Do I have a moral obligation to read license agreements?

[Hermione]

I posted this before, but it didn’t seem to go through…

Do you think I am sinning by not reading license agreements for software, user accounts etc.? These agreements are very long and wordy, and I don’t like to have to read them. But since I click “I accept” am I sinning?

Thanks!

 

[Tietjen]

Hermione:

I posted this before, but it didn’t seem to go through…

Do you think I am sinning by not reading license agreements for software, user accounts etc.? These agreements are very long and wordy, and I don’t like to have to read them. But since I click “I accept” am I sinning?

Thanks!

No. They all basically say the same thing. “I promise not to copy the software. I promise not to install the software on more than X computer(s), etc”. Few read that stuff and those that do find out that the software is outdated by the time they finish.

 

[neophyte]

No, you don’t have a moral obligation to read the agreement.

You do have a moral abligation to abide by it if you accept it.

 

[Sir_Knight]

If you were supporting your family from the sales of that software, how would you want people to act / behave with it? Answer that question and do the same as the user. The fact that the software is owned / sold by a huge impersonal corporation has ne bearing on the matter – we are still to place ourselves in their shoes.

 

[Almeria]

As another said, you don’t have to read it, just agree to it. If you’re fine being held legally to something you didn’t read, then skip reading it.

Most license agreements I don’t read, personally. They are normally just standard agreements. I do read Microsoft’s agreements–there was one service pack update that I did not agree to (the agreement left it open for them to snoop on my computer, and I do not give them the right to do so). I also read the agreement of the online photo and art communities I belong to–some of them say that upon uploading, you’re giving them copyright ownership of the photo/art. I’m not giving away my work to an online site.

 

[WhiteDove]

I don’t have time to read them, they’re all the same anyways. I hope that it’s not a mortal sin or anything…

 

[chevalier]

License agreements are disordered and evil. Some of the demands are institutionalised theft. I prefer to abide, but I can’t make myself blame people for not abiding.

Intrusive excessive copyrights are part of the same culture as teenage sex, crappy fastfood and aggressive music.

For all I know, those companies who argue so much about copyrights now would never have made it if someone else’s copyrights had been protected when they were getting into business. The biggest defenders are the biggest infringers, as well.