So you purchased _one_ copy and wanted to put it on 50 PCs? Of course they
can't allow that. And the chances of getting any large company's legal
department to allow special exemption is highly unlikely. Easier to get the
marketing department to donate disks, rather than get a special exemption.
So why did they send lawyers? Did you actually install the software on
multiple machines?
Ken Elliott
=====================
-----Original Message-----
From: slug@nks.net [mailto:slug@nks.net] On Behalf Of Pete Theisen
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 11:56 AM
To: slug@nks.net
Subject: Re: [SLUG] Linux mp3 player
Ken Elliott wrote:
>>> (threatening my favorite charity with a lawsuit..
>
> More info? Can you provide a link?
Hi Ken,
We were almost done with an electronic medical records application back
in '99 when we were given over 100 older computers as a donation. We
*bought* a OEM disk designed to install Windows 95 on multiple computers
and tried to clear its use with *them* on about 50 of the computers,
stand alone - not networked, not on the web.
We were legit, registered with the state as non-profit and with the IRS
as a 501 (c) (3). We made it clear that we wanted only permission, not
support. It would have cost them a buck to say yes. They not only said
"no" they spent hundreds or thousands spinning their 'no", but it didn't
stop with that, they sent a pack of lawyers after us as well. The $40K
supposedly would have made it OK, but we didn't have it.
I asked my congresswoman, Katherine Harris, about the M$ claim that it
would be "illegal" for them to give us permission. She had one or
another government agency investigate this for a long time. When they
finally reported their findings it turned out that M$ was lying. Who
would have thought that M$ would ever lie?
We switched everything to Linux, but our back was broken. Our
application would not port to Linux, even using Wine - and The Great
Satan claims that Wine is violative or their patents anyway. The people
who had helped us in the past quickly lost interest and we had only
doctors, not programmers. We will be disbanding at the end of this year.
Basically working alone, now, I haven't even managed to keep the website
up to date, but it will be up such as it is until Dec 31.
> In the light of my experience, (threatening my favorite charity with a
> lawsuit, then offering to "settle" for "only" $40K, which effectively
> destroyed their project) no.
-- Regards,Pete http://pete-theisen.com/ http://elect-pete-theisen.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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