VMWare Player Licensed?

[lzrelak]

I saw the deal for VMWare Fusion for Mac includes a commercial license for VMWare player, so I was wondering, if I purchase VMWare Fusion can I use the VMWare Player license on my Windows Based machine or is there a better way for me to get a commercial version of VMWare player without having to actually purchase VMWare Workstation?

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

lzrelak wrote: I saw the deal for VMWare Fusion for Mac includes a commercial license for VMWare player

No, VMware Fusion for Mac does not include a license for VMware Player it's VMware Fusion 5 Professional that includes the license for VMware Player for Commercial Use.

so I was wondering, if I purchase VMWare Fusion can I use the VMWare Player license on my Windows Based machine

With VMware Fusion 5 professional, Yes

is there a better way for me to get a commercial version of VMWare player without having to actually purchase VMWare Workstation?

To use VMware Player Commercially one needs to purchase a VMware Fusion 5 Professional License whether or not one chooses to or can even use VMware Fusion 5 Professional.  It comes across as a convoluted cross licensing that VMware has not done a very poor job of marketing and or explaining and has caused considerable confusion for some users trying to interpret.

[lzrelak]

Sorry, yes I meant Professional, not regular.  That's great, I appreciate the response.

[RichardBenfield]

So even though VMware Workstation is considerably more expensive than VMware Fusion Professional, it does not include the commercial license for VMware Player, but Fusion Pro does? So if you have no Macs (only PCs) and you want to create VMs in VMware Workstation and present them via VMware Player within a company, you have to purchase both VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion? Also, do you know, if you purchase one copy of VMware Fusion Professional, does that entitle you to have only one copy of VMware Player? or can you run as many as you want?

Thanks,

Richard

[WoodyZ]

So even though VMware Workstation is considerably more expensive than VMware Fusion Professional, it does not include the commercial license for VMware Player, but Fusion Pro does?

Yes, that's correct and keep in mind that while VMware Workstation includes VMware Player nonetheless this is not the same as a VMware Player standalone install being used for commercial use on a system that does not have VMware Workstation installed.

So if you have no Macs (only PCs) and you want to create VMs in VMware Workstation and present them via VMware Player within a company, you have to purchase both VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion?

Yes, since VMware Player is not free for commercial use.

Also, do you know, if you purchase one copy of VMware Fusion Professional, does that entitle you to have only one copy of VMware Player? or can you run as many as you want?

An individual VMware Fusion Professional license used in VMware Player is for an individual install.

If you want a free alternative VirtualBox although while to some degree is not as polished in its appearance nonetheless its performance is equal or better in some cases.

That said, I'd suggest you review the VMware Player FAQs and if you have any questions regarding what constitutes commercial use and or VMware Player licensing then contact VMware directly as this is not official VMware Support and it just a user forum.

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