If Microsoft Starting Building Cars. Occasionally your car would just die for no reason, and you'd have to restart it. For some strange reason, you'd just accept this. The funny thing is, this attitude isn't a joke. As we have reported before in NetAction Notes, the software industry is pushing hard for changes in the Uniform Commercial Code that would allow companies to establish software licensing terms that consumers would be required to accept prior to obtaining the software.
Consumer advocates believe the proposal violates consumer rights.
If it is eventually enacted by the state Legislatures, consumers, software developers, and writers will lose important protections. The effect would be reduced competition among software vendors concerning the products and terms they offer and less incentive to increase quality, avoid interference with fair use rights, and be responsive to customer dissatisfaction. The letter reflects the views of a group that includes academics who specialize in the law of consumer protection, current and former legal services lawyers, representatives of consumer advocacy organizations, and lawyers in private practice who represent consumers and small customer interests. Attorney and author Cem Kaner has been involved in the drafting of this proposal as an advocate for the interests of software consumers, developers, and writer. NetAction Notes NetAction Notes is a free electronic newsletter, published by NetAction to promote effective grassroots organizing on the Internet.