Software Deals
OEM is an acronym that stands for ‘Original Equipment Manufacturers.’ OEM software is software that is mainly sold to large equipment manufacturers such as hardware manufacturers and computer builders. These large businesses purchase software in bulk and are good candidates for getting discount OEM software. Third-party software such as is commonly found in consumer electronics including digital cameras, printers, scanners, graphic tablets and so on is a good example of OEM software.
This bundled software is in many cases older versions of programs sold as stand-alone products. In some cases, it comes with a limited set of features and is often dubbed ‘Limited Edition’ or ‘Special Edition’ software. The main intention of building this feature-limited software version is to offer product users software they can use on their new hardware immediately after purchasing it, and also tempt them to buy the more complete version.
There is a lot of controversy regarding OEM software. Many people are not sure whether this type of software is legal or just some pirated software masquerading as OEM software. Although OEM software is sometimes limited both in number of copies made available to the public and in terms of functionalities, it is possible to find fully functional and unlimited OEM software. The EULA (End-User License Agreement) is used to regulate the sale of fully functional OEM software. In many cases, this type of OEM software is required to be sold with its accompanying hardware. It is perfectly OK and 100% legal to buy OEM software. There are some miscreants, however, who exploit this opportunity and sell heavily discounted software that does not have an OEM license under the OEM software flag. These criminals sometimes make it hard for a consumer to identify genuine discount OEM software. Although you can get genuine discount OEM software online, do some prior research to ascertain its authenticity. If not be careful, you might end up buying pirated or even non-functional software.
Many people who buy online software are probably not aware that you can get discounted OEM software online. Perhaps you are wondering why bother with OEM software when you can get some cheap clones elsewhere? OEM software represents the full version of original software and includes installation discs, product keycode and Serial Number and a Certificate of Authenticity.
OEM software does have some shortcomings though. It is not delivered to the customer in a retail box, cannot be transferred even in the event of a computer breakdown, does not come with printed manuals and does not qualify for the free technical support that software manufacturers warrant for their products. Despite these drawbacks, buying OEM software is in many cases a very sound decision. You can get great discount OEM software at very fair prices.
What Types of OEM Software Discounts Are Available?
You can get discounted computer software for a wide range of leading brands such as Adobe, Autodesk, Apple, Corel, Canon, Digital Storage, ESET, E-Book Readers, Intuit, FileMaker, Microsoft, Nero, Kaspersky, McAfee, VMware and many more.
Discount Computer Software
The most popular type of OEM software is software for computers. This can be operating systems, antivirus software, various application software from leading brands such as Symantec, Microsoft, Apple, Linux and so on. You can get great discount Microsoft software, discount Symantec software, discounted antivirus software from renowned names such as Kaspersky, Norton, McAfee and so on. Many computer software vendors make two versions of software; the main differentiator being the intended channel of distribution. The software can either be Retail or OEM.
Retail software is typically more expensive than OEM software. Retail software packages are more voluminous and cost more to ship. OEM software is distributed to various systems builders and systems integrators such as Dell, HP, Sun and so on. OEM computer software is manufactured in large volumes, enabling the makers to offer large discounts. Discount OEM software for computers is similar to its retail counterpart. However, there are some minor differences. The manufacturer warranty is in many cases shorter or even non-existent. They also do not have manuals or drivers, although these can be easily downloaded. All these factors are responsible for the lower cost of OEM software for computers.
OEM computer software is in every respect functionally similar to its retail counterpart. If you install Word and PowerPoint on two different PCs, one using OEM Microsoft Office and the other using Microsoft Office, you will be hard pressed telling the difference between the two. The only difference you will notice is in the packaging of the two versions and, of course, the cost. The functionality of the two is for all intents and purposes the same.
OEM Discount Software Licensing
There are some differences in the licensing of OEM and retail software. The biggest difference is the cost. OEM Office software purchased with your PC costs a lot less that what you would pay by buying from Internet retailers. Take the case of purchasing Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007. You can get the OEM version of this software for about $369. Compare that to the $500 or so you have to fork out for the retail version; a screaming bargain! The only downside to OEM software licensing is that you cannot transfer the software to another machine in the event of a breakdown.
You can purchase discount OEM computer software online at very fair prices. Make sure to buy from only reputable vendors to avoid disappointment.