Re:Build a better spell checker, win $10,000
by nphase on Thursday December 16, 2010 @04:55PM
(#2013913)
However, by submitting your entry, you: are granting us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license.
They're not saying that only the winner has to grant said license, they're saying that everybody who enters has to grant said license.
It's like 99designs, except in this case, MS gets to take home all the designs instead of just the winning one.
Re:Build a better spell checker, win $10,000
by ugh on Thursday December 16, 2010 @07:30PM
(#2014551)
No you don’t. That was quoted out of context. You grant them the license to evaluate the algorithm in connection with the contest and to use your algorithm for promotion in connection with the contest. This license doesn’t give Microsoft the right to use your algorithm anywhere else.
I agree that $10,000 seems rather low, but you could presumably license the algorithm to other parties. The sucky part is that it appears to apply to all applicants instead of just the winner.