European Union rules that used software licenses are transferable

[Jragon]

Ruling here

So now in the EU, it's apparently legal to redistribute downloaded software licenses. So if an EU citizen say, buys a downloadable game they can sell the license to somebody else if they abdicate use of it, regardless of how much the company complains about it. I think it's a good ruling, though I wonder if the US will ever follow suit.

[Nava]

About bloody time, I'm tired of having to tell my second-hand computer to NOT run "windows verification"... if I let it do it, it starts calling me a pirate. I'm not a pirate, but I'm also not a worker of the bank which originally bought the computer.

[Agent Foxtrot]

Unlikely the U.S. will follow suit, business-friendly as our government is.

[YogSosoth]

Hopefully this stems the tide of all these companies claiming they're selling licenses and not the actual product when you buy software online.

[Jragon]

Originally Posted by YogSosoth

Hopefully this stems the tide of all these companies claiming they're selling licenses and not the actual product when you buy software online.

A billion lawyers just cursed that they're going to have some Terms of Use ans EULA rewriting to do. Also, Steam is probably scrambling to allow EU customers to transfer games from account to account.

[Nava]

Originally Posted by Nava

About bloody time, I'm tired of having to tell my second-hand computer to NOT run "windows verification"... if I let it do it, it starts calling me a pirate. I'm not a pirate, but I'm also not a worker of the bank which originally bought the computer.

Didn't mention it the first time: the reason to buy that computer was that I needed one with Windows XP Pro, due to requirements from some clients whose IT departments believe that "forward" is the direction their ass is on. If I try to purchase a license, Windows tries to sell me one for a different OS - even if the computer was able to run it, I specifically need XP Pro, which they won't sell me!

[cckerberos]

Originally Posted by Jragon

Also, Steam is probably scrambling to allow EU customers to transfer games from account to account.

Not likely.

1. Appeals will keep this in the courts for quite a while to come.

2. The ruling just says that the software owner cannot oppose resale. That doesn't necessarily mean that Steam and the like will be legally required to put in place an infrastructure to facilitate resale.

3. Rewriting of EULAs will nullify any effect this had. The ruling applies to sales that grant "the right to use [a copy of the software] for an unlimited period". Hello, 99 year licenses!

[MannyL]

Originally Posted by Nava

Didn't mention it the first time: the reason to buy that computer was that I needed one with Windows XP Pro, due to requirements from some clients whose IT departments believe that "forward" is the direction their ass is on. If I try to purchase a license, Windows tries to sell me one for a different OS - even if the computer was able to run it, I specifically need XP Pro, which they won't sell me!

Nava, Did the computer come with an XP Licence key on the case? I'm wondering if the OS on the computer isn't one that they obtained with a site licence and if so they should not have sold the computer without wiping the drive. If there was a key on the case and that is what the system shows as used then MS shouldn't be complaining.

[Nava]

Originally Posted by MannyL

Nava, Did the computer come with an XP Licence key on the case? I'm wondering if the OS on the computer isn't one that they obtained with a site licence and if so they should not have sold the computer without wiping the drive. If there was a key on the case and that is what the system shows as used then MS shouldn't be complaining.

There is a key on the case. The drive had been wiped and the key used, before I bought the computer. The key matched.

Made the mistake of accepting the freaking check.

Computer started calling me a pirate.

Tried to purchase a license from MS's website.

MS's website refused to sell me one, it wanted to sell me Windows 7. Not only is the computer not 7-capable, it was specifically bought because of the OP.

Called MS.

MS said to contact my reseller.

Dude, it's a bank which doesn't even exist any more thanks to the current ruckus, can I or can I not buy a license from you?

Contact the reseller.

Wiped the computer again after finishing with that client, will wipe it again after I'm done with this one; I tell it not to check whenever I boot it up.



I've had problems with licenses with other products, such as a DVD which refuses to play on computers: if you try to play it on a computer, you get a "pirate! Piracy is illegal! You suck!" sign courtesy of Sony. Haven't bought anything from Sony since, as I kind of hate spending almost 60€ on a DVD/CD combo and then being told I can't play it in any music machine I want to. I realize Sony doesn't give a shit about my 60€, but I do.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by Nava

There is a key on the case. The drive had been wiped and the key used, before I bought the computer. The key matched.

Made the mistake of accepting the freaking check.

Computer started calling me a pirate.

Tried to purchase a license from MS's website.

MS's website refused to sell me one, it wanted to sell me Windows 7. Not only is the computer not 7-capable, it was specifically bought because of the OP.

Called MS.

MS said to contact my reseller.

Dude, it's a bank which doesn't even exist any more thanks to the current ruckus, can I or can I not buy a license from you?

Contact the reseller.

Wiped the computer again after finishing with that client, will wipe it again after I'm done with this one; I tell it not to check whenever I boot it up.



I've had problems with licenses with other products, such as a DVD which refuses to play on computers: if you try to play it on a computer, you get a "pirate! Piracy is illegal! You suck!" sign courtesy of Sony. Haven't bought anything from Sony since, as I kind of hate spending almost 60€ on a DVD/CD combo and then being told I can't play it in any music machine I want to. I realize Sony doesn't give a shit about my 60€, but I do.

You shouldn't have to buy anything. You should be able to use phone-based activation without buying anything.

But, if you are in the mood to buy licenses, I'd gladly let you buy one from me--if only I lived in the EU. I have a bunch of extras that people would give to me when they bought a new PC. (They also give me the old PC, but they often no longer work.)

Oh, and in the Sony case, they actually installed malware to accomplish that. I don't disagree with not buying anything from them.