[c-nsp] SmartNet coverage on Cisco's chassis-based products

[Justin Shore]

Tony Varriale wrote:
> Are they cheaper once you buy the software license?  Let's not forget, 
> the software license is not transferrable.
> 
> That's a typical oops not only in this method but from 3rd party resellers.

This may be blasphemy here but I'm really surprised that no one has ever 
taken the big C to court on this particular issue because C would almost 
certainly lose.  Microsoft fought that battle against people selling the 
copy of Windows that came bundled with their PC or their PC and OS when 
they bought a new model.  MS lost and set a perfect precedent.  The 
courts found that the Doctrine of first sale does apply to OSs and 
bundled software.  (see Softman v. Adobe)   Just because C calls it a 
license doesn't mean that it actually is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine_(patent)

Not that I want to take on the Big C.  It is something that I've 
wondered about for years.  If MS, Adobe and others were slapped down by 
the courts on this very thing then why not the Big C?

Justin