Poll: Terms and agreements

[sushkis2]

Have you ever noticed, that before every installation and/or registration, there's always the Terms and agreements window? Do you ever read them? I, for example, don't even care, what's written there, just check the box, go to the next window. It's like who wouldn't agree with them, it would be like, I paid for the product full price, but I wont use it, because I don't agree with the Terms and agreements... Also, it's quite annoying, and sometimes it even wastes your time, as for example, in WoW, the first time you play it, on startup there's like four or more term and agreement windows, and you cant just agree, you've got to scroll each one of them down, so you can get to the next window, its just pointless!!!

 

[Lightning Delight]

Companies know that no one reads them, but they have to be in there for legal issues. It makes sure no one sues for some completely arbitrary reason. I, however, am worried about the day when they insert a term that states that they now own our soul.

 

[Eisenfaust]

it's an important aspect of a litigation shield... if we didn't have them the companies we know and love would drown under the weight of compensation payouts and die a horrible, horrible death...

considering it takes 5 seconds to say "i agree" and the alternative is not actually being able to play/use anything, i'd say it's a pretty small sacrifice

 

[Jedamethis]

I usually skim through it. It's important to know, just in case...at least that's what I think.

 

[SilentCom]

The terms of service is often more for the company than for the consumer. It's sort of like the warning labels on certain goods, this way if you do something stupid, you're held accountable and not the company.

Yes it is annoying, yes it can be a hassle to scroll and check through stuff, and yes, most people don't even read the terms. I know I usually don't given that they're usually several pages in tiny font.

 

[Baradiel]

No one reads them. They're designed to not be read. Really small font, in a massive wall of text. They could put anything in them.

Infact, I remember there being a news story last year of a company that, as a test, asked you to give up your immortal soul by agreeing to the terms and conditions. And guess what? They had thousands of people give away their souls.

 

[Jonluw]

I can never be bothered to read them, but I am alwasy slightly afraid that it somewhere says they now own all my riches.

Many years of reading Donald Duck comics have taught me I should always read the fine print in contracts.

 

[Jonluw]

I can never be bothered to read them, but I am alwasy slightly afraid that it somewhere says they now own all my riches.

Many years of reading Donald Duck comics have taught me I should always read the fine print in contracts.

Except you can't do that in any modern country, because it would be exceedingly obvious to anyone that the clause was put in there to defraud someone signing the agreement and would therefore be thrown out at a moment's notice.

Well that's relaxing to hear.

 

[Gigano]

I don't really read them, mostly because I know that if there's any terms which are unusual or burdensome, then those generally won't be considered agreed to by a consumer here.

Since you're only given a license for the software, they need to be there, and you're bound well enough by ordinary license terms found within them.

 

[Ren3004]

Companies know that no one reads them, but they have to be in there for legal issues. It makes sure no one sues for some completely arbitrary reason. I, however, am worried about the day when they insert a term that states that they now own our soul.

They already did that.
http://www.geek.com/articles/games/gamestation-eula-collects-7500-souls-from-unsuspecting-customers-20100416

Anyway, they have to be there by legal reasons, blah blah blah. Saying they should be banned because they're irksome is like saying traffic lights should be banned because having to stop is annoying.

Also, this. [http://www.cracked.com/article_19162_6-hilarious-ways-game-designers-are-screwing-with-pirates_p2.html] Read number 3.

 

[Verlander]

I read em. It's amazing some of the things written in there. Remember: Not reading them, if you have "agreed" to them, is no excuse in the courts. So yeah, you could get pretty fucked.

 

[Subbies]

Read some of them. Especially if they're work tools that you get for free but have to pay something if you what to sell what you made (It's so easy to forget or do it wrong cause you missed something out).