Buying things second hand

[Carl Hibbard]

Buying second hand software on eBay is always going to be classed as dodgy.

.

Not if you check with the ebay seller first about the chess item coming with serial number manual before buying it.

Again the vast majority of the time it will be an illegal copy

[Peter D Williams]

Again the vast majority of the time it will be an illegal copy

Where is the evidence for that statement? E bay take any breach of law over illegal copy of material being sold on the site very serious. If you know of any cases you must report it at once to E bay.

[Carl Hibbard]

Again the vast majority of the time it will be an illegal copy

Where is the evidence for that statement? E bay take any breach of law over illegal copy of material being sold on the site very serious. If you know of any cases you must report it at once to E bay.

You are not in IT then it's a well known fact, not always as Nick has suggested but most of the time!

[Ian Thompson]

Again the vast majority of the time it will be an illegal copy

I suspect the most common fraud is not an illegal copy. It is where A buys an original CD/DVD, copies it onto his computer or another CD/DVD and then sells the original CD/DVD to B. Who's in the wrong? To my mind B has done nothing wrong. He is using an original CD/DVD. It is only A who is in the wrong.

E bay take any breach of law over illegal copy of material being sold on the site very serious. If you know of any cases you must report it at once to E bay.

In my experience they won't always do something about it even when it is blatantly obviously copied software. I've seen a couple of adverts for chess software offering a long list of programs, etc., with the offer being that the seller will copy whichever ones you want on to a single DVD for £X per program. eBay let one of these listings run its course.

[Simon Ansell]

Buying and selling second-hand software is perfectly legal, providing the seller has made the original installation unusable.

[Paul McKeown]

In this case, there is reason to believe the goods are not sold in accordance with a binding license agreement. Frustrating as it may be to have bought software without a license key, just asking for one without consulting the publisher is plain wrong.

[Simon Ansell]

In this case, there is reason to believe the goods are not sold in accordance with a binding license agreement. Frustrating as it may be to have bought software without a license key, just asking for one without consulting the publisher is plain wrong.

You're right, and Nick should take up the lack of license key with the seller. But to suggest he's "swindling the creators out of royalty payments" is also just plain wrong.

[Paul McKeown]

Yes, Simon, there's no reason for anyone on this board to question the honesty of anyone else on the board.

I think Nick should do the following:
a) ask the seller for the key, original disc and manual
b) inform eBay if this is not forthcoming
c) contact the publisher and explain the situation. Publishers are generally keen to pursue pirates and are occasionally prepared to send original discs for goodwill, particularly if they can shut down a pirate from information provided.

[Nick Burrows]

It is a bona fide disk and case, just with no key or manual. My mistake was not checking it right away, but I trusted his 300 sales 100% feedback rating. He has ignored my e-mails. Now considering this as the back story I don't think asking for a key is any big deal. The publisher obviously won't offer the key without proof of purchase.

[Paul McKeown]

It is a bona fide disk and case, just with no key or manual.

Without the key, it is hookey.

Now considering this as the back story I don't think asking for a key is any big deal.

Place yourself in the position of a member of a jury hearing such evidence presented.

[Nick Burrows]

Place yourself in the position of a member of a jury hearing such evidence presented.

If I was on said Jury, it would be a resounding "Meh"

[Carl Hibbard]

Looks like it's only £19.99 on Amazon so I wonder how cheap the eBay one was?

[Andrew Martin]

25p maybe?

[Nick Burrows]

about £7, but the cost is irrelevant really.

[Nick Burrows]

25p maybe?

Nice contribution. Thanks again.