Microsoft Windows 98 Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. law passed in 1998 made it illegal to circumvent technological protection measures on copyrighted software, directly affecting Windows 98 anti-piracy tools?
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
- Digital Millennium Copyright Act (Correct answer)
- Electronic Communications Privacy Act
- No Electronic Theft Act
Correct answer: Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The DMCA (1998) prohibited circumventing copy-protection mechanisms, giving legal backing to Windows 98's anti-piracy features.
Question 2: Under the Windows 98 End User License Agreement (EULA), how many computers could a single retail license legally be installed on simultaneously?
- Two computers in the same household
- One computer at a time (Correct answer)
- Unlimited home computers
- Three computers per licensed user
Correct answer: One computer at a time
The Windows 98 retail EULA permitted installation on only one computer at a time.
Question 3: The U.S. Department of Justice filed its landmark antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in 1998, alleging the company used Windows 98 to do what?
- Overcharge OEM manufacturers for licenses
- Illegally bundle Internet Explorer to stifle browser competition (Correct answer)
- Violate export laws on encryption technology
- Infringe Netscape's software patents
Correct answer: Illegally bundle Internet Explorer to stifle browser competition
The DOJ alleged Microsoft illegally tied Internet Explorer to Windows 98 to eliminate competition from Netscape Navigator.
Question 4: An OEM version of Windows 98 differed from a retail license primarily because it was:
- Transferable to any new computer the original buyer purchased
- Permanently tied to the original hardware it shipped with (Correct answer)
- Licensed for use on up to three machines
- Free of EULA restrictions for corporate users
Correct answer: Permanently tied to the original hardware it shipped with
OEM Windows 98 licenses were non-transferable and bound to the specific computer on which they were pre-installed.
Question 5: Which U.S. export regulation category restricted the export of strong encryption technology included in Windows 98 to certain foreign countries?
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
- Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (Correct answer)
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
- Wassenaar Arrangement Category III
Correct answer: Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
The EAR (administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security) classified strong encryption as a controlled dual-use item, limiting its export.
Question 6: The No Electronic Theft (NET) Act of 1997 was relevant to Windows 98 users because it criminalized:
- Using unlicensed software for personal, non-commercial purposes involving large-scale copying (Correct answer)
- Connecting Windows 98 to the internet without ISP authorization
- Reverse-engineering Windows 98 DLL files
- Sharing a single Windows 98 license across a local area network
Correct answer: Using unlicensed software for personal, non-commercial purposes involving large-scale copying
The NET Act closed a loophole by making large-scale non-commercial copyright infringement (e.g., sharing software online) a federal crime.
Question 7: Under U.S. software compliance rules in 1998, a company discovered running 50 unlicensed copies of Windows 98 could face civil penalties primarily under which framework?
- The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
- Copyright law (Title 17 U.S.C.) civil infringement provisions (Correct answer)
- The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act criminal statutes
- Federal Trade Commission unfair-practices rules
Correct answer: Copyright law (Title 17 U.S.C.) civil infringement provisions
Copyright infringement under Title 17 exposed organizations to statutory damages of up to $150,000 per willful infringement.
Microsoft Windows 98 Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 2
Which U.S. law passed in 1998 made it illegal to circumvent technological protection measures on copyrighted software, directly affecting Windows 98 anti-piracy tools?