You bought the right to use it. That's it. The software is still owned by the company; it's proprietary. Think of it like a music CD: you buy the CD, but what you're really buying is the right to listen to the music. You don't own the music, the record label does. You can't use it for a film or even give a copy to a friend without permission from the record label. As someone on the similar thread said, the CD is merely the delivery system whereby you obtain the music to listen to.
But I DO own the CD. I have the right to sell that CD if I so desire. I bought something from this company. It is now MINE. I should have the right to sell it if I so desire. Bottom line, I sure won't buy SOS again!
Actually, I think the SOS policy says you can gift it once. So if that person you gift it to chooses to donate in return a certain amount of "cash or other considerations" to your homeschool effort, or as a birthday present or whatever reason, you haven't sold it.
Which someone on here has sent me a PM about, and I'm considering. I'm just not sure yet if I will want to use it with one of my other children. I'm leaning to NOT use it, however.
ALL software is like that. ALL of it. NO matter if it's a copy of Windows 7 or the game Oblivion. You own the physical CD, but not it's contents. This is not a problem with SOS. I understand that you don't like their curriculum, but they are not doing anything out of the ordinary with their "no resale" policy. Even music CDs are now in limbo; there is proposed legislation to cut down on the resale shops who purchase them because it IS illegal.
It's illegal to resell music CD's? Since when? Is it illegal to resell videos, too? Then why is it legal to resell books? Isn't it the same principle? I do understand that SOS isn't doing anything illegal. But in my mind it is WRONG. Just like it's WRONG that we weren't permitted to show a Disney movie at school during recess when it was too cold for the children to go outside and play. (Not picking on Disney; that's true for any video. I THINK it's OK to show a video if it's written into your lesson plan, but not to show it for "fun" or for a "reward" for good behavior! I've been out of the loop for a good while, so I'm not sure anymore.)
And it's about to be illegal for radio stations to play music without paying royalties PER PLAY! Well, if the proposed legislation passes (though I doubt it will). Books aren't considered electronic media like CDs, DVDs, and Software are. They are governed by a completely different set of rules.
If we actually were purchasing the copyright to the SOS program (which would enable us to resell it rather than just have the discs for our own backup), it would cost us astronomically more than what they charge to use it.
I really am not trying to be argumentative!!! REALLY!!! This just irritates me to no end. Brooke, the word is COPYRIGHT. What does that mean? The RIGHT to COPY. I don't WANT the right to copy it; I want the right to use my legally-obtained copy, and to SELL my legally-obtained copy. The issue isn't copy, it's fair usage. And I DO know you're right; I just feel the law is WRONG.
I follow ya. And I won't be buying SOS ever again either, for more reasons than just recouping my cost. :roll:
Then I wish somebody would tell that to our Dollar Store when they get that rap-xrap booming in the store. (I don't mind it if they're on a C&W station!) :angel:
They're allowed to play music, but it has to be music they pay to have played. They're not allowed to turn their radio on to some station that is free.
