Buying second hand programs for a mac?

Restore discs are tied to the machine they were designed for. They can not be used on other models.

so they would only be usable if I have the same model as the seller?

Yes, the exact same model. Not just “an iMac”, it has to be exactly the same model.

so not just an imac mini but the imac mini T2300?

Ok so I have a mac mini 1.66 intel core duo and the guy I’m talking to has a mac mini 1.83ghz core2 duo. Will his disks work on my mac? Sorry for asking soo many questions I’m not too computer savy ;)

When he says “restore disks” what does he mean?

Does he mean the grey CD’s?

Also ask him what mac he got them from, and how he purchased them.

You can use the iLife ‘09 just fine, but from what I’m gathering, that the iLife ‘09 is compiled onto the grey disk. Which means, he recently bought this computer.

Also, even if its the actual install disk for leopard. Ask him if he bought it separately or if it came with the mac. Some macs that were sold from November 2007 to about January 2008 came with Tiger installed, but had upgrade CD’s to leopard that ONLY WORK ON THE COMPUTER IT WAS GIVEN WITH

In theory, I am asking, have you seen these CD’s (or sealed boxes) in person yet? and how do they look like?

He posted a pic with the listing. check it out here http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/sys/1068158831.html

thanks dude

@talhoffer

Ok the iLife disk looks legit, but the leopard disks… I am quite skeptical about. Listen, I’ll make a post about it on my forums at Macrumors.

as a matter of fact, I am posting it right now

Thanks a lot

Alrighty.

Unfortunately, no. But as far as the iLife disk, might wanna ask if you can buy that only, it seems alright. As long as its sealed.

so even if it’s the copy that came with his mac mini it should work with mine? Well even for $50 that’s a great deal for a copy of ilife 09.

Thanks for all your help bluedoggiant.

No problem.

And yes it should work.

Unless he ripped it open, scratched the disk, then resealed it :P

More info, apparently this guy has two macs so he is selling the extra disks that came with one of them they are opened and have never been used.

Well, its his problem he’s selling them, he may need them haha

You haven’t addressed the issue of whether it’s legal for him to sell you those disks. I don’t have the EULA in front of me, so I can’t say for sure, but I’m guessing he has no legal right to sell you the disks that came with his new Mac. He purchased the license to use that software (including the OS and iLife) on his Mac, not the disks themselves. The disks themselves have no value, and you would not be getting the license to use the software. You shouldn’t be paying to use unlicensed software.

@simpleD

Wow, good observation. I mean personally I would never do what @talhoffer is considering. But he seemed to know what he was talking about, just wanted to know if it was possible.

The system restore disks will not work for your machine, as previously stated. The iLife disks will work, but you may as well just pirate it from Bittorrent because Apple isn’t getting any money either way, so you may as well save yourself the $50. If you want to purchase a completely legal copy then you’d have to buy it from Apple. The $50 is just saving you some download time.

@StellarAirman

As i have said before :) lol

I don’t think fluther would like you promoting illegal acts :P.

I’m not promoting it, I’m saying it’s the same thing, the copyright holder receives no money either way, and by buying a disc you’re actually allowing a third-party to profit from another company’s material, so you may as well just download it, or buy the real thing from the real company. That was a really long sentence.

that is a good point, I did not even think about the licensing of it. Thank you for your perspectives gentlemen.