Terms and Conditions. T’s & C’s.

Does anyone actually read these? Terms and Conditions have just gotten so long, and so obtuse that they almost feel like a leftover relic from days-gone-by. Back when the whole digital thing was new, and use and content rights were somewhat more vague than they are today, not that everything is fine today by any means. Something that companies (I’m more specifically referring to the software manufacturers) feel they should do because of a “that’s the way it’s done” mentality.

One of the forums that I visit now and then has a terms and conditions page, well, section is more accurate, that is honestly, at least 12 pages ofvery fine print. Now tell me? Who is going to go and read through that?

For. A. Forum?!?

The sheer size, is not the only daunting factor when it comes to these documents, the complexity and general vague-ness with which they are worded is also a factor. Most, if not all, of these documents give end-users, people like you and me, a sense of overwhelmed-ness, which fosters a “click next until you’re finished” attitude that isn’t healthy in the age of Identity Theft.

Years ago, a few to be sure, there was a particular piece of software, anti-virus if I remember correctly, that was an industry leader at the time. It to was accompanied by a overly long and obtuse T&C document. If you actually read through the document, somewhere near the middle, right after mind-numbing and just before jumping-out-the-window was a clause that said something to the effect of:

We can come to your place (business, home) and look through your computer and junk if we feel like it

I woudlnt be surprised it there was stuff like this in most T&C documents.

With piracy an issue for most software, Games, OS’s and the like, do the T&C’s apply to these pirates? They didn’t purchase the software…though they still have to agree to the T&C. Or is the T&C invalid because said software was obtained illegally?

That said, next time I install something, i’ll scroll to the bottom and click “next”, just like everyone else, just the ways companies want it.