Companies and consumers should be careful when buying or selling second-hand computers because very often these computers don`t come with the necessary licensing documents, thereby exposing both parties to risks associated with using illegal software.
This is according to Ana Stark, newly-appointed SME (small and medium enterprises) manager at Microsoft SA`s anti-piracy and legalisation division.
"There is nothing wrong with buying a good second-hand computer, but people must understand the risks as well," she said.
"If you buy from a liquidation sale, a friend, or from a retailer or reseller, you must ensure that you have the correct licensing documentation for the software installed on the machine. This includes the certificate of authenticity, the original CD-ROM, manual and End-User Licence Agreement. If you don`t possess proof of software licensing - even though you purchased a second-hand computer - you are using unlicensed software," Stark warned.
Software piracy currently costs the SA economy billions of rands every year and causes the loss of more than 14 000 jobs.
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