End User License Agreements

Recently I read an article in my monthly Game Informer gaming magazine. The article was an opinion piece on EULA's, their confusing legal terminology, and relevance in gaming.

After reading this, I thought about how User Agreements impact software purchases or software use in general.

Just before I use a product in its Beta stage or attempt to use free software (such as Adobe's Flash Player) there is an extremely long and confusing legal statement.

I can understand why software companies want to protect there interest/investment. I would just like for the agreement to be in 'plain English'. Such as, 'don't steal our stuff', 'your user rights are non-transferable', etc.

I realize many individuals agree to these terms without thinking twice. What's the big deal anyway? I myself am guilty of clicking without reading.

However, when I choose to agree to something with my name in the form of a signature, I am all over every page. Scouring every detail, every line, every...everything.

So why then, do I not take such precautions in EULA's? Why do many people not take these precautions? Has blindly agreeing to popular internet forms or electronic forms in general become so commonplace, that as consumers we don't think twice?

Can we as consumers be held accountable for these fundamentally incomprehensible agreements?

Currently the courts believe we can and I feel this is a matter that warrants further investigation; not only to protect our rights as consumers but to allow a little transparency into our binding commitments.

End User License Agreements aren't going anywhere anytime soon and I ask you just to think twice the next time you click the 'Agree' button.