Similar to other objects of intellectual property, like music or literature the software is protected by copyright laws from unauthorized copying. The copyright laws provide the author (editor) of the software with several exclusive rights, including the right to produce copies of the software.
When buying software, you actually buy a license that entitles you to use the software. The software terms of use (e.g., its transfer to another PC, the right to use the previous versions) are fixed in the agreement accompanying the product delivery.
Microsoft offers the following basic licensing programs for corporate customers:
- Open License - one-time purchase of the software
- Open Value - installment payments for the software
- Open Value Subscription - rental software
Open License
The Open License program is suitable for those organizations that need to purchase several copies (licenses) of one or more Microsoft software products. As soon as the customer buys 5 licenses he gets a significant discount as compared to the purchase cost of the same products sold as a box. The customer is able to use this corporate discount within the two years for subsequent orders, no matter how small they are.
The program offers a wide range of products for your business - operating systems, desktop applications, server products, developer tools. Windows 7 Professional is offered both as a full license in the form of legalization (Get Genuine Windows Agreement or GGWA), and as upgrade license for Windows 7 Professional/Enterprise Upgrade.
Open Value
Microsoft offers a special Microsoft Open Value licensing program for small and mid-size companies that want to reduce their one-time costs of software purchase and upgrades, to plan and control the IT budget, as well as to get a handy license management tool.
Open Value provides the opportunity to purchase permanent (perpetual license) for the latest versions of Microsoft software paid by equal installments over the course of a three-year agreement. The program is available to those customers who want to buy 5 or more licenses to any products. Due to the significant discounts 'for standardization' it is especially beneficial for those customers who are willing to license the "Basic" products for all the desktops within the organization.
Open Value Subscription
If the company is not able to make long term decisions regarding IT investments, or if it reduced the IT budgets, Microsoft offers the software rental agreement, which is the most profitable way in these circumstances.
Rental software or a subscription provides a flexible licensing agreement at minimum costs that enables the company to pay each year only for those licenses that are needed for the business. The agreement gives the right to use the latest software versions, to increase or reduce the number of licenses or even to refuse using the software.
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