Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!microsoft!fredf
From: fredf@microsoft.UUCP (Fred FREELAND)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: LEGALITY OF SELLING SOFTWARE
Message-ID: <70762@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 19 Feb 91 03:24:51 GMT
References: <3929@orbit.cts.com> <70478@microsoft.UUCP> <6834@rsiatl.Dixie.Com>
Reply-To: fredf@microsoft.UUCP (Fred FREELAND)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 31

In article <6834@rsiatl.Dixie.Com> jgd@Dixie.Com (John G. DeArmond) writes:
>
>Well!  I guess we've heard the official company line.  Which has nothing
>to do with the legalities involved.

You certainly did not hear the official company line. You'd better reread my
signature before you go off half-cocked. I'm just a regular worker bee. I make
no policy nor do I speak for the company. What I posted was what I read off
our standard licensing agreement.

As I said before, I'm not a lawyer, nor are any of the people who have expressed
their views in this forum. We're all just expressing our "opinions." It's time
to let someone who knows what they are talking about resolve the issue.  If
you and the others who have said that our licensing agreement has no validity
wish to violate, I'm not going to prosecute you. I'm not going to lose any
sleep about it one way or the other. It's clear you won't lose sleep either.

The bottom line is that someone has to bear the costs of illegal software use
(aka software piracy). I'm sure that we can all rationalize big companies like
Microsoft absorbing those costs, but little guys who put out quality products
can't absorb them. They often just quit producing software because they just
can't recoup their investment in research and development. If they don't quit,
they do jack up the price to offset the lost profits. I think software
costs quite enough thank you. So I generally comply with the wishes of the
people or companies who develop the software I use. If you choose not to, we
will all ultimately lose.

-- 
Frederick F. Freeland Jr.                        "Of all the things I've lost,  Microsoft Corporation                               I miss my mind the most!"   One Microsoft Way  
Redmond, WA 98052 (206) 882-8080                                                                                                                                internet: fredf@microsoft.beaver.washington.EDU                                 arpanet:  fredf%microsoft@uw-beaver.ARPA
uucp:     uunet!microsoft!fredf                                                                                                                                 Opinions expressed over this signature are my OWN and not those of my employer!