Software on ISU computers, just as for software on non-government and non-educational computers, is bound by copyright laws. Therefore proper licensing is required. Software companies have the right to prosecute for any violation of the law and licensing agreement regarding their software
Some software belongs to the category of products licensed to a user as opposed to software licensed to a machine. This means that if you buy a newer machine, you may move such software to that machine and must remove it from the older one before selling or giving away that machine. Some software, however, is licensed to a machine rather than user, and must always stay with the machine. The most prominent example of this is the Windows Operating System.
The most important implication of this distinction for the reader of this web page is that you should not buy a "naked" computer and then expect to buy a full install Windows 95/98 or Windows NT Workstation from this office. Instead, you must have a full operating system on your computer before you are eligible to buy an upgrade license for Win 95/98/NT through our volume licensing program.
A machine license precludes you from using backup media to install an Operating System onto a naked machine even if it is replacing a machine that was totally destroyed. In such a case, the OS is deemed destroyed along with the machine it was on.
Anyone with questions or desiring more details regarding these concepts should contact our office at (309) 438-3323.
