UK firm sells second-hand Microsoft licences

Microsoft?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s authorised resellers are shocked to learn that a trade in used Microsoft licences is legal. Could this be the start of a new business model?

Microsoft has stunned its reseller community by allowing a discount dealer to sell second-hand volume licences, opening the floodgates for a second hand market.

Shocked vendors have reacted angrily to the news that Disclic have been able to sell second-hand software licences from insolvent or downsizing firms to other businesses with Microsoft?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s blessing.

A loophole in British insolvency laws and a clause within many Microsoft licences that permits disused or unwanted volume licences to be transferred has enabled Disclic to sell the licences legally ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù and at a discount of around 20 to 50 percent below prices of any other authorised Microsoft reseller.

Disclic first approached Microsoft with its plan over 14 months ago and a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday that Disclic “does meet Microsoft?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s terms and conditions”.

Chris Lamb, software licensing manager at Basilica, which sells products to large enterprises, said he was shocked to hear the software giant would allow the practice.

Full story: ZDNet UK