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Who Owns Software?

Posted by kdawson on from the can't-interoperate dept.

SeeSp0tRun writes to remind us of Blizzard's lawsuit against MDY Industries over the Glider cheat. It seems that Blizzard is pushing it even further. They're trying out the legal theory that a software creator retains complete control over how a program is used, meaning that anyone who uses it in a different way could be found guilty of copyright infringement, at $750 a pop. The EFF and Public Knowledge are among the organizations trying to assure that the court doesn't set a really bad precedent here.

7 of 531 comments (clear)

  1. Obvious answer! by neokushan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I do the second uTorrent is finished with it.

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    +1 IDisagreeSoHeMustBeATrollOrAnAstroturferOrAShill
  2. Re:Good luck with that by Z00L00K · · Score: 4, Funny
    And most EULA:s aren't worth the paper they are written on anyway.

    "Use at your own risk" should be sufficient. Remaining wording is just a waste of time.

    But I like the following copyright note:

    COPYRIGHT
    The chat program is in public domain. This is not the GNU public license. If it breaks then you get to
    keep both pieces.
    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  3. Re:How it's used? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Am I still allowed to spin the CD on my finger when I'm bored?

  4. Re:Wow! by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, could they say no fat people not wearing pants can use their software?

    That would be sheer lunacy! They'd cut out nearly their entire customer base!

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    This guy's the limit!
  5. Re:Does this mean by Klaus_1250 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yep, and depending on:

    • the object you paint
    • the location of the object you paint
    • whether on not you use thinner
    • if the paint is used by more than one person and/or one brush
    • if the paint is used on more than one object
    • if the paint is used on an object that contains (residue of) paint from a competitive paint-manufacturer
    • if the paint is used on an object that is for non-personal use
    • if the paint is being used by a professional painter and/or if there is any financial compensation involved

    the paint manufacturer can sue you as well.

    They might even sue you for not closing the lid, leaving the paint in plain sight without any protective measures, lending the paint to a friend, improper use of the paint, etc.

    --
    It only takes one man to change the Wisdom of the Crowd to Tyranny of the Masses.
  6. Terms of Service by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 2, Funny

    By using this product (Microsoft Word, hereafter referred to as Word) you agree to never never ever write anything critical about The Microsoft Corporation, Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Steve Ballmer's chair throwing...

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  7. Re:Does this mean by oahazmatt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yep, and depending on:

    • the object you paint
    • the location of the object you paint
    • whether on not you use thinner
    • if the paint is used by more than one person and/or one brush
    • if the paint is used on more than one object
    • if the paint is used on an object that contains (residue of) paint from a competitive paint-manufacturer
    • if the paint is used on an object that is for non-personal use
    • if the paint is being used by a professional painter and/or if there is any financial compensation involved

    the paint manufacturer can sue you as well.

    They might even sue you for not closing the lid, leaving the paint in plain sight without any protective measures, lending the paint to a friend, improper use of the paint, etc.

    Sounds like my Homeowner's Association.
    --
    Those who believe the Internet is private,
    find their privates are on the Internet.