What do most people who use a [tag]computer[/tag] and run [tag]software[/tag] really want?  Do they want the ability to sue the software makers for millions for each and every bug and crash they have or is it that they want to feel that they aren’t being taken for a ride?

I don’t think that most customers really want the ability to sue [tag]software developers[/tag].  The legal process is slow and the rewards minimal (unless you’re a lawyer).  Rather than reforming the law to allow [tag]developer liability[/tag], what most people seem to want is a fairer [tag]license agreement[/tag].  There are plenty of places where it should be improved on.  First and foremost is the “you accept this license by breaking the seal/installing the application/looking at the box/taking it out of the store* nonsense (*delete as applicable).  It’s time for this kind of trickery to go.  Secondly, users should be given a proper [tag]guarantee[/tag], a money-back guarantee.  This is the only guarantee that means anything nowadays.  Software makers will argue that allowing refunds will encourage people to buy software, install it and then take it back but technologies such as product activation should help protect companies against too much of this happening.

There are countless other areas that [tag]software licensing[/tag] could be improved – clearer wording, adopting a standard format, limiting jargon and so on.  This would improve the view that users have of the companies they buy from and would be, if nothing else, a good faith gesture on the part of the software developers.

As far as liability goes, I agree with George Ou that reasonable disclosure is the way forward. 

But the real question is - will the big companies budge without huge legal pressure? Given recent history this is somewhat unlikely.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 13th, 2005 at 09:37 and is filed under In the News, PC Doctor's Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.