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What are issues with using a home-based operating system in a business environment?

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  • Windows Vista
  • Home Basic
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
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April 4, 2013 9:00:40 PM

For example, using Windows Vista Home Basic in a business environment. Not a home-based business environment, but in a small business.

More about : issues home based operating system business environment

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April 4, 2013 9:23:43 PM

http://www.mydigitallife.info/windows-vista-ultimate-bu...

The last 1/4 of the table are services supported ONLY by Business/ Enterprise/ Ultimate editions
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April 4, 2013 9:58:11 PM

Most of the difference (but not all) have to do with limitations of joining a Microsoft server domain. Unless you have the Business/Enterprise/Ultimate editions, you cannot join a Microsoft domain, which means you can't access any services the server may be offering, such as shared drives, shared printers, etc. The main item missing, and the way the shares are enforced, is that you cannot participate in the Directory Services, which they now call Active Directory. You have a single userid and password, defined on one of the domain's servers (domain controller), and whenever you log on to any PC which is a part of the domain, you get authenticated by a domain controller server. Since Vista Home Basic cannot participate in a Microsoft domain, you cannot have a global userid and cannot participate in the domain at all. Which of course means that the IT Dept., if there is one, also cannot control your PC -- that's the other half of participating in the domain, they get to control what you can and cannot do on your computer (or the one you're logged into).
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April 6, 2013 6:08:54 PM

You need a site licence for each and every PC that is being used at the business otherwise you may incur a fine of up to $500,000.
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April 7, 2013 6:42:52 AM

If you use your home user OS in a business, you are liable to site licences.

Many years ago, Microsoft had officials visit high profile businesses checking on their site licence and found that many had none and issued fines of $50,000 per PC that had their OS without a business site licence.

You can't use your home OS in a business without a site licence, registered to your business name.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/

Regardless whewther it is home-based business or in an office or warehouse, any place where you are trading or servicing for a profit, even a Charity has to be lcensed, requires licenses for the Os and ALL sotware used in the nature of that business including Microsft Office and other brand name software.
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April 7, 2013 11:02:08 AM

Are you talking about "volume licensing"? There is no such term as "site license" on the Microsoft web site -- I've looked. It isn't used by them. That's what confused me, as I had never heard of it either in reference to Microsoft.

I did not find anything on Microsoft's web site indicating that it is illegal to use a valid retail license of Windows at a work environment. All the talk about volume licensing says nothing about it being illegal to use retail licenses of Windows at a work site.
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April 7, 2013 10:47:42 PM

Well, just make sure that your copy of Microsoft OS (and Office) is a licensed and registered version and that any other software used is also registered.
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