Microsoft: You Need Permission to Sell Our Software

IEEEmember writes "Microsoft has objected to the sale of bankrupt KMart's Bluelight.com Internet unit to United Online. Microsoft's objection to the sale is based on the non-transferability of software licenses protected by copyright law according to the Reuters story on Yahoo! News. This action by Microsoft should serve as a warning to any corporation that has a significant investment in Microsoft licenses. Dependency on Microsoft licenses may grant Microsoft the ability to veto your business decisions."

Comments

Poor KMart

[cybermace5]

Seems like they can't win. First they have aggressive tactics from Wal-Mart, basically putting them out of business in many cities.

Now Target's making a bid for power, and Wal-Mart is scurrying. KMart is left in the dust. (By the way, at Target, I notice an unusually large proportion of highly attractive women. Could Target be hiring cute 'mystery shoppers' kind of like the 'leaners' hawking cellphones at bars?)

So now Microsoft gets in on the beating. It's just dismal.

From your fascist friends at Microsoft Licensing

[Spencerian]

MS LICENSING AGENT [on phone, reviewing a file]:

I zee...this is all well and good, but I do not zee your PAPERS. You must have the proper papers! Vere are your papers!? Don't wait for ze phone delay--answer me now!!!

When I was a young whipper-snapper.....

[Tablizer]

"There's only 3 certainties in the world, my Son: Death, Taxes, and Microsoft; and Microsoft makes the first two worse."

Re:Sounds fishy to me..

[liquidsin]

We're talking about Windows here. It was worth nothing *before* you clicked "yes".

*rimshot*

Re:EULA's?

[TitusC3v5]

Maybe this will provide a good test case with lots of money on both sides.

Yeah, except for the fact that one company is bankrupt and the other is Microsoft. Boy, bet that would be a fair fight. :-)