My Antivirus program, Panda Internet Security, is running out soon. It’s been pretty good, I’ve used Panda for years, and I’m thinking of switching. Maybe just for a new experience, maybe because I could save some pennies. Panda has been one of the more expensive of the handful of internet security options that Microsoft have recommended over the last few years.
I heard that Kapersky Internet Security is a good program. I went to Google shopping, and searched for offers. The price is O.K. anyway, at around £23 (British pounds), though there are O.E.M. versions in the Google shopping list at nearly half this price. Checking if O.E.M. is legal – it seems it depends on the license that each program is issued to the company selling it under. So, it seems that if you buy from a reputable company, they will know what they are doing and won’t be breaking the terms from the software company.
But people warn against buying O.E.M. software which isn’t supplied with a machine or for your own build, because you don’t get typical support for the program. Is that for real?
What would be the point of selling O.E.M. antivirus software, legally, with a 1 year license for use with updates if you weren’t entitled to the antivirus support? Like sending a virus your computer is suffering to the software co., and allowing the software co. (if the offer it) remote access to your machine to help it.
What happens here? Please advise me if you know, and if you are someone who has bought O.E.M. antivirus programs before and know about the support available. Especially if you know about Kapersky. I’m all for the sale of O.E.M. software where it’s legal – the redundant programs that companies have bought in good faith, in bulk usually, would just be left sitting there, with user licenses intact, if they weren’t sold on. And it would seem silly not to buy cheaper O.E.M. if it’s as good for you as the retail versions.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) simply refers to an Operating System that comes pre-installed on a computer. It is illegal to sell OEM without an accompanying piece of hardware. People on the web selling OEM Windows often throw in a free mouse to keep within the law.
I use Avast antivirus (totally free) and Malwarebytes antimalware (totally free). Never actually heard of OEM antivirus
Just get microsoft’s free antivirus http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/
O.E.M. software is only legal on the machine is was shipped in. You can not sell it.