[Ecommerce] Lawsuit challenges software licensing

[James Love]

----- Forwarded Message
From: Richard Forno <rforno@infowarrior.org>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 15:05:57 -0500
To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>
Subject: Lawsuit challenges software licensing

For IP if you like......rf

http://news.com.com/2100-1001-983988.html?tag=fd_top

Lawsuit challenges software licensing

A California woman is suing Microsoft, Symantec and some software 
retailers, claiming the companies "concocted a scheme" to mislead 
consumers by requiring them to consent to software licensing agreements 
they haven't read.

The suit, filed Friday in Marin County Superior Court in San Rafael, 
Calif., seeks class-action status on behalf of all Californians who've 
bought software including Norton Antivirus 2002, Norton Systemworks and 
Windows XP Upgrade.

Specifically, the suit, which was brought by Cathy Baker, claims that
Microsoft, Symantec, CompUSA, Best Buy and other unnamed retailers don't
allow people to read "shrink wrap" licenses--agreements printed inside 
the box or incorporated into the software itself--before they buy a product.

<snip>