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Is using IE6 through Wine in Ubuntu legal? What is Microsoft's view on such distribution and use? I asked this because there is ambiguity on using parts from your Windows installation like w32codecs, Microsoft fonts in Linux. I have seen people claim using w32codecs is piracy.

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Installing IE6 on Ubuntu is legal - as long as you have a valid Windows Licence. This is explained by the previous way to install ie6 (ies4linux)

"NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A VALID EULA FOR ANY "OS PRODUCT" (MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95, MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98, MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT WORKSTATION 4.0, MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SERVER 4.0, MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SERVER, ENTERPRISE EDITION 4.0 OR MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SERVER 4.0, TERMINAL SERVER EDITION), YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO INSTALL, COPY, OR OTHERWISE USE THE OS COMPONENTS AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS UNDER THIS SUPPLEMENTAL EULA."

However, if you feel unsure - don't do it. Different countries have different interpretations on this sort of thing - i.e. may be legal in one country but not another.

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Is this quote by ies4linux or by Microsoft? – abel May 15 '11 at 16:47
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ies4linux copied this from the EULA when installing IE6. It's been a while since I tried to install IE6 (I used winetricks) - but I seem to remember that the EULA is displayed before the installation proceeds. I've wandered around the microsoft website - the license should be there, but probably buried somewhere deep. – fossfreedom♦ May 15 '11 at 16:54
thx – abel May 15 '11 at 16:58

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