Appeals court rules some software can't be bought

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court has ruled computer software programs can't be resold under widely used licensing agreements that handcuff the program's original buyer.

Some lawyers believe Friday's decision by U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will have a chilling effect on the used software market.

There are also fears that book publishers, music labels and movie studios will try to come up with their own licensing agreements to restrict the rental or resale of their copyrighted material.

The case revolves around how broadly software makers can enforce their copyrights when they license their programs.

The 9th Circuit's ruling overturned a lower court's decision in a case pitting online merchant Timothy Vernor against software maker Autodesk Inc.