Computer Programs Prove That EULAs Are Unreadable By Humans

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-09-16 06:41am

No one reads end user license agreements (EULAs).
That was shown earlier this year when a company put a note in its EULA that it would pay $1,000 to the first person who asked for it and it took four months for anyone to claim the cash. EULAs are used to make people agree to all sorts of stuff they shouldn't.
Many adware companies, for example, hide the details of what their programs do in the EULA -- and afterwards blame you for not properly reading the EULA if you complain about what their software does.
There are still some questions about how enforceable EULAs really are -- as there's no ability for someone to negotiate and they're usually indecipherable even for those who do read them.

Well, on that last point, it looks like (some) help is on the way. Apparently there's now a software program that will read your EULAs for you and point out the important points you should be aware of.
Of course, you have to figure that the sneakier companies out there will just start using this software themselves to "test" their EULAs to make sure their really nasty stuff is still well hidden. Still, it certainly suggests that these documents are problematic if you need a special software program to decipher them for you.

link

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2005-09-16 07:05am

So I'll have to update EULA Bullshit-O-Meter v1.0 along with AdAware and Spybot? Sometimes I wish all of these varied adware purveyors would crawl out of their little holes and find a better way to make money.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-09-16 07:15am

Another example is Freespace 2, where the EULA states that you can freely give out the game to friends and family. Took 3 years to discover that one.

bilateralrope · Post by **bilateralrope** » 2005-09-16 07:33am

I have never found an EULA that I couldn't understand, however they usually bored me into not reading long before they are finished.

However since under NZ law a contract is void if one party is eaither incapactiaed (say by being drunk) or a minor (under 18) I have 2 methods to use if eula's are found to be enforcable under NZ law.

As for my computer running windows xp, although I have heard of some nasty stuff in its eula, but as a friend installed when I bought my computer through him (he has legal links to a bulk supplier) and is a fellow computer science student I feel he knows enough about malware to do a clean install, so I have never had to click the agree button, or read the eula, so microsoft can't enfore it on me even if it was valid.

I have never had any legal training, all I know about legal matters I have picked up from http://groklaw.net/ over the past few years.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-09-16 10:29am

I read them.

Well, for major stuff like OSes and browsers.

McNum · Post by **McNum** » 2005-09-16 10:36am

Why can't more EULAs be like the one from Unreal Tournament 2004?
UT2004 EULA

Easy to read and with a sense of humor. Not to mention as valid as any other EULA.