Germany has just decreed that you cannot sell used software licenses. You might ask why I care - sustainability wise, there's really no real cost to producing the copy again. Aha, that is true, but this ruling and others like it will tend to push the consumer into buying the latest version of the software, and I think that might be an unsustainable thing. For example, do I really need the latest version of Photoshop, or can I get by with version 6? Is word 2005 a necessity, or can I use Word 2000? Fact is, these latest and greatest versions require Bigger Iron, which may mean a new computer. Of course, it may also push users into open source solutions as well.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Vickedly Vacky
Germany has just decreed that you cannot sell used software licenses. You might ask why I care - sustainability wise, there's really no real cost to producing the copy again. Aha, that is true, but this ruling and others like it will tend to push the consumer into buying the latest version of the software, and I think that might be an unsustainable thing. For example, do I really need the latest version of Photoshop, or can I get by with version 6? Is word 2005 a necessity, or can I use Word 2000? Fact is, these latest and greatest versions require Bigger Iron, which may mean a new computer. Of course, it may also push users into open source solutions as well.
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