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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Microsoft Access crashes disk
Message-ID: <6031@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Oct-85 17:21:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6031
Posted: Mon Oct  7 17:21:35 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Oct-85 17:21:35 EDT
References: <10566@ucbvax.ARPA>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 19

> If you have read the long legal disclaimer (probably on the first page of
> your manual), you would be aware that Microsoft is NOT responsible for any
> damages resulting from you using their product.  This is a standard notice
> that is put on all the computer hardware/software you buy.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it is not legally possible to disclaim some
sorts of consequences.  If you put up a solid fence and "danger--keep out"
signs around your property, trespassers are on their own... *UNLESS* you
set a trap for them, in which case you are liable no matter what!  And if
you forget the fence, the warning signs alone will *NOT* suffice.  I would
conjecture that the law would be applied the same way to software:  it is
not legitimate to maliciously set out to damage disks, regardless, and the
offence is still worse if your code screws up and initiates disk damage
when there was no deliberate and determined attempt at piracy.

(Beware:  I am not a lawyer.  Consult an expert before doing anything rash.)
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry