[NTLUG:Discuss] Virtual Desktop Access.... Ballmer has my wallet... can I have it back?

[Kenneth Loafman]

On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 1:14 AM, Chris Cox <cjcox at acm.org> wrote:

> (I deleted my rant...)
>
> Here's the salient data..
>
>
> Thin Client Devices Still Need Licensing
> ------------------------------**----------
> Certain devices, such as thin clients, are not eligible for Software
> Assurance and therefore will not have Windows Virtual Desktop Access Rights.
> You can license such devices with a Windows VDA subscription license.
>
>
>
>
> In a nutshell, having a CAL DOES NOT allow you to remote desktop into your
> machine.  And while this masquerades as a "Virtual Desktop Access" issue,
> it's clear that if your RDP from any NON WINDOWS OS (iphone, android, Linux,
> thinclient appliance, etc).  YOU MUST have a VDA for EACH AND EVERY client
> that might do an RDP.  So if you RDP using your iPhone, it needs a VDA.. if
> you RDP from Linux, you need a VDA.
>
> VDA licenses, unlike CALs are ANNUAL RENEWABLES.  The cost per device I'm
> pretty sure is more than a normal single CAL... could be upwards of $100 per
> end client device.
>
> Anybody still want to use a Microsoft OS after this?  This lover is a
> cheat, a thief and a liar... it's not too late to break off the engagement.
>  Of course, now you're going to want to deal out a parting shot when you
> break it off... and I don't blame you a bit.
>

I only use MS when forced to do so by the job.  At this point, keeping track
of the idiocy that is MS licensing is just too much for me to handle.

When I run MS, it's as a VM under Linux, and I quite often VNC into it.
Pretty sure that both of these are license violations.

...Ken