[dannzeman]

Originally Posted by Wizzard

2492 signatures, com on folks, we can do better than that!

Below is a message I sent to XDA Developers Board Administrator:

I think that you will find that MS has overstated its case. In the US, the federal courts have held that a person who purchases a license to software may customize the software as much as he wants up to destroying the entire program as long as it is for his own personal use. He may also employ persons to perform this customization for his own personal use.

Everyone who has purchased a phone, has purchased one license to the OS software. Further, MS and the various companies put out upgrades to the software from time to time. And even further, MS provides developers' kits so that people may write software using the OS.

MS is also missing the "freebe boat" in that it is receiving an unbelievable amount of free product development and consumer input to its products. They, like every other member of the public should watch, listen, and use the eforts of the people of this board who are so interested in improving the MS product.

Finally, every member of this board is a "nut" about their phone and wants the newest "thing" so there is very little likelyhood that MS will lose any sales in this group, especially when the hardware changes every 12 to 18 months.

In view of the above, I would respectfully request that you resist the MS request and continue to support the fine efforts of the members of this board and all others like this board. As an attorney myself, I know that MS is just "rattling its saber" to see if they can scare you away. I do not think that they would be successful in a suit against the board or any of its members in the US and certainly not in the EU where its reputation is lower than in the US.

I would suggest that you respond to them with the points raised in this letter and see what their response is. Don't mention the "attorney" part yet, lets just let them do all the work for now.

I will be happy to provide you to the cases that were decided in the US if you need them. Thank you for your great work!

I think that MS is just plain wrongheaded on this one from any angle!

Very well said. Great post. Thanks for help in supporting this.