Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!hsdndev!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!usc!petunia!news
From: jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: LEGALITY OF SELLING SOFTWARE
Message-ID: <27c6b0d2.406c@petunia.CalPoly.EDU>
Date: 23 Feb 91 18:13:38 GMT
References: <1991Feb21.203338.27625@qualcomm.com> <1991Feb22.171221.17597@amd.com> <1991Feb23.002128.25064@qualcomm.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Cal Poly State Univ,CSC Dept,San Luis Obispo,CA 93407
Lines: 19



The thing I still don't understand is whether a shrink-wrap license is
really a license.  When I open the package, I haven't signed my name to
a piece of paper.  Is a shrink-wrap license equivalent to a verbal
agreement?  I remember a few years ago reading that shrink-wrap
licenses don't hold up in court.  So when the publishers print this
stuff on the packages, I just figure they are trying to use intimidation
techniques, but they can't enforce it.

For that matter, when you get a piece of shareware, or freeware, and there
is a notice granting you certain rights, and denying you other rights to
the software, do these statements have any force?  I thought that copyright
law spells out the rights involved?

-- 
John Dudeck                                        "Communication systems are
jdudeck@Polyslo.CalPoly.Edu                              inherently complex".
ESL: 62013975 Tel: 805-545-9549                                 -- Ron Oliver