Man, EULAs are oppressive

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
They always have been as most here are well aware. But it's still shocking if you actually read them.

Recently I had to re-install Microsoft Visual Library to play a game and noticed it put a limit of $5.00 for any damages whatsoever that might be caused, even if Microsoft knew or should have known they'd happen.

Today, I'm installing a 20 year old game on EA. Here's one clause:

"Your Contributions. In exchange for use of the Software, and to the extent that your contributions through use of the Software give rise to any copyright interest, you hereby grant EA an exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, fully transferable and sub-licensable worldwide right and license to use your contributions in any way and for any purpose in connection with the Software and related goods and services including the rights to reproduce, copy, adapt, modify, perform, display, publish, broadcast, transmit, or otherwise communicate to the public by any means whether now known or unknown and distribute your contributions without any further notice or compensation to you of any kind for the whole duration of protection granted to intellectual property rights by applicable laws and international conventions. You hereby waive any moral rights of paternity, publication, reputation, or attribution with respect to EA’s and other players’ use and enjoyment of such assets in connection with the Software and related goods and services under applicable law. The license grant to EA, and the above waiver of any applicable moral rights, survives any termination of this License. "

Thank goodness I think the courts override some of the excesses - until the lobbying gets that changed. Could they be any more one-sided and inequitable?
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,680
13,838
126
www.anyf.ca
What's ridiculous about EULAs is how they can put whatever the hell they want and it's basically legally binding because "you signed it!". They are so long nobody in their right mind is going to sit there and read the whole thing. Same idea with work place agreements and stuff, they present it to you at some point during the interview or after you've been hired so you can sign it, you're not going to sit there and read and analyze the whole thing while your new boss is sitting there waiting for you to sign. And what if you don't agree with it, you're just going to give up a job? Same with installing a program, so if you don't agree you just won't install it? But if you're installing it in the first place it means you need it. They could put clauses in there saying they own your soul and since you click "I agree" then they could basically take your soul if they wanted to. Joke's on them, I'm a ginger.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
It is not basically legally binding.
Nor is it complexly legally binding.

Courts have already established this many times over. And it lots of different countries.
 
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AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
117
106
What's ridiculous about EULAs is how they can put whatever the hell they want and it's basically legally binding because "you signed it!". They are so long nobody in their right mind is going to sit there and read the whole thing. Same idea with work place agreements and stuff, they present it to you at some point during the interview or after you've been hired so you can sign it, you're not going to sit there and read and analyze the whole thing while your new boss is sitting there waiting for you to sign. And what if you don't agree with it, you're just going to give up a job? Same with installing a program, so if you don't agree you just won't install it? But if you're installing it in the first place it means you need it. They could put clauses in there saying they own your soul and since you click "I agree" then they could basically take your soul if they wanted to. Joke's on them, I'm a ginger.

In California, non-compete clauses are void but every single company I've worked for has made me sign one.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
In California, non-compete clauses are void but every single company I've worked for has made me sign one.

Exactly. Just because its typed up by a lawyer doesnt mean its legal. Theres buttloads of federal and state laws that protect people from things and they cant be voided by a simple signature.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
Exactly. Just because its typed up by a lawyer doesnt mean its legal. Theres buttloads of federal and state laws that protect people from things and they cant be voided by a simple signature.

Hence why one Really Regressive Rthis Rthat unnamed party is always fighting for 'tort reform' to remove those legal protections so things like the EULAs CAN be enforced more and worker rights removed.

I was just noting how the EULAs, enforcably or not, are written to be very oppressive.