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Devil in the Details? Software Law Could Be Hell for Buyers

Software vendors are smiling--a proposed statute muzzles consumer protections.

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What's Wrong With UCITA?

The Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act would give the force of law to all the fine print in those software licenses that you find in shrink-wrapped packages and on Web sites. Among other things, UCITA would let a vendor:

* Disclaim liability for any damages incurred by software it knew to be buggy.

* Prevent buyers from selling or giving away any computer software that they no longer intend to use.

* Prohibit buyers from using software that came bundled with a PC on other computers, even after erasing it from the original system.

* Notify users of a change in the terms of a license (such as fees for online services) simply by posting an announcement on its Web site.

* Claim UCITA protection for music CDs, so buyers might not be able to sell or give away a used CD or record it in MP3 format for personal use.

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