Is an OEM product not a full product?

I hope to buy Norton Ghost 9 to back up my entire hard drive.
I've seen this software for sale at TWO prices by the
same company, Pyramid Distribution. They sell it boxed at £30 or an OEM
version for £17. What is the difference? Surely both will be useable for
ever? (or maybe not?).
Guidance appreciated.
Chrisssss.......

I can't speak for Norton but for Microsoft, OEM products are normally sold
as part of some other sale, such as an operating system with a new hard
disk or a new PC. The most important aspect of buying a Microsoft OEM
product, is that the OEM is fully responsible for providing full support
for the product during its life rather than Microsoft. It is because the
product is supported by the OEM rather than Microsoft that results in the
price to the OEM being so much lower than when buying a product from
Microsoft that includes support from Microsoft. Most OEMs pass much of
this discount on to the end user by way of lower prices but many fail to
provide the support to which the end user is entitled which can lead to
considerable irritation and frustration with the user usually blaming
Microsoft for lack of support when instead the blame should be directed at
the OEM.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



chrissssss.......... wrote:

I hope to buy Norton Ghost 9 to back up my entire hard drive.
I've seen this software for sale at TWO prices by the
same company, Pyramid Distribution. They sell it boxed at £30 or an
OEM version for £17. What is the difference? Surely both will be
useable for ever? (or maybe not?).
Guidance appreciated.
Chrisssss.......

Thanks Mike, but it leaves a question unanswered:
I'm not sure, but I think that I once had an OEM version of Norton AV
supplied with a new computer. This gave me a years free use, then Norton
asked me for £20 a year (which I paid for a few years). Are the full
products normally fully 'paid up' for as long as I use it? and will the OEM
product result in my being asked to pay after a year or so?
If the latter, then it would be far cheaper in the long run to buy the full
product?
Thanks Chrissss......


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
I can't speak for Norton but for Microsoft, OEM products are normally sold
as part of some other sale, such as an operating system with a new hard
disk or a new PC. The most important aspect of buying a Microsoft OEM
product, is that the OEM is fully responsible for providing full support
for the product during its life rather than Microsoft. It is because the
product is supported by the OEM rather than Microsoft that results in the
price to the OEM being so much lower than when buying a product from
Microsoft that includes support from Microsoft. Most OEMs pass much of this
discount on to the end user by way of lower prices but many fail to provide
the support to which the end user is entitled which can lead to
considerable irritation and frustration with the user usually blaming
Microsoft for lack of support when instead the blame should be directed at
the OEM.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



chrissssss.......... wrote:

I hope to buy Norton Ghost 9 to back up my entire hard drive.
I've seen this software for sale at TWO prices by the
same company, Pyramid Distribution. They sell it boxed at £30 or an
OEM version for £17. What is the difference? Surely both will be
useable for ever? (or maybe not?).
Guidance appreciated.
Chrisssss.......

Since your question is about support or possible lack of it from Symantec
may I suggest you post your query to one of the many Symantec newsgroups
available on UseNet. However since your problem is about support I don't
think that you should have a problem provided that you don't install or
use the dire and flawed and IMO unnecessary LiveUpdate. Unnecessary since
you are buying a backup application not an antivirus application that
needs continual updating.

Personally however I won't touch any Norton products with a bargepole. I
feel that most if not all products marketed by Symantec in the last ten
years for the domestic market cause massive problems especially when
installed on Win Me. Whilst I found the original Ghost from Binary
Research to be excellent, I feel that it has not benefited by being
acquired by Symantec and the flawed LiveUpdate that accompanies it will in
all likelihood mean that you will need to use Ghost on a regular basis to
get your system back working. For myself I prefer to use the cheaper, and
IMO much better, BING from Terabyte Unlimited but appreciate that
different users will have both differing views and requirements.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



chrissssss.......... wrote:

Thanks Mike, but it leaves a question unanswered:
I'm not sure, but I think that I once had an OEM version of Norton AV
supplied with a new computer. This gave me a years free use, then
Norton asked me for £20 a year (which I paid for a few years). Are
the full products normally fully 'paid up' for as long as I use it?
and will the OEM product result in my being asked to pay after a year
or so? If the latter, then it would be far cheaper in the long run to
buy
the full product?

it has become common for producers of virus software to charge yearly for
updates whether it is a retail version or a OEM version.

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"chrissssss.........." wrote in message
...
Thanks Mike, but it leaves a question unanswered:
I'm not sure, but I think that I once had an OEM version of Norton AV
supplied with a new computer. This gave me a years free use, then Norton
asked me for £20 a year (which I paid for a few years). Are the full
products normally fully 'paid up' for as long as I use it? and will the
OEM
product result in my being asked to pay after a year or so?
If the latter, then it would be far cheaper in the long run to buy the
full
product?
Thanks Chrissss......


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
I can't speak for Norton but for Microsoft, OEM products are normally
sold
as part of some other sale, such as an operating system with a new hard
disk or a new PC. The most important aspect of buying a Microsoft OEM
product, is that the OEM is fully responsible for providing full support
for the product during its life rather than Microsoft. It is because the
product is supported by the OEM rather than Microsoft that results in the
price to the OEM being so much lower than when buying a product from
Microsoft that includes support from Microsoft. Most OEMs pass much of
this
discount on to the end user by way of lower prices but many fail to
provide
the support to which the end user is entitled which can lead to
considerable irritation and frustration with the user usually blaming
Microsoft for lack of support when instead the blame should be directed
at
the OEM.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



chrissssss.......... wrote:

I hope to buy Norton Ghost 9 to back up my entire hard drive.
I've seen this software for sale at TWO prices by the
same company, Pyramid Distribution. They sell it boxed at £30 or an
OEM version for £17. What is the difference? Surely both will be
useable for ever? (or maybe not?).
Guidance appreciated.
Chrisssss.......