Just to give Penlrs a better sense of just how far Microsoft is prepared to go... Anders Schneiderman >Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Wed, 07 Jan 1998 19:02:07 -0500 >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: James Packard Love <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Animated Characters can't disparage Microsoft, according to Microsoft EULA >X-To: cni copyright <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >X-Cc: fight-censhorship <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN > >James Gleick forwarded me an interesting section of the Microsoft End >User License Agreement (EULA) for Microsoft Agent. Microsoft agent is >described as a "set of software services that supports the presentation >of software agents as interactive personalities within the Microsoft >Windows interface." These are cute animated figures that talk to you. >(http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/agent/). Microsoft also says the >"conversational interface approach facilitated by the Microsoft Agent >services is an extension and enhancement of the existing interactive >modalities of the Windows interface," so I guess its part of Windows, >the OS, in some way, but it requires a special license for developers >who use it. > >This End User License Agreement for Microsoft Agent included the >following provision: > ><Start> >.... >.... >.... > > You may create scripts or programs that use the Microsoft Agent API >to animate the character and static or animated images that are >provided by Microsoft to enable the end-user selection of an animated >image, provided, however, that you do not: (a) use the Character >Animation Data and Image Files to disparage Microsoft, its products or >services or for promotional goods or for products which, in Microsoft's >reasonable judgment, may diminish or otherwise damage Microsoft's >goodwill in the SOFTWARE PRODUCT, including but not limited to uses >which could be deemed under applicable law to be obscene or >pornographic, uses which are excessively violent, unlawful, or which >purpose is to encourage unlawful activities; > >... >... >... ><End> >-- >James Love >Consumer Project on Technology >P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] | http://www.cptech.org >202.387.8030, fax 202.234.5176 > >
