Everybody knows that If you resell licensed software on eBay or elsewhere you’re violating copyright laws? aren’t you?

Timothy Vernor, a Seattle eBay powerseller, doesn’t think so. On Thursday, a federal judge in Seattle upheld his right to sue Autodesk, after the California software company prevented him from reselling used copies of AutoCAD drafting software online.

This guy basically makes his living selling items on eBay like a lot of us and in 2005, he bought a used copy of AutoCAD at a garage sale and put it up for sale on eBay. Little did he know that he was in big trouble!

Autodesk filed several Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) notices with eBay, claiming the sale violated its copyright. eBay suspended Vernor’s auction. Vernor countersued, and eBay eventually reinstated his auction.

Autodesk moved to dismiss the suit, but were unsuccessful to say the least. Judge Richard Jones of the U.S. District Court Western District of Washington allowed the case to proceed in his ruling Thursday.

It seems like this is a case to highlight what many of us fear when listing licensed products?

Your thoughts are also welcome.

DesDrec

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