Used copies of Solidworks (2023 Update)

Call your closest SWks VAR and ask, and then pull your ear away from the earpiece a bit.

Bo

I would say there is a problem if you cannot sell something you own. I don't understand if I bought a $5k product that I did not use anymore, why I would not be able to legitimitly sell it. I know of a company that folded that had a Solidworks seat and it was non-transferrable. This is ridiculus. Ford would love to have this horsepoop with their cars, just think how their new sales would be impacted if you could not license a used Ford?

Isn't there a legitimate way of transfering software by selling the hardware it runs on too ie PC with SW licence ? (or I s'pose pushing this point - the hard drive).

In the UK, I've seen this done when companies close. But obviously VAR's would prefer to collect as much new $$ as poss ;-)

I think the way they look at it (not that I agree) is that the answer is yes, that you can sell the software that you spent $5K on....No problem! Just as you can sell your used Ford. They have the problem with you selling the software license...That would be like selling your used Ford, AND your driver's license to someone and saying it was ok for them to drive that car because they had your personal driver's license.... Again, this is how I think they look at it in layman's terms. I wonder if they could make it like a transferable registration similar to the way MS takes care of Windows?...They don't care where or who uses the product, as long as you let them know (more or less) SWx could do something like that, where a 10 day lockout will happen if you don't register or something to that effect.....It's just a thought off the top of my head first thing in the morning, so I'm most likely missing something - so be gentle with the flames......

Scott

So a SW license is non-transferable, even if you are the original license owner? Are you sure? I ask, because a while back I saw an actual SW license for sale on eBay. In that case, the person was asking quite a bit more for it and the deal looked legit. Perhaps it's the case where the sale (or transfer) has to be approved by SW first. I'd be surprised if they outright barred it in all cases. As you indicated, that's quite an investment to have to write off if, for whatever reason, you decide you don't need it anymore.

I was guessing that the people selling SW CD's on eBay (for a low price) don't actually own the license (and therefore can't transfer it).

Anyway, thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately it IS the case that many software companies say that you don't really own the license. Micro$oft is one of those, as well as SolidWorks and most of the other CAD companies. It's tantamount to saying that you give them money so that you have the right to use the software, and that you can't transfer that right without their agreement. I have heard, however, that SolidWorks Corp will agree to license transfers in certain exceptional situations, like when a company is bought out by another company. I thought I remembered that in bankruptcies the license might be transferrable as an asset to a creditor, but I'm not sure about that. I rather doubt that it's transferrable at a liquidation (auction, or similar). Basically, SolidWorks Corp has to approve it in advance, and they're going to be picky. Without much doubt, eBay auctions don't qualify.

'Sporky'

Snip

Strange thing about Microsoft, it was Bill Gates who introduced the license system after having blatantly copied and used software from other developers to create his OS. Prior to this it was deemed perfectly acceptable for software developers to 'borrow' from each other.

And they called Bill Clinton "Slick Willy".

You don't own it. You're paying a license fee to use it. Sort of like opening a McDonald's. You can own a restaurant but you have to pay licensing to use the McD logo etc.

no. You can sell the company that has the license and the license should go with it but the computer it's installed on is irrelevant.

You don't own the software. You pay for the right to use it as defined in the license agreement. Because you don't own it you cannot sell it. However you can transfer the license as defined in the license agreement. Copyright is the law the basically locks the software down, readup on title 17 of the United States Code.

A McDonald's licence would be transferable only in the sense that a franchise like that pays ongoing fees as opposed to a one time purchase. You can lay out the money once to SolidWorks if you want and never pay maint. You've paid 100% of your license to use as long as you want. If you want subsequent versions you need to renew maint. If someone else wants to use it they need to pay for a licence too. I really don't see what's "flippin BS" about it.

What do you expect SW to do? They're in business to make money like you. Either suck it up or find a cheaper CAD package, one who's licence agreement is within your budget and provides what you think is value for the cost.

Look at it this way. The EULA is a contract. You're engaging in a contract with SW. You pay them money, they provide you with software to use within certain limitations. You're not buying anything except a service.

When do we get the "service" part?

-DWH

Doesn't matter if I'm only going to drive the car on my own property.

O.K if you buy a used license and plan to buy maintenance. Is that acceptable for you? I think the problem is that you can sell the licence but Solidworks won't reconize it and won't allow you to buy maintenance for it or upgrade. I happen to love Solidworks and have no problems with it. Bugs and all. And as much, as the Boss hates it, I insist on buying maintenance Solidworks needs to mature a lot more yet. Who the f*ck are you anyway? Shit I hate people who hide behind hotmail.

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

FrankW, that last line is an unreasonable response to my comment. Can you post your home phone number and address for me?

But it's still the same issue. In this case you own the right to use the software (that's what you paid for), so you should be able to sell that right someone else.

That's how it is with other things like this. For example, if I buy a text book I don't actually own all the information that it contains - someone else owns the copyright. But if I want to sell it, I sure can, and whoever buys it free to read it all they want and lean all they can from it. That's how it should be with software as well. The company should be under no obligation to offer support or upgrades, but the person should be able to at least sell their CDs and recoup some of their investment if they no longer need it.

In another thread someone claimed there was actually a recent court case on this issue, and the court rule that, in effect, this was the case and a person had the right to sell the software on their CDs. I don't know if this is true, but I hope so.