At one time or another you may have used a rented-out Windows PC, be that at business kiosks or Internet cafés. Technically speaking, though, doing so has never been legal. As of January 1, 2010, the licensing terms for Windows and Microsoft Office have been tweaked so that those that wish to rent, lease, or outsource desktop PCs to third parties with either software can do so by paying an extra fee. Microsoft license requirements for Windows and Office do not permit renting, leasing, or outsourcing the software to a third party. Redmond’s solution to this piracy is outlined as the Microsoft Rental Rights Licensing.
The one-time license fee must be paid for each Windows PC or Office copy that is being rented out. While the new terms were actually posted at the beginning of the year, this was done rather quietly, and was only picked up by media outlets this past Friday by Directions on Microsoft analyst Paul De Groot. According to Groot, the promotional price for Office Professional Plus is $58 versus the standard $83 and is $45 for Office Standard versus $64. Windows is offered at $23 compared to the usual price of $32. This promotional 30-percent-off discount (available until June 30, 2010) is an effort to boost initial sales of the option, though it will be difficult for small businesses to start paying for something that they were previously doing for free, albeit illegally.
Source:http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/01/windows-office-rentals-now-ok-with-microsoft.ars
