Re: Barriers to an ASP loophole closure

[Richard Braakman <dark@xs4all.nl>]

On Wed, Mar 12, 2003 at 04:37:04PM -0800, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
> Allow me to propose the "What if Microsoft Did It" test.  Microsoft
> creates a new program, and says "you are prohibited from running this
> program behind a web site for other people without paying us money;
> after all, this is really a way of trying to cheat us out of selling
> the program to more people."  We would cry foul, right?

I think you're behind on your Microsoft evilness :)

 (from http://www.infoworld.com/article/02/03/15/020318oplivingston_1.html)
    Microsoft's XP license agreement says, "Except as otherwise permitted by
    the NetMeeting, Remote Assistance, and Remote Desktop features described
    below, you may not use the Product to permit any Device to use, access,
    display, or run other executable software residing on the Workstation
    Computer, nor may you permit any Device to use, access, display, or
    run the Product or Product's user interface, unless the Device has a
    separate license for the Product."

This goes even farther than your "web site" example, since it prohibits
all remote access to the computer except by Microsoft products.

Did we cry foul?  Depends on who "we" is.  There were some comments,
but most people seem to have accepted it as one of the many costs
of dealing with the Beast.

Richard Braakman