Bravo, bravo, bravo !


\>Hi,
>
>No offense to Ken and the VFP team. VFP is a great product and it's still my favorite development tool.
>
>But I've just been chuckling over the legalese and vagueness in the latest VFP license. Sometimes the lawyers need to take a back seat. I thought it might be fun to draft up the key points in the VFP9.0 EULA and drop the legalese and see if this could be clearer for the average person.
>
>I don't know if these things can ever get this simple, but here's a draft...
>
>:)
>
>
>
>LICENSE TERMS FOR MICROSOFT SOFTWARE
>
>Visual FoxPro 9.0
>
>THIS LICENSE IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN US (Microsoft) AND YOU (the developer).
>
>1. OVERVIEW
>
>a. This software is a developer tool.
>b. It allows you to build solutions and create your own software products.
>c. We own this software, you don't.
>d. But you can use it.
>
>
>2. INSTALLATION AND USE
>
>a. You can install this software and use it for any legal purpose, except as stated below:
>b. You can't use it to directly compete with us and our products.
>c. You can't use it in any way that might benefit a company Microsoft deems a competitive threat. See section 5 below for more information.
>
>
>3. SCOPE OF LICENSE
>
>a. This software is licensed and not sold.
>b. We told you that in section 1 above.
>c. But it was worth repeating.
>
>
>4. WARRANTY AND DAMAGES
>
>a. The software works and you can develop your own solutions with it.
>b. Don't cry to us if you do something stupid.
>c. If this software breaks something on your computer, tough.
>d. If you lose a bunch of data, tough. You should have had a backup.
>e. If you can prove any damages were our fault, we might refund the amount shown on your receipt for this software, but it's not likely.
>
>
>5. COMPETITIVE THREAT
>
>a. Don't use our products on other operating systems. That would be bad.
>b. Don't build solutions that can run on other operating systems. That would be worse!
>c. Futhermore, if and when we come out with our MS Hardware line of products, you can only run this software on MS Hardware. This will be for your own good.
>d. I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking, will we really drag you into court or only try to bluff you? Well to tell you the truth, we forgot what the legal counsel told us in all the excitement to get this release out. But being as we're Microsoft, and we have the biggest bank account in the world and can wipe your company clean off the map, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?
>
>
>Guy