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From: Warp
Subject: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 21 Jun 2009 15:49:52
Message: <4a3e8ee0@news.povray.org>
Check out Apple's standard usage license for eg. iTunes:
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/itunes.pdf

  Especially check part 10 which ends with:

"You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes
prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the
development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, or nuclear,
chemical or biological weapons."

  I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless
they mean that you can't listen to music through iTunes while you are
developing the weapons...

-- 
                                                          - Warp


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 21 Jun 2009 18:12:11
Message: <4a3eb03b$1@news.povray.org>
Warp wrote:
>   Check out Apple's standard usage license for eg. iTunes:
> http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/itunes.pdf
> 
>   Especially check part 10 which ends with:
> 
> "You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes
> prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the
> development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, or nuclear,
> chemical or biological weapons."
> 
>   I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless
> they mean that you can't listen to music through iTunes while you are
> developing the weapons...

There are special exceptions in US law that restrict "freedom of speech" 
when it comes to exporting information about nuclear weapons. If you 
remember the whole PGP/Zimmermann thing from about 12 years ago where they 
classified encryption as "munitions", that's what it was all about.

I imagine A lot of the terms are there to make it "legal" for Apple to 
export iTunes. There's probably stuff in there about not using it for 
safety-critical applications, too, which means they get to sell it without 
going through an entire regulatory approval process (which they would need 
if they were selling, say, software to run an X-ray machine or a commercial 
jet aircraft).

Not saying it isn't silly, mind. But just explaining that there's good 
reasons it's in there, if you're the lawyer responsible for writing this. 
They can show the contract to the regulators and say "see? We don't have to 
wait for you to look at this."

Much of the law is like this, especially when based on precedent, where 
something some judge said 100 years ago gets copied verbatim into every 
contract written, even tho it's using terms nobody outside the legal 
profession have used in 50 years.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Insanity is a small city on the western
   border of the State of Mind.


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From: Mueen Nawaz
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 21 Jun 2009 20:19:20
Message: <4a3ece08$1@news.povray.org>
On 06/21/09 14:49, Warp wrote:
>    I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless

	Maybe they're more worried that someone will _try_ to use it to develop 
nuclear weapons, and inadvertently blow everything up...

-- 
To be frank, I'd have to change my name.


                     /\  /\               /\  /
                    /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                        >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                    anl


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From: Tim Attwood
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 21 Jun 2009 23:24:53
Message: <4a3ef985$1@news.povray.org>
>>    I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless
> 
> Maybe they're more worried that someone will _try_ to use it to develop 
> nuclear weapons, and inadvertently blow everything up...

I think the chip they are worried about is the miniaturized
gyroscopes inside the iPod, such chips can come in military
versions which can track positioning to millimeters over thousands
of miles. As such, it's not all that far fetched that a commercial
version of the same chip might conceivably be used as a
guidance system for a missile. And it can play Bugs Bunny
cartoons too, so I'm sure Kim Jong-il loves iPod missiles.


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From: John VanSickle
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 21 Jun 2009 23:32:10
Message: <4a3efb3a$1@news.povray.org>
Warp wrote:
>   Check out Apple's standard usage license for eg. iTunes:
> http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/itunes.pdf
> 
>   Especially check part 10 which ends with:
> 
> "You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes
> prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the
> development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, or nuclear,
> chemical or biological weapons."
> 
>   I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless
> they mean that you can't listen to music through iTunes while you are
> developing the weapons...

That, and the rather safe conclusion that people who are willing to 
break laws about WMD are not likely to give a rat's about their iTunes EULA.

Regards,
John


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From: Mueen Nawaz
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 22 Jun 2009 00:34:15
Message: <4a3f09c7@news.povray.org>
On 06/21/09 22:32, John VanSickle wrote:
> That, and the rather safe conclusion that people who are willing to
> break laws about WMD are not likely to give a rat's about their iTunes
> EULA.

	Well, more seriously, it may be about covering Apple's rear end rather 
than preventing the user from doing something.

-- 
What kind of electricity do they have in Washington? D.C.


                     /\  /\               /\  /
                    /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                        >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                    anl


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From: gregjohn
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 22 Jun 2009 06:35:00
Message: <web.4a3f5df7cedd2a534d207310@news.povray.org>
Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
>
>   I wonder how you could use iTunes to develop nuclear weapons. Unless
> they mean that you can't listen to music through iTunes while you are
> developing the weapons...
>

Martha Stewart once said that if you were to surround yourself with classical
music when you are baking a cake, you might make a better one.  Same principle.


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From: Jim Henderson
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 22 Jun 2009 11:17:53
Message: <4a3fa0a1$1@news.povray.org>
On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:34:15 -0500, Mueen Nawaz wrote:

> On 06/21/09 22:32, John VanSickle wrote:
>> That, and the rather safe conclusion that people who are willing to
>> break laws about WMD are not likely to give a rat's about their iTunes
>> EULA.
> 
> 	Well, more seriously, it may be about covering Apple's rear end 
rather
> than preventing the user from doing something.

Absolutely, but it's quite funny that the law requires Apple put such 
verbiage in the EULA when it's pretty well known that those organisations 
who would use the technology for nefarious purposes won't be deterred by 
a bunch of legalese.

I'm sure Bin Laden wouldn't read over the EULA and go "curses, foiled 
again!" upon seeing that iTunes can't be used for creating death and 
destruction.

Jim


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From: Invisible
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 22 Jun 2009 11:23:01
Message: <4a3fa1d5$1@news.povray.org>
Warp wrote:

> "You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes
> prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the
> development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, or nuclear,
> chemical or biological weapons."

Does this mean you can't use iTunes to play "I am the BOMB!"...? ;-)


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From: Darren New
Subject: Re: Legalese can sometimes be rather funny
Date: 22 Jun 2009 11:35:54
Message: <4a3fa4da@news.povray.org>
Jim Henderson wrote:
> Absolutely, but it's quite funny that the law requires Apple put such 
> verbiage in the EULA when it's pretty well known that those organisations 
> who would use the technology for nefarious purposes won't be deterred by 
> a bunch of legalese.

I don't think it's that. I think it's there to keep Apple from having to 
prove the device is suitable for that purpose. I.e., "No, the military 
shouldn't be using the GPS on this to decide where to bomb", and etc.

Kind of the difference between getting FCC approval for your radio vs 
slapping a sticker on it that says "Caution: may generate interference." If 
it's going to be used in a hospital, you really need the approval.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Insanity is a small city on the western
   border of the State of Mind.


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