You don’t buy a hunting license though. You pay a fee and the government issues you a license.

That feels like a distinction without a difference. On the other hand, "buy" vs "buy license" is actually a meaningful difference.

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jtbayly 3 hours ago | parent [-]

They both communicate the same thing because they both start with “buy.” They communicate Ownership and collapse to the same thing to a normal consumer: implied ownership of the game. Insisting that the ownership is of the license and it says it on the button doesn’t really help, because no reasonable person thinks that a “purchased” license can be revoked for any reason or no reason at all. Why doesn’t anybody think that? Because “owning” a license implies you actually control it. But a license you can’t control at all means you own NOTHING! Not even a license. So “buy license" miscommunicates in the same way as “buy.”

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jonhohle 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Then maybe is should be forced to say: “Buy revocable license” and require the user to answer randomized multiple choice questions regarding the terms of the license that act in opposition to the purchaser. Collect metrics on wrong answers and if greater than say, 15% of people can’t determine what they are actually handing over money for, fine and require additional clarity.

Or, just flip the tables and say the historical meaning of buy implies transfer of ownership in exchange for some trade. Since the seller no longer owns the items that was sold in the transaction, they have no additional rights that are covered by other areas of the law (such as copyright). First sale applies and if the seller doesn’t provide a mechanism to facilitate that sale, the buyer is free to exercise that right in whatever way they see fit.

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inigyou 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Revocable is an obscure word to normal people. It should say temporary.

	▲	jonhohle 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It’s only temporary if they revoke it.

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pc86 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

And the license is not perpetual. It can expire or be revoked.

Are you suggesting that "Purchase license" is somehow unclear and "Pay a fee and we will issue you a license" is clearer?