Stock EULA templates?

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:04 am

I'm working on a simple installer which is meant to be able to automatically install a program and
files found in it's startup folder and below, and need a default shareware EULA for it.

I've searched around but didn't come up with much, and wonder if someone knows where to get
EULA templates?.

Rescator · Post by **Rescator** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:48 am

The legality of a EULA is always questionably.
It is not a actual "legaly binding document".
It is more like a warning, and safetyharness for companies.

Of the kind of "Hey, stop whining. We warned you in the EULA didn't we?"
Which most of the time holds up in court, although some courts have been known to turn EULA's down.

My advice is to write your own,
keep it simple "KISS" (Keep It Simple Stupid)
or as I like to say. Simplify, simplify, simplify!

The more simple and straigh to the point a "EULA" is,
the shorter it is, and the less "legalese" it contain.
The higher the chance the user actualy will take a few secons
to read it.

These days, with most software. I got the nasty habit like most people
to react this way.

"Oh great, another draconian EULA. Lemme guess what it says....
*YOU ARE SCREWED!* or similar. *yawn*"
Then I click Ok or Continue or Accept etc.

Myself I've gotten to the point where I'm seriously considering ditching the Disclaimer too.
and instead leave a minimal of copyright info along with the documentation (and in the software's About menu as well).

And instead actualy add a "Warranty" section if I'm dead sure that my software won't do this or that...

People are so used these days to all kinds of crap,
EULA, Disclaimer, License.
all of which are pages and pages long,
people are so used to them out of necessity,
since the first time they stumbled on the really long ones,
they also stopped reading them...

Make something short, direct, simple,
and readable/understandable even by people without a degree from lawschool.

Shannara · Post by **Shannara** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 1:19 am

To clarify the above post, only EULAs that are questionable are those that are not printed outside of the box, or after downloads. All other ones are enforcable.

oldBear · Post by **oldBear** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 2:15 am

Try a google - you'll turn up tons. I imagine some can be adapted for your needs.

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:38 pm

Thanks, Rescator, Shannara and oldBear. I'll do my homework!

It's just that when I post my installer
source and promise a default behaviour, I would like the default EULA to hold up.

dell_jockey · Post by **dell_jockey** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:28 pm

I've always liked the EULA that came with the first couple of versions of Borland Turbo Pascal: it was simple to the point that it said somewhere: "Treat it like a book. Like a book, no more than one person can read it at a time"...

MadMax · Post by **MadMax** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:46 pm

Most are quite abusive, haven't read any lately, but I remember the Corel Draw one, said I wasn't allowed to create obscene artwork with it. Now the problem is that not everybody has the same concept of obscene, it could mean I'm not allowed to draw an obscene amount of money. As I don't know the guy who wrote the EULA or live in Canada, I don't know. Anyway if I buy a pencil it says nothing about what I can do with it.

PS Don't ask me for "naughty" pictures, it's not the kind of stuff I draw anyway