Microsoft key resale fight heads to court in the UK — case potentially puts cheap Windows keys at risk

The legality of second-hand Microsoft Windows and Office licenses is back under the microscope as the company’s battle with a UK-based reseller returns to court this week. The matter concerns whether core parts of Microsoft’s software are exempt from Europe’s software resale rules, and what that could mean for the grey market that many DIYers rely on.

The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) is holding a three-day hearing, running through September 11, to resolve a key question in the case: Do…