# Do you read Software EULAs (End User Licence Agreements?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410 "2009-10-11T16:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/1 "2009-10-11T16:52:58Z")
EULAs are often very long winded and plastered with complicated lawyer-speak. I think I’ve read one EULA in my entire life. That was when I wanted to know if it was legal to install a second instance of Borland C++ Builder on my work PC. (It was) Other than that I just ignore, or scroll to the bottom on those ones that grey out the ‘next’ button until you do so. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/2 "2009-10-11T16:54:30Z")
I don’t read them and I’ve read “on the internet” that they are largely untested in court and many provisions common in EULAs are potentially unenforceable. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/3 "2009-10-11T23:13:10Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I don’t read them and I’ve read “on the internet” that they are largely untested in court and many provisions common in EULAs are potentially unenforceable. Especially with software purchased in stores. By the time you get to the EULA, you’ve already broken the shrink wrap and rendered it non-returnable. “Accept the EULA or be out the money you paid” doesn’t really sound like much of a fair contract to me. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/4 "2009-10-14T08:26:39Z")
I use to read all contracts carefully, but now I might skim a EULA at most. There’s just so much crap and as long as I’m getting a product downloaded by lots of other people and I don’t hear complaints about a software publisher putting in any unfair provisions, I trust that it’s OK. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/5 "2009-10-14T10:11:41Z")
Yeah, you left out skimming, which is what I do, making sure I’m not agreeing to something weird. But I have read them sometimes: I’ve used it to my advantage when a shareware application or demo doesn’t specify that I have a limited amount of time to use it. Someone has always posted a way to get around it online that doesn’t involve _me_ violating the license. Just in case disclaimer:I’ve become more moral now, and I am not advocating anyone do this. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/6 "2009-10-14T14:48:08Z")
I skim them to look for anything that they might have tried to sneak in. For example, a EULA might say “By installing this software, you agree that we may upload your personal information to our servers”. No, thanks. I installed something recently that said, near the end, “Nobody reads these things. Here is a coupon code that will get you 20% off if you purchase this software.” That one was worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/7 "2009-10-14T15:37:51Z")
I check the things as closely as I can. Oddly, the only program that gets a pass from me is updates of World of Warcraft. Beyond that, I really -do- want to know what rights I’m (generally) signing away. ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/8 "2009-10-15T07:39:01Z")
I never read them - I just scroll down to the bottom. I figure that if all of the words of the EULA have been visible on my screen at some point, then my legal obligations have been fulfilled in some cosmic sense. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/9 "2009-10-15T08:57:35Z")
I always read them, even though I’m not sure how enforceable a lot of them might be for me, in South Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/10 "2009-10-15T09:21:30Z")
Read them when I need to at work. Similar to the OP I sometimes need to know if I can only install it once, or only run one copy at a time. This is normally for users that have a desktop and a laptop. Can I install software X on both if the user only uses the desktop in the office, and laptop when traveling? Haven’t had to worry about it for awhile now that most users with a laptop use it in the office as well with a docking station. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/11 "2009-10-15T09:29:25Z")
I don’t understand a word of it. I’ll let other people discern the legality of them, and I’ll follow their lead. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/12 "2009-10-16T00:12:31Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > EULAs are often very long winded and plastered with complicated lawyer-speak. I think I’ve read one EULA in my entire life. That was when I wanted to know if it was legal to install a second instance of Borland C++ Builder on my work PC. (It was) Was that the one that said it shouldn’t be used for mission critical applications like air traffic control or running a nuclear power plant? Because I remember seeing that in a EULA once - it was either Borland or an early version of Java. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-software-eulas-end-user-licence-agreements/513410/13 "2009-10-16T00:47:04Z")
I read them as part of my job. Lucky me.