Recently I completed training at
Microsoft's Power Together Web site and in return recieved a free copy of Windows Vista. Since I already have Windows Vista from my MSDN subscribtion I thought I'd sell it on Ebay.
After a day of being on Ebay I recieced a message from Ebay which said the following in part:
The listing was removed because it violated eBay policy. All fees related to this listing have been credited to your account. We also notified members who placed bids on the item that the listing has been canceled.
The rights owner, Microsoft, notified eBay that this listing violates intellectual property rights. When eBay receives a report of this type of violation, we remove the listing to comply with the law.
The sale of unauthorized copies of copyrighted media (including software, video games, music, television programs, ebooks, and photographs) is illegal and not permitted on eBay. "Unauthorized" copies include back-up, pirated, and bootlegged copies.
Sellers need to obtain permission from the intellectual property rights owner before listing copies of copyrighted media.
I was very surprised by this response from Microsoft. I'm not a lawyer, but I can't believe that someone can give you something and then have control over you selling it to someone else.
It seems to me that digital rights control have gotten out of control. I posted my message on a forum with my thoughts and was told I was a thief, scum bag, and all sorts of horrible things since I had tried to sell this. Unbelievable.
I guess I'll just re-gift it :)
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