licensed not sold

If MS software is really licensed not sold then it should be perfectly legal to download copies after the original disc is lost/scratched/broken.

after all you only pay for the serial number, which is a license to use the product.

try phoning microsoft and saying you've lost your install disc, can they send you another... (the cost should be what 12p for the disc + P&P?).

if you buy the license disc et al then it should be perfectly OK to sell the goods you buy. after all you rarely buy goods for your exclusive use on an exclusive computer... you're allowed to transfer the license from one PC to another after you upgrade...

You can transfer a license between individuals when someone leaves they don't take the license with them...

if your company was bought licenses could travel with assets.

in this case all that's happening is as a company that's in trouble is selling it's assets, this should be perfectly acceptable, and as long as it helps MS maintain business monopoly I can't see why they are so fussed about it.