If you want to run Microsoft’s Windows Vista in a virtual environment, via a product like Parallels Desktop for Mac, “things can get sticky,” Benjamin Rudolph blogs for Parallels.
Rudolph explains, “Microsoft has released a new EULA (End User License Agreement) that states that only certain versions of Vista – Business and Ultimate (and Enterprise for corporate customers) are eligible to be run in a virtual machine. The EULA says that Home Basic and Home Premium CANNOT be run in a virtual machine.”
Here’s the tecnical legalese from the EULAs:
For Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Editions:
“USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system.”
For Vista Enterprise and Ultimate Editions:
“USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system on the licensed device. If you do so, you may not play or access content or use applications protected by any Microsoft digital, information or enterprise rights management technology or other Microsoft rights management services or use BitLocker. We advise against playing or accessing content or using applications protected by other digital, information or enterprise rights management technology or other rights management services or using full volume disk drive encryption.”
“In short, this means that if you’re a user and you want to run Vista virtually, you MUST buy the highest end versions of Vista, or you’ll be in violation of the Microsoft EULA,” Rudolph explains.
Full article here.
“That doesn’t preclude Vista Home editions from being installed on Macs running Boot Camp, however, since Boot Camp isn’t a virtualization or emulation technology — instead, it makes Windows run natively on the Mac,” Peter Cohen reports for Macworld. “For now, however, Boot Camp is still in beta development, and still officially works only with Windows XP.”
Cohen reports, “The issue for users is price: Microsoft sells its Home editions of Vista for $199 or $239, while Business and Ultimate editions cost $299 and $399 respectively.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Microsoft’s Windows Vista: Five years for a chrome-plated turd – January 30, 2007
Microsoft license terms limit Vista virtualization to Vista Ultimate or Business versions – October 18, 2006