Can we sue Microsoft?

[darth vader]

Microsoft is coming under attack from viruses again, i notice (see link below). Now, if my car develops a fault and it's proved to be a design flaw then i can sue the manufacturer/claim compensation - so if MS operating systems are being attacked by viruses caused by inherent security problems in the O/S's themselves, can we not sue MS in this case, for damages? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3099302.stm

[sft42]

Most likely not...if you have ever stopped and read the EULA (end user licence agreement) that you have to agree to to use most producs then you'll see that it just stops short of you having to agree that Mr Gates is our supreme omnipotent overlord and that Mirashaft are not responsible for anything except praise that may come their way.

[strozzi]

Darth, a hypothetical question. :- If someone threw a brick at your car, which caused some damage, would you sue the car manufacturer for not having had the foresight to prevent such an event ?

[Gef]

No you would sue the manufacturer of the brick :-)

[darth vader]

no but if they throw a jelly baby and the glass smashes because the manufacturers hadn't tested for the chemical reaction between their "XPglass2003" and organic material, then i would sue

[gilf]

But thats the point darth, a virus is the equivalent of the brick. I have no great desire to defend Microsoft but the virus is designed to get round the security in place, so to further push the example its like the car maker putting in brick proof windows in his latest car and then the guy pulls out a rocket launcher. If you dont like windows you can use Linux.

[TRINITY]

I WISH :+)

[lisaj]

gilf: you're right, but no-one can argue that Microsoft's approach to security by ignorance is acceptable. Let's face it, they literally pretend like it's not an issue, and indeed how would they spy on us all if the product was secure. Perhaps the analogy would be a car that had no windows in the first place, the idea being that you would then pay a hefty sum for "window upgrade", or in the future a car with really good windows but one that couldn't drive on UK roads.

[pezza.......]

And to be fair, who would drive a car, windows or not, that crashes every 10 minutes?

[gilf]

I take it by your comments your all using Linux or Mac's then. Take it from me I'm using a machine which I have had at work for 3 years and it has not crashed once, How many car crashes have you heard about that was a result of the car and not the driver ?? I'm only joking of course but I think MS get a bit of a raw deal.