Licenses For Hardware (was RE: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage)

[Adam Goryachev]

> Jon Pounder wrote:
> > A feature restricting licence for hardware is a moronic concept.
> I'll agree wholeheartedly that it's sleazy, but to avoid putting too
> fine a point on the issue, the Cisco license, if it's like other
> licenses for products with embedded firmware, is for the software
> running on the hardware, not for the hardware itself.

Two questions that begs to be asked is:
Is the software useful without the hardware? (No)
Is the hardware useful without the software? (No)

So, it looks to me as though in actual fact it is a single device (software
+ hardware) because it doesn't perform the specified functions. ie, if you
look at the Cisco website for the ATA-186 is reports that it can do all this
neat stuff, but does it mention that some other cisco part number is
required (software)?

ie, Batteries not included is always clearly marked on the box...

Or perhaps, I have a hard drive, it is a 200 TeraByte drive, I'm selling
them for only $50, BTW, to actually operate the drive, you will need to
purchase the firmware, but it is very good firmware, priced at only
$50000...

Just my own thoughts, and I'm waiting for some court who can think straight
about this. Every single computerised toy or component has some sort of
firmware, even my daughters talking doll...

Regards,
Adam