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Microsoft's Passport: No Marylanders, Thanks
Posted by
timothy
on Thu Apr 26, 2001 11:15 PM
from the america-in-miniature dept.
from the america-in-miniature dept.
An Anonymous Cowardly Reader writes: "NewsForge is running a story about Microsoft's Passport service's terms of conditions, which effectively disallow residents of Maryland to use the service, and subject all users to Washington state laws, which they agree to by signing up." It's one case of unexpected consequences that the pro-UCITA forces may not have anticipated: states may pass (as Maryland did) versions of UCITA which unsubtly change the real effect of the law, and the changes may not be in the software makers' favor. Wasn't that "U" supposed to stand for "Uniform"?
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Microsoft's Passport: No Marylanders, Thanks
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Sue me ... in Maryland (Score:3)
MS might be big, but their policies do not carry more weight than even the small states' laws.
Standard contract..esp EULA (Score:3)
Ooooohhh lets all rag on MS for using standard EULA clauses.
Seriously though, this is nothing that suprising. Go read other EULAs. A bet 90% of them state that by using their software your agree to their EULA which is standard of cource. But in that EULA it will say that you agree to laws in the state that software company resides in. I wouldn't doubt that RedHat does that. SuSE might, but since they are not a total American company I don't know. But I bet a lot of American software companies, BSDi and Linux companies alike, probably say that you agree to the laws of their state. Not the state you live in. And I think that is perfectly fine. Lets say that Joe Blow starts a computer company. He desides to sell his own ver of GNOME. He doesn't put this clause in. Now some company in Hawaii wants to sue him because gnumeric crashed and destroyed their data. They sue him in Hawaii beacuse they the EULA didn't state they had to come to his state of Maine. Now unless Joe Blow wants to auto-lose his case, he must travel to Hawaii.
I Am A Lawyer... (Score:4)
...and, of course, the small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri are welcome to use their proton disintegrator rays should the Washington state courts find against them...
More Thoughts (Score:5)
We can presume that the license states that its terms are governed by the state of Washington. So-called choice of law clauses are common in mosty contracts. But courts sometimes instead use the principle of 'lex loci contracti'--that is, the place of the contracting provides the laws. For products purchased in Maryland, that might (or might now) mean Maryland and not Washington state law applies.
A few states, like Kentucky, have extremely aggressive application of forum laws in 'choice-of-law' cases.
There's a curious trend in the linux community to speculate on legal matters, so I thought I'd throw this into the mix. BTW, IAAL (sic--no N).
Re:More Thoughts (Score:5)
Um, shouldn't your name then be listed as Anonymous Coward, Esq.?
Re:Maryland Law (Score:4)
How else? Seriously, I don't see why not. The only other alternative is to have the software demand to phone home over the net, which is possibly a more popular method and used in Windows XP and .NET. In that case, rather than the company being authorised to hack into your computer, the company is authorised to sell you products that will intentionally cease to work if you don't keep checking in with the central authorities.
Where have you been, to not know this? Microsoft does this. Other companies do as well. I know that I (a Mac user) returned the mp3 player Macast for a refund because it continually lost its (paid for) registration and demanded to 'phone home' to confirm the legit number I gave it, eventually refusing to honor the number because I'd moved the app to different hard disks too many times.
This isn't the future- it's the past and present. Probably the best response is to continue to be ready to ask for your money back when your software turns out to operate this way, and/or just plain do without stuff that works this way. It's potentially quite a bit more intrusive than government.
Re:How is it decided what state a service is used (Score:4)
So if you are a Microsoft user in Maryland, you have to be _extra_ good or Microsoft can sue your ass! O_O
Well, that sure didn't take long (Score:3)
It certainly didn't take very long for the foolishness of that UCITA law to become glaringly obvious.
Re:I Am A Lawyer... (Score:5)
IANAL, but I remember a little from my Consumer and the Law class in college (the best class you could possible take =). In this case, Uniform means 99% identical, with 1% well known local variations.
When Washington passes UCITA... (Score:4)
Re:oh well... (Score:4)
They are able to use it, and Maryland's laws will protect them: if there's a lawsuit going on, it will be held in Maryland, and not in Washington no matter how much Microsoft may want it to be.
(So, Microsoft and WA government are in bed together, eh?)
--
Microsoft passport Wallet (Score:5)
Quoting your own advice, perhaps you should "...consider learning about what you're talking about before you go spewing at the mouth."
-
Re:Big consequences (Score:5)
Don't get too excited. Microsoft has a couple options here: change Maryland law, change the TOS, or give up (potentially) billions in revenues by banning Marylanders in order to avoid the onerous task of changing the TOS. Which do you think it will pick?
Re:I have a better idea... (Score:3)
The problem with this is the exact opposite of your argument: the average user will think its mana from heaven. Not knowing any better, they'll vote with their dollars.
Re:oh well... (Score:4)
Bad example. Insurance contracts must be approved by the state in which it is sold before it can be sold. If you are a resident of California and you buy and insurance policy, the laws of California apply. Period.
If you live in Delaware, buy a contract and then move to California, the laws of Delaware, the state in which you bought the contract apply.
"Uniform" Laws... (Score:4)
Virginia passed UCITA, VA is the home of AOL. MD passed a consumer protected (less consumer adverse?) version,
Contract law is state law. No one can agree to have the laws of another state apply unless the local state allows it.
Re:Microsoft passport Wallet (Score:4)
Passport's auth services (which sites like hotmail use) and Passport's wallet service are two different things. Having a Passport account does not mean having a wallet account, though setting up your wallet information does require having a passport account. However, my statements still stand, in that Passport is, at its core, nothing more than a centralized authentication server. Choosing to use other services provided by Passport (not to be confused with services provided by third parties using Passport for authentication) is just that -- a choice. Just as using Passport at all is a choice. However, it's possible (and I'd guess most common) to use Passport without using Passport Wallet.
Re:I have a better idea... (Score:5)
Please, people, consider learning about what you're talking about before you go spewing at the mouth. Passport.com has nothing to do with taking your credit card, or keeping more than a minimal amount of information, or anything like that. Passport is nothing more than a service designed to provide a single authentication mechanism for any service that wishes to use it (there may be licensing fees, I don't know). If Site X uses Passport for authentication and then asks you for your credit card number, Site Y that also uses Passport has no way of getting that credit card number. Why? Because (and pay attention, this is the kicker) Passport only provides authentication. Passport doesn't store that credit card number. All passport does is map an e-mail and password to a Passport ID. What tenant sites do with that is up to them.
If you're still all hot and bothered from the little TOS problem with Passport a while back, please realize that has been fixed, with both an explanation and apology from Microsoft.
I really don't get it. Microsoft screws up, and /.'ers bash them. Microsoft acknowledges the problem, fixes it, and apologizes, and they still get bashed. And they continue to be bashed for problems that haven't existed for a while. I guess I'll never understand that.
Really? (Score:3)
Any of those limitations would be in violation of the GPL...
In simpler language... it would be illegal..
This is a bad thing? (Score:5)
Add
This is a bad thing?
It means a whole state will have to use Linux or Mac eventually.
This means a rather larg jump in the user count...
Want costumers in Maryland? Support something other than Windows...
People fail to realize the legal strategy here... (Score:4)
Scenario 1: Maryland resident sues M$.
Microsoft can simply claim that the resident was not an authorized user of their systems, and thus the case should be dismissed.
Scenario 2: M$ sues Maryland Resident.
The user will likely say "Oh ho! You cannot sue me under Washington law because of this clause!" but M$ will say that they were an unauthorized user, travel to Maryland (according to Maryland's law) and sue the user not only for the problems they caused, but for unauthorized use of their computer systems.
They've effectively created a system where they can sue but not be sued.
Re:Go Team! (Score:3)
How odd....
Difficult to make it work (Score:4)
Of course, there's no *signature* on this agreement either, so I suppose that would be the first legal challenge, if there were one.
Re:I have been wondering... (Score:5)
Anyway. InstallShield is a solid enough, known format. How hard would it be to write a program which could take any of its installer programs, strip out the license and give you a new file? Sounds possible enough to me.
The USA is some kind of police state. (Score:3)
I finally got around to reading something about this UCITA thing.
Geezuz-H-Christ!
Get rid of it, get rid of it!
It looks like a licence to screw the little guy.
IMO:
See, the problem with out-right capitalism is that it moves to turn everything into a commodity. Everything unfortunately includes information and legaslation.
Next thing, they'll start playing around with the constitution.
Silly question from a Canuck (Score:3)
Since this appears to be a circumstance of interstate commerce, wouldn't it just be a helluva lot easier and more sensible to deal with this on the federal level? Who has jurisdiction over interstate commerce in the US? What laws, if any, would apply?
And how did you guys get into this mess in the first place?
D'oh! (Score:5)
Re:Leave it to Microsoft... (Score:3)
They'll probably just end up with a clause in the license that changes the problem parts for Maryland users. Like how the MSN Rebate terms were different in California. So the UCITA won't really make a difference.
Re:oh well... (Score:3)
If not however, I see things happening a bit differently. Yes, Microsoft would have to go fight the case in Maryland. But I think their case would basically come down to claiming that the user was unauthorized to use their systems. I have no idea whether that lawsuit would be worth persuing or not tho.
Re:oh well... (Score:5)
Use of the Passport Web Site and service is unauthorized in any jurisdiction that does not give effect to all provisions of these terms and conditions, including without limitation this paragraph.
The problem is that the version of UCITA which Maryland passed specificly says that if there is a problem with licensing issues in Maryland, that the issue must be solved in Maryland, under Maryland's laws.
Re:I have a better idea... (Score:5)
Look, I only did that once, will you stop hounding me about it?! Besides, he was very convincing. He said, "Wallet inspector. Give me your wallet."
Very ironic... (Score:3)
--
Re:Very ironic... (Score:4)
Cancel that. It's apparently conflicting jurisdiction that's at fault, and that's always been part of UCITA. Also, there's nothing in the article that states that the Passport EUA is aimed at UCITA - it's just a chance collision of a law and an agreement.
--
A proposal (Score:5)
On the one hand, yes, we'd be enabling people's bad habits to blissfully continue. More importantly, however, this would provide a service not only to those who would not take the time to read the document but to those who wouldn't understand it anyways.
blonde (Score:4)
I'm also responsible for all the dead links and bad design of any websites she came across. Needless to say, I'm ordered to 'fix' them.
Have you thought of switching to a brunette?
Kiwaiti
Re:testy legalities (Score:4)
Re:oh well... (Score:5)
There where part is determined by what courts can obtain jurisdiction over the party that does not want to be involved in the suit.
Pretty much every contract in existence has a clause that specifies what state's contract law is to be applied. Grab any random contracts you have in your file cabinet or safe deposit box and read them, and you'll probably find such clauses.
So what happens if you live in, say, California, and your Delaware insurance company sues you? The trial takes place in California, but the California court applies Delaware law (if that's the law the contract specifies).
Correct me if I'm wrong... (Score:3)
So basically M$ is using UCITA to prevent me from using the product because I am bound by UCITA. Forgive me if I feel a bit like Yossarian here.
M$ Check Point (Score:4)
M$:Papers Please
user: uh.... uh.. here is my PassPort
M$:Your Papers are not in order
user: wha.. what?
M$:Your travels, say you started in Maryland
user:
M$:These are not Maryland Papers
user:..and
M$: You will have to come with us..
user:.. call my lawyer!!
M$: what do you think? this is a free country?
Back to reality, there was a time that I really belived that M$ was the enemy. That they must be stopped. Now with
Re:How is it decided what state a service is used (Score:3)
In the UK it's where YOU were when you did it. Like the guy who ran a US porn site from the UK. Because he uploaded the images from his UK residence he went to prison for distributing obscene material.
I'm sure legal types get questions like this in college.
"If I'm standing one one side of the state line and you on the other and I shoot and kill you, where did the murder take place?"
"What if after I shoot you you stagger and fall into my state and I go and stand in yours and watch you die?"
Stamp out crime, repeal all laws!
All your jurisdiction in interstate commerce (Score:5)
The MA people
Who has jurisdiction over interstate commerce in the US? What laws, if any, would apply?
Federal law applies to interstate commerce. According to United States Constitution [everything2.com], article 1, section 8: "The Congress shall have power ... To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states."
In other words, all your jurisdiction in interstate commerce are belong to U.S.More laws like this! (Score:4)
Re:The Federation of 'Microsoft' States (Score:5)
However you got a few facts slightly incorrect.
Children born in these states will not only get an NDA, but they will also receive a product ID, which their parents will have to activate with Redmond. If Bill doesn't like your kid, too bad !
And of course these states _will_ be more democratic, Micro$oft is constantly innovating in the area of Democracy. In fact Democracy XP(tm) will take democracy to a new level, never before seen.
There will be no law breaking, because as soon as you cross the street at the wrong time, a giant floating judge will appear and say 'It looks like you are trying to shoot your wife.' thus alerting everyone else to your intransigence !
Re:People fail to realize the legal strategy here. (Score:3)
I think you're right that what they've tried to do. Interestingly, most companies aren't as arrogant and actually place in their agreements that some states may grant rights contrary to the agreement, such as in warranty clauses. But this one's interesting, in that IIRC a license is a strange animal in legal terms, and 'agreeing' to it, you can give up a lot of what one would think were legal rights, irregardless. What's interesting is that MS's .NET strategy is going after big business. I'd think if anyone was really going to look at this as suspect, it's going to be the lawyers from those same large companies that MS is looking to get their recurring revenue from the .NET. I think it's part of the arrogance that makes then think they can do anything, and all will follow. They may be right. Though given alternatives, they could be betting the ranch and not just a paddock or two. It does make an interesting publicity thing though. While they want UCITA passed everywhere (in it's vanilla form, of course), it seems state legislatures might get a little testy if this is put in their face... they usually have this 'states rights' things down pretty good, and aren't fond of 'outsiders' saying how they're constituants are gonig to be handled. If UTICA passes elsewhere, I get a strange feeilng there'll be a lot of similar 'maryland' type markups in the law before it goes to any vote.
How is it decided what state a service is used in? (Score:4)
Of course, I seriously doubt that there is a way that hotmail could screen to see if someone is in Maryland, and even if they could, they would not exclude them from using their sercices.
But still, if I use hotmail, and the computer I am using it in is in Maryland, does that count? After all, the computer in Maryland is just a device to edit an html page on a server in California. How can the law stop me from using that computer for that purpose?
How can anyone say what the exact geographical location of an internet transaction? Is it where the client and server computers are located? Is it where the backbone and routers are located? Or is it where the individuals and corporations involved have their legal residencies?
So many questions...Re:Big consequences (Score:3)
Then you can't register Visual C++ (Score:5)
Does this mean people in maryland can't register MS products.
This is GOOD (Score:4)
Can it be that Microsoft is finally turning from evil to good? No, I don't think so!
Maryland Law (Score:5)
But this is still a hoot.
We need a lawyer or law geek to go through this. I am interested in many of the sections that seemed to allow all kinds of consumer rights, but I might be hallucinating.
I am also wondering is this would mean that Windows would be outlawed in Maryland? [joke]
For example section 21-708. ADEQUATE ASSURANCE OF PERFORMANCE.
This sounds fascinating.
One part of the Maryland law is that One of the most contentious pieces of the Uniform Computer Information Transaction Act -- allowing vendors to remotely disable software on a user's computer if the user was in breach of the software's licensing terms -- has been modified. The change eliminates the provision for software sold via retail outlets. But is still an issue for corporate users.
Check out the Vinny the Vampire [eplugz.com] comic strip
Re:HailStorm Services. . . (Score:5)
They might be interested in this piece of European legislation [privacy.org].
In short, it says about that...
Companies must notify both employees and consumers about how information collected about them will be used;
Companies can only use data for its intended purpose;
Companies cannot transfer data on employees and consumers to countries with inadequate privacy protection laws;
Consumers will have a right to access data collected about them;
Consumers will have a right to have inaccurate data rectified;
Consumers will have a right to know the origin of data about them (if this information is available);
Consumers will have a right of recourse in the event of unlawful processing of data about them;
Consumers will have a right to withhold permission to use their data (e.g. the right to opt-out of direct marketing campaigns for free without providing a reason);
Companies need explicit permission of consumers to process sensitive information, including information on racial origin, political or religious beliefs, trade union membership, medical data, and sexual life.
I can see it now, the M$ Hail$torm license agreement going like:
All your database are belong to us and in an event that your local laws conflict with our right of ownership of your data then Washington State laws and the word of our Lord Gates supersede such laws...
Well, they just might be laughed out of any European court.
For starters: Click through licenses are not legally binding in most European countries. And their certainly not binding when they conflict with mandatory local laws.
Re:Difficult to make it work (Score:5)
Of course, there's no *signature* on this agreement either, so I suppose that would be the first legal challenge, if there were one.
In general, the law of contract does not require a signature to create a legally binding agreement. You just need some communication between the parties, or even just actions, consistent with an intent to enter legal relations. A signature is useful purely for documentation (evidentiary) purposes.
There are exceptions to the rule, but they're generally for statutory classes of contract (e.g. contracts for the sale of land), and deeds (legally binding agreements where no consideration has been paid for a promise).
Isn't law fun?
IAALS: I Am A Law Student
pOOp wOOt (Score:4)
Distant voice of wife: WHAT YOU SAY?!?!
Hubby: MICROSOFT CHANGED THE RULES AGAIN ON WHERE WE WANT TO GO TODAY!
Wife: WE MUST HAVE BEEN ON THE PATH TO DISTRUCTION!
Hubby: I AGREE! MAKE YOUR TIME!! ALL OUR BASE ARE BELONG TO THEM!!!
Wife: OK! I'LL GO ROUND UP THE KIDS!!!
...
Re:I have been wondering... (Score:3)
But on topic again: I suspect that you are right. Mangling the setup program could work too...perhaps someone already implemented such a thing. Of course, I fear that any court would rule such manipulation of executables as "criminal usage" or so.
The case that I actually removed the lisence file was accidental (just forgot to copy it...) I never claimed it would work on every setup.
Re:I have been wondering... (Score:3)
I wonder if this is true: if it were my software I would be able to disassemble it and make modifications to it. (Well, provided I knew assembler which I only know in very basic terms) I clearly am not allowed to do that as far as I know. As for the painting: I am free to rip it apart and make my own artwork from it, called "decadence of a disturbed mind" or so. You see ownership of software is quite "vage" and ownership of real things isn't.
As for the web-site approvals-click: I agree, you are right. I didn't think of it as an agreement of terms and services...but it is! I didn't pay a thing yet, and can still decide not to agree. I fear that I am not the only one who didn't realise the difference between the two.
My problem is that I can't read legalese and my guess is that most people can't. But of course I also signed the insurance of my car with just roughly skimming over terms and conditions. I guess real life and virtual life don't differ much in this question.
I have been wondering... (Score:5)
Oh, besides...does anyone remember those diskette pakages that said "if you open this package you agree to the encosed lisence agreement". I didn't notice them in ages, do they still exist?
Federal Legislation Needed (I hate saying that) (Score:5)
Article IV, Section 1: Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State....
It would seem that in absence of a Washington law directly contradicting the distasteful-to-Redmond portions of Maryland's law, the law in Maryland would stand.
bit of article clarification... And this is not optional boys and girls, you can't just drop Marylanders because you don't like the laws there, because the Constitution forces it. Okay, if you had a brick-and-mortar chain and decided that Maryland's laws were restrictive, you wouldn't build a business presence in that state to accept clients there -- no problem. But MS already has a Maryland business presence, so they're screwed.
Continuing: ...And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
It seems that only a federal-level UCITA will solve this problem, but let's hope that consumer protection rather than rights-castration is the central point of that law. We do have a chance after the DMCA backlash, since Congressmen appear to be realizing that the people are starting to notice when Congress passes laws supporting big business at the direct expense of the people. The Internet's been a big help in that one.
Re:European Data Protection Act (Score:3)
I am a lawyer, I happen to have been advising on this one this morning, and you're right. The relevant law is to be found in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998, Principle 8 of the eight principles listed there.
If you want to read it yourself, go to www.hmso.gov.uk and drill down to the legislation in question. I'd do an href but I can't be bothered.
Other nations - (Score:5)
I just looked through the Passport T&Cs (IAAL, btw, UK rather than US qualified) and there's one or two terms in there that would be unenforceable in english law (and probably in scots law as well), including the jurisdiction and choice of law clause as against a consumer.
Yes, Microsoft's T&Cs prohibit the use of their Passport service in most of the UK. If not all of it.
To use the lawyers' term of art, they can go pee up a rope.
European Data Protection Act (Score:5)
Back when I worked for [multinational telco] they had all sorts of problems trying to make up ways to get round the legality of the London employees simply having their phone numbers stored on the US phone directory.
Does that mean Microsoft can stop annoying Europeans too? With luck they can close themselves out of every market soon.
Good in the other 49 states? (Score:4)
And when did MS think it was big enough to start issuing passports anyhow?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~ the real world is much simpler ~~
The Federation of 'Microsoft' States (Score:4)
It will be a peaceful society, because all matters of law and justice will be resolved centrally in King County, Washington.
Oh, what joys we have to look forward to!
---
Re:I can see it now... (Score:5)
"Where do you want to go today?"
>Maryland
BSOD: An error occured int legal module 0C673E2.
Please relocate and try again.
Leave it to Microsoft... (Score:3)
wish I woulda thought of that
Big consequences (Score:5)
Since Passport is closely tied into .NET through "Hailstorm", this might mean that you won't be able to use any .NET products (like Windows XP) in Maryland either. In effect, Micro$oft might have shut themselves completely out of Maryland once .NET arrives. This is almost too good to be true.
Re:testy legalities (Score:4)
If a company (any company, anywhere) uses any form of distant sale (specifically including on-line sales) to sell a product to someone residing on Belgian territory at the time of the sale, then that sale is covered by Belgian law...
For example, this gives the buyer the right to a seven day period in wich he/she can cancel the sale.
If M$ would not respect that (or any other part of the Belgian law regarding distant sales) the guy can sue M$ in any Belgian court: the sale was done on Belgian territory.
It is strange I know, but so are a LOT of things over here!
testy legalities (Score:4)
I wonder how this will truly hold up, as opposed to just stating X = X, lets face it, how many sites do you know of actually follow their policies when they create them?
Example, Hotmail, Yahoo, and others have policies against spammers sending from their respective domains, yet spam gets out and little is done to the users who send it.
Is the company creating these laws which are likely to be laughed at by the majority of the users via way of no one actually reading the implementations of those laws? Think about it, how many people actually sit there and read those rules?
Another odd question is, what does Microsoft expect do to should someone outside the US break those rules? Extradite a European to America for breaking Washington State laws? Get real.
I'm far from understanding the laws of their products, but one thing I could say is little will be done, by them or any other company building these assinine policies, so their ratio to capture someone who actually breaks their policy is going to be low, and should it be the other way around, they're gonna end up hurting themselves in the pockets when they try to prosecute millions of people and dish out legal fees out the ass. Either way I see it as a stupid move.
Blackbox pimps [antioffline.com]
Re:European Data Protection Act (Score:5)
It does not in any way make it illegal or prevent you as a private citizen to transmit your own personal data to a non-complying company outside the EU.
In effect it's a protection for EU citizens to ensure that their personal details are subject to privacy protections, and that a company can't force you to sign away those rights, and that you have to give your permission for them to be able to give your infor to anyone who might misuse the information (such as US companies that couldn't care less about your privacy).
The company you worked for could simply have made it voluntary for any London employee to connect directly to a webserver in the US or whatever, and leave their information there, and it would be perfectly legal for the US arm of the company to use it.
(Ob disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer. An allthough I have been dealing with these issues a lot lately, I'm not guaranteeing anything;)
Ban Ohio Please. (Score:5)
Can you ban Ohio from your software too?
Thanks,
Go Team! (Score:5)
My college sent a guy to work for Microsoft mere weeks before their security was compromised. He seemed like the patriotic type, although I doubt it was him. Whatever my state can do to help, we will.
(Being a border state in the last war gave us a bad image, we're sorry!
I can see it now... (Score:5)
"Where do you want to go today?"
Obviously not Maryland.
-Scott
Re:Big consequences (Score:3)
I think it was MCSL (Microsoft Certified Slick Lawyer)
Re:Maryland Law (Score:3)
To ilistrate this I will tell you a story about a freind of Mine who owns a small network consulting buissness.
He had office 2k on one of his computers on his LAN, the computer was replaced so he put office 2k on its replacement. a week later he got a letter from M$'s legal depatment ordering him to remove the software from his computer or pay the licencing fee plus a $10k penalty. He promptly wrote back and said "OK I will pay the fees, however I am charging your company $250k for the time you spent on my Network.
He hasn't herd from them since.
I have a better idea... (Score:4)
My point being, don't use it, it goes away. It's unnecessary and dangerous. How many of you assemble a wallet and then hand it to some guy on the street who happens to be dressed in a pinstripe suit with a tie?
HailStorm Services. . . (Score:3)
It definitely is disturbing to think that they are willing to sue the user for misuse of our own information. The fact of the matter stands, IMHO, that Microsoft is basically trying to make the public think that they really hold all the answers. Quite frankly I think that it was a sign from God when the earth quake stuck last year and nearly made Seattle fall off the coast.