Legal Notice
Last Updated: 04/03/25
Welcome to MiST (Microsoft In Simple Terms). This Legal Notice explains the nature of this website, its relationship (or lack thereof) with Microsoft Corporation, and the legal principles under which the site operates.
1. Independent and Unaffiliated Website
- MiST is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation in any way.
- The website exists solely for educational and informational purposes, specifically to track and document publicly available changes to Microsoft’s licensing terms.
- No Microsoft logos, branding, or proprietary content are used beyond descriptive references necessary for reporting changes to licensing terms.
2. Nominative Fair Use
The use of the word “Microsoft” in this website’s domain name and content is protected under the legal principle of nominative fair use. Nominative fair use applies when a trademarked name is used only as necessary to identify the subject of discussion, without misleading users or implying endorsement.
This website meets the legal criteria for nominative fair use because:
- There is no reasonable alternative to identify Microsoft’s licensing terms without using the name “Microsoft.”
- No endorsement or affiliation is implied, and multiple disclaimers are in place to make this clear.
- Only the name “Microsoft” is used where necessary to describe the licensing terms being discussed, and no attempt is made to mimic Microsoft’s branding, logos, or proprietary content.
This approach is in line with long-standing legal precedents for fair use in cases where the name of a company or product must be referenced to provide factual, non-commercial information.
3. Measures Taken to Avoid Confusion
To prevent any possibility of users misunderstanding the site’s purpose or mistaking it for an official Microsoft resource, the following safeguards have been implemented:
- Branding Distinction: The website is branded as “MiST”, not “Microsoft In Simple Terms,” ensuring that the name is not prominently associated with Microsoft’s brand identity.
- Legal Disclaimer: A clear, persistent disclaimer appears upon the first visit to the website, explicitly stating that MiST is an independent resource with no official connection to Microsoft.
- Recurring Acknowledgment: Users must reconfirm the disclaimer every 30 days to ensure continued awareness of MiST’s independent status.
- No Commercial Activity:
- The website does not sell Microsoft products or services.
- There are no advertisements, licensing consultancy services, or financial incentives related to Microsoft.
- The content is provided entirely for informational purposes, without any commercial benefit derived from Microsoft’s name.
- Strictly Factual Content:
- The site does not provide licensing advice but simply presents factual updates about changes to Microsoft’s publicly available licensing terms.
- All information is sourced from publicly accessible Microsoft documentation.
4. Trademarks and Copyrights
- Microsoft®, Windows®, Azure®, and all other related trademarks are the property of Microsoft Corporation.
- MiST does not claim ownership of any Microsoft trademarks or copyrighted materials.
- Any references to Microsoft products, services, or licensing terms are made solely for descriptive purposes in accordance with nominative fair use principles.
5. External Links
- This website may include links to official Microsoft licensing pages and other third-party websites.
- These links are provided solely for reference and convenience.
- MiST has no control over the content, accuracy, or availability of these external sites.
6. Limitation of Liability
- MiST is an informational resource only and does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided.
- Users should always verify licensing details directly with Microsoft via Microsoft’s official licensing terms.
- MiST is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information presented on this website.
7. Changes to This Legal Notice
- MiST reserves the right to update this Legal Notice at any time.
- Any changes will be posted on this page with the updated date at the top.
- Continued use of the website after changes means acceptance of the updated Legal Notice.
8. Contact Information
For any questions regarding this Legal Notice, please contact: