1. Re: [OT] Win XP Activation ?
- Posted by jc at cowgar.com
Sep 14, 2003
eugtk at yahoo.com wrote:
>
>
> --- jc at cowgar.com wrote:
>
>
>>Fact of the matter is that when you buy software you
>>do not own it. You
>>are licensed to use it. The person selling the
>>software could place
>>restrictions into the license how ever they want. It
>>would be perfectly
>>legal to say that you can only use the software,
>>while your monitor is
>>turned off and mouse disconnected, and before use
>>you must eat 5 eggs
>>with lettuce on top. However dumb that may sound, if
>>that's the license,
>>and you agree to it by purchasing the software, if
>>you use the software
>>with your monitor on, or your mouse connected, or if
>>you did not eat 5
>>eggs with lettuce on top you are in violation of the
>>software license
>>and the licensing party has the right to disable the
>>software and if
>>they desire, remove it from your computer.
>
>
> I have no quarrel with that, as long as the complete
> terms are spelled out IN WRITING which is visible
> BEFORE the agreement is signed. Is that the case with
> software? No.
Hum, not to start a war, but I can't remember the last time I installed
a commercial application that did not make me say "I Agree" with the
license agreement above, or printed in the box with the dialog box
saying you agree to the included license agreement...? Yes/No. And
certianly with MS products, it does include that.
Now, don't take me wrong, I have taken the side of license agreements,
not M$. I am adamently against M$ monopoly rule and am simply trying to
do my part to over throw M$ by making it clear what they do and the way
their licensing works.
The problem with business and consumers today is that the consumers do
not speak back. For instance, if you are at a resturant and you get
simply ok food and the waitress comes by and asks how everything is, you
say everything is great. Next, you purchase something at a store who
uses practices you don't agree with, yet, the next day, you purchase
from the same store. Why should the buisnesses (such as M$) listen to us
when there is no effect whether the do or not?
Jeremy
