Linked by John O'Sullivan on Tue 7th Oct 2003 18:42 UTC
Microsoft has a little liability problem called Windows. Many are no doubt aware of a would-be class-action lawsuit launched last week in California. The suit targets Microsoft over security problems. The plaintiff is a woman who had her identity stolen. Details are
here. (NYTimes, free registration required)
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"Remember, the lawyers are contesting that because Microsoft is a monopoly, they need to be held to these high standards, and that an EULA is something they shouldn't be able to hide behind."
This is purely arbitrary. Who get to decide which standards are the held responsible ? At which level ? Can I sue them if my Hard drive crash and loose data, even tho it's not Microsoft responsibility ? Because hey ! They have a monopoly !
"The fact is, they are acting like they are a monopoly by not fixing their products, and selling products they know are insecure."
Well, cars are insecure too. Constructor put some stuff to reduce the risks (belt, etc), but they can't give you a perfectly safe car. Nor can *ANY* OS developer can give you a perfectly hacker-safe OS.
"When you buy a car, and that car blows up because of a faulty part, is the company that built the car liable? Or is it your fault? I mean, EVERYONE is a car expert and knows which cars are not good. "
Your example just make not sense at all. You talk about a car burning itself, that we can compare to Windows, for example, crashing itself for no reasons.
Here we are talking about a THIRD PARTY THIEF that come unexpectedly to your car, and stole your credit card inside.
That's exactly what happened, with her Windows. So do you tell me that the car vendor is responsible for her stolen credit card inside the car, as much a Microsoft is responsible for her data stolen by an outsider hacker ?
"People seem to forget that Microsoft IS a monopoly."
Yes Microsoft is a Monoply. But people like you seems to forget they have to be sued for REAL reasons of illegal activities, and NOT for that crappy reason that set a dangerous precedence for EVERYONE.