Is Microsoft just using its power

[cliedo]

In Vista when I chose to enable the msn it had an agreement to the
I agree button that I cannot use any other messenger that is in violation of the contract to the .net network how many others have read that contract?

[james89]

More importantly, who actually follows it?

[Maledictus]

Ok, this is the Off-Topic section, but this is really too far off imo.

[graudeejs]

how far is to far?
spam is to far.

i haven't read any of MS licences (like i have choice anyway)
besides i user *nix for over 2 years now

[rliegh]

More importantly, who actually follows it?

More importantly than that -can they actually take you to court over it?

[cliedo]

I should have made it more clearer, I am sorry lol, I was thinking about msn
live messenger, Ive used amsn in the past and use kopete from time to time
but when I read the terms of use license and agreement that was what was written

[hitest]

I should have made it more clearer, I am sorry lol, I was thinking about msn
live messenger, Ive used amsn in the past and use kopete from time to time
but when I read the terms of use license and agreement that was what was written

Very interesting indeed! That does sound like typical behaviour from M$, to try to lock-in the end user into their proprietary model. I've been windows free at home for several years now and happily use xchat on ##freebsd. :beergrin

[Eponasoft]

The license only applies if you actually install their software. If you install an alternate program and have never seen their license, you never agreed to their license and therefore are not bound to its conditions. However, even if you agreed to their license and then broke the agreement by using a non-MS product, they would still have to enforce the license, and for that, they will have to drag you into court. I know not any courts who would waste their time with such a frivolous case, and the likelyhood of it being tossed out is great. This is typical Microsoft bully tactic that doesn't actually work in the real world, but the way they write it is adequate enough to scare the average Joe.

[glaon]

i haven't read any of MS licences
And you are happy man - after reading license for win2k my head almost exploded!

[dap]

According to Andrew Tanenbaum's book "Modern operating systems 2nd edition" the GPL is longer than Windows 2000's license, so... :e

[graudeejs]

all those licenses are created by mad ppl.
you fell asleep as soon as you realize how long it is (after reading less than half page)

[biglaughing]

MS go hell

[Coplen]

More importantly than that -can they actually take you to court over it?

They have money, and companies do the craziest things so it's possible, but probably unlikely.

[Brandybuck]

Be realistic about this. Microsoft can't even stop people from using pirated copies of Windows. They're not going to sue people for using WinAmp! Even if they wanted to, they know they would lose the first time they ran across someone not willing to back down.

Don't pretend Microsoft has more power than it has. You have a choice, you are in complete control of your own life. If you don't like Microsoft, don't use their software. It's that simple. Use FreeBSD. Or Linux. Or Mac OSX.

[DutchDaemon]

I usually had a Windows XP PC and a FreeBSD server around the house. Now there are two FreeBSD servers and a FreeBSD laptop. I don't hate Microsoft (i.e. I'm not a Linux user), it's just that it has no added value for me any longer. I still wake up every morning.

[cliedo]

I have a wife who uses windows, so I have to know how to correct any mistakes which can creep up. I just went through a win98 computer just
to brush up lol I still eat and sleep fbsd lol though I still have to be in real life, I still had the original keycode was amazing just for chits an
grins