that have bought from them with zero issues. They get a license key and download link, and receive regular updates without issue.

      Some examples of products:

      https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Vmware-Workstation-14-Pro-Vmware-Workstation-14-Player-Bundle-Lifetime/561564051?st_id=58500258

      https://www.bonanza.com/listings/LICENZA-LICENSE-Microsoft-Windows-10-Professional-Retail-1-Key-5-Computers/444678493

      https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Microsoft-Office-2016-Pro-Professional-Plus-Genuine-Lifetime-Product-Key/581125270?st_id=18298247

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • DustinB3403D
        DustinB3403
        last edited by

        Are you in the EU? If not why would you think the laws there cover you?

        IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • IRJI
          IRJ @DustinB3403
          last edited by

          @dustinb3403 said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

          Are you in the EU? If not why would you think the laws there cover you?

          Right, you cannot SELL your licenses in US, but what would prohibit you from buying a legally sold license? That is what I am trying to figure out.

          I am not selling, but looking at buying. Completely different rules in many cases.

          scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • F
            Francesco Provino
            last edited by

            I'm in the EU, AFAIK it's perfectly legal. @matteo-nunziati , what do you think about it?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • hobbit666H
              hobbit666
              last edited by

              I'm in the UK, ever really looked into the laws on Licensing.
              I know if you refurb PC's you can get "refurb" COA at a reduced cost.

              In terms of that site, if they are selling to all including UK, then i think/hope they have checked the laws for US and EU otherwise they should state US ONLY

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • F
                Francesco Provino
                last edited by

                I know of many SMB that has purchased licenses like that for years, zero issues.

                scottalanmillerS B 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • KellyK
                  Kelly
                  last edited by

                  It looks like there is the possibility that you can purchase perpetual license software (non-OEM, non-subscription) in the US so long as the license was designated as an EU license and originally sold to a company in the EU. It isn't a matter of EU law vs US law. The EU has simply clarified existing law clearly and US courts have not.

                  IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                  • KellyK
                    Kelly
                    last edited by

                    https://www.itassetmanagement.net/2016/10/31/secondary-software-2016/

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • scottalanmillerS
                      scottalanmiller @IRJ
                      last edited by

                      @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                      @dustinb3403 said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                      Are you in the EU? If not why would you think the laws there cover you?

                      Right, you cannot SELL your licenses in US, but what would prohibit you from buying a legally sold license? That is what I am trying to figure out.

                      I am not selling, but looking at buying. Completely different rules in many cases.

                      Buying them is likely legal. Using them while in the US is where the US law, rather than the EU one, would matter.

                      IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • scottalanmillerS
                        scottalanmiller @Francesco Provino
                        last edited by

                        @francesco-provino said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                        I know of many SMB that has purchased licenses like that for years, zero issues.

                        In the EU, or crossing into the US as well?

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • B
                          bnrstnr @Francesco Provino
                          last edited by

                          @francesco-provino said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                          I know of many SMB that has purchased licenses like that for years, zero issues.

                          Having zero issues and being legal and compliant are two completely different things. You'll likely never get audited unless you have volume licensing, and without an audit, the legality will likely never come into play.

                          IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • hobbit666H
                            hobbit666
                            last edited by

                            So I'm in the uk.

                            Take the first link as an example for VMware workstation.

                            As a home user if I bought that @ £18 am I legally in both UK and US law to use it?

                            What if I'm a business and want to use it?

                            KellyK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • KellyK
                              Kelly @hobbit666
                              last edited by

                              @hobbit666 said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                              So I'm in the uk.

                              Take the first link as an example for VMware workstation.

                              As a home user if I bought that @ £18 am I legally in both UK and US law to use it?

                              What if I'm a business and want to use it?

                              Since you're still a citizen of the EU, the EU court ruling applies to you. Perpetual licenses can clearly be resold legally. When it leaves the jurisdiction of the EU it becomes more murky, but more because software makers don't want it clarified because US courts would likely arrive at the same conclusion as the EU court.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • IRJI
                                IRJ @bnrstnr
                                last edited by

                                @bnrstnr said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                @francesco-provino said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                I know of many SMB that has purchased licenses like that for years, zero issues.
                                

                                Having zero issues and being legal and compliant are two completely different things. You'll likely never get audited unless you have volume licensing, and without an audit, the legality will likely never come into play.

                                Yeah, I wouldn't even think about trying this at the business level.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • IRJI
                                  IRJ @Kelly
                                  last edited by

                                  @kelly said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                  It looks like there is the possibility that you can purchase perpetual license software (non-OEM, non-subscription) in the US so long as the license was designated as an EU license and originally sold to a company in the EU. It isn't a matter of EU law vs US law. The EU has simply clarified existing law clearly and US courts have not.

                                  So the answer here is it is probably ok for personal use in the US?

                                  Bonanza has been around for years, you would think Microsoft would have them blocked from US buyers by now if it were an issue...

                                  KellyK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • IRJI
                                    IRJ @scottalanmiller
                                    last edited by

                                    @scottalanmiller said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                    @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                    @dustinb3403 said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                    Are you in the EU? If not why would you think the laws there cover you?

                                    Right, you cannot SELL your licenses in US, but what would prohibit you from buying a legally sold license? That is what I am trying to figure out.

                                    I am not selling, but looking at buying. Completely different rules in many cases.

                                    Buying them is likely legal. Using them while in the US is where the US law, rather than the EU one, would matter.

                                    The law is against selling, correct? So if you buy, is there something stating you cannot use?

                                    scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • KellyK
                                      Kelly @IRJ
                                      last edited by

                                      @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                      @kelly said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                      It looks like there is the possibility that you can purchase perpetual license software (non-OEM, non-subscription) in the US so long as the license was designated as an EU license and originally sold to a company in the EU. It isn't a matter of EU law vs US law. The EU has simply clarified existing law clearly and US courts have not.

                                      So the answer here is it is probably ok for personal use in the US?

                                      Bonanza has been around for years, you would think Microsoft would have them blocked from US buyers by now if it were an issue...

                                      The answer is dependent on the level of exposure and risk you're willing to assume. As a personal purchase your exposure is low, and you're thus unlikely to become a test case. We have gotten used to the idea that if something isn't specifically allowed it is illegal. The truth goes in the opposite direction. I believe (IANAL) that you would not be doing something illegal to purchase software from Bonanza and using it, even in a business. That said, case law does refine interpretation of law, so I won't be recommending Bonanza to my clients as a way to save money 🙂

                                      IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                      • IRJI
                                        IRJ @Kelly
                                        last edited by

                                        @kelly said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                        @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                        @kelly said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                        It looks like there is the possibility that you can purchase perpetual license software (non-OEM, non-subscription) in the US so long as the license was designated as an EU license and originally sold to a company in the EU. It isn't a matter of EU law vs US law. The EU has simply clarified existing law clearly and US courts have not.

                                        So the answer here is it is probably ok for personal use in the US?

                                        Bonanza has been around for years, you would think Microsoft would have them blocked from US buyers by now if it were an issue...

                                        The answer is dependent on the level of exposure and risk you're willing to assume. As a personal purchase your exposure is low, and you're thus unlikely to become a test case. We have gotten used to the idea that if something isn't specifically allowed it is illegal. The truth goes in the opposite direction. I believe (IANAL) that you would not be doing something illegal to purchase software from Bonanza and using it, even in a business. That said, case law does refine interpretation of law, so I won't be recommending Bonanza to my clients as a way to save money 🙂

                                        nicely written...

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • scottalanmillerS
                                          scottalanmiller @IRJ
                                          last edited by

                                          @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                          @scottalanmiller said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                          @irj said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                          @dustinb3403 said in Thoughts on Bonanza and legality?:

                                          Are you in the EU? If not why would you think the laws there cover you?

                                          Right, you cannot SELL your licenses in US, but what would prohibit you from buying a legally sold license? That is what I am trying to figure out.

                                          I am not selling, but looking at buying. Completely different rules in many cases.

                                          Buying them is likely legal. Using them while in the US is where the US law, rather than the EU one, would matter.

                                          The law is against selling, correct? So if you buy, is there something stating you cannot use?

                                          If there is, it would have to be in the EULA.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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