Is it allowed to discuss "illegal" versions of Windows 7? or other software?

I would like to have the forum rules clarified.

Recently kpvic added an important announcement to the forum to clarify some of the rules of the forum.

One of the rules is that it's not allowed to discuss any MacOSX related topics as it is supposedly illegal to install it on a PC, fair enough.
Furthermore, the forum rules clearly state it is also illegal to discuss software piracy, ip violations etc.

However, it seems that it is allowed to discuss "illegal" versions of Windows 7, for example:

• http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/showthread.php?t=25116
• http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/showthread.php?t=25295
• http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/showthread.php?t=24631

As the specified builds are not publicly available and it is even clearly stated that the people in this thread are using a "leaked" version, this does seem a bit "odd" to me.

This looks like double standards to me...

 

The mods agreed upon allowing discussions about private builds, too.

Some members are beta testers and thus they are allowed to use these builds and it's just great if they can answer questions other people ask about improvments, changes, etc.

As long as we don't explain how non beta testers can get private builds, what they have to do to install it and use it, there isn't anything illegal.

And if you take a look at other threads, too, then you'll see that if a 'normal' user asks about a private build we'll refer him to the next public release, and tell him that it's not allowed to use private builds if he's not a beta tester.

As a beta tester it's not illegal to use a private Win 7 build, it's just not allowed to use it as a normal user.


Discussions about MacOSX are allowed, just not discussions about how to install it on not-Mac hardware.
If you run MacOSX on your PC and don't tell it us and ask a MacOSX specific question, like 'Where can I find a good calculator for MacOSX', then we won't close or delete this thread, because how shall we know if you run it on a Mac (like the Modbook) or on a PC? We just can guess that you use a Mac.


And if you take a look at the announcement then you'll also see that discussions about torrents aren't prohibited either. Just discussions about torrents which contain illegal software or link to trackers which share illegal torrents is prohibited, here's a comment from an admin to this issue:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=3578878&postcount=31
and a post from a NBR mod to this issue


The same sitiuation:
We also don't know if every member uses a legal version of Windows, a legal copy of Photoshop, Sketchbook, still we allow discussions about this software, in the hope that the thread starter uses a legal copy.

 

Fair enough, thanks for clarifying this.

I do find the wordings in some of the posts "strange". Referring to the usage of "leaked" in a lot of those posts and that there is referred to certain builds which weren't officially released yet.
But I won't worry about it it anymore.

 

The reason why i personally use "leaked" is to avoid pointing oblivious/ unknowing users to something they shouldn't be pointed towards.