2-4.5合同的形式（form）4.5.1合同的形式与各种类似合同形式A.oralformofcontractItisformulatedthroughlanguage.-Vis-a-visnegotiation-negotiationthroughtelephoneorMSNphoningsystemB.writtencontracta.legalsignificanceofcontractinwritingform-judiciallyItprovidesevidenceofthecontract;-practically,itprovidesclearlymemorableandunderstandableobligations;-certainlawsrequestcontractinwritingformUCC:theamountofcontractforsaleofgoodsover$500Chineselaw:saleofrealestate.b.commercialdocumentssimilartowrittencontractThosesimilardocumentinclude:(1).memo(备忘录);(2).generalagreement（原则协议书）;(3).letterofintent(意向书);(4).preliminaryagreement(初步协议书).（1）.memo(备忘录)-arecordofnegotiation,-non-legaldocument（2）.generalagreement(原则性协议)alegaldocumentbutitneedstobefurtherdetailedinordertobeworkable.Furthermore,theparties’intentionnottocreatelegallybindingrelationdoesnotproducethesameconsequencesunderalllegalsystems.Forexample,underFrenchlaw,theprincipleofconsensualism(协商一致)impliesthatacontractisconcludedwhenapartydemonstratestheexistenceofameetingofminds,withoutanyfurtherconditionbeingrequired.Comment：Frenchlawintendstoexploretheexistenceofthecontractformwhatthepartiesarethinking,ratherthanfromwhattheyhaveexpressedout.(theconstructionofcontract)Thus,theoralcontractbecomesmorejudiciallypractical.ThissortofruleofFrenchlawappliestoanycontractincludingPreliminaryagreementandthusleadtothecontractualobligationsimplybecause,inthecourseofdiscussion,theyhaveexpressedanagreementoncertainpoints.SothenegotiatorsneedtobeexternallywatchfulforsituationsthatcreateunintendedlegalobligationsThebestwaytopreventsuchsituationfromhappeningis:discussC.contractinactionItisalsocalled事实合同inChineseterminology.Thetypeofcontractisformulatedthroughactionsofbothparties,ratherthanbylanguageorbywriting.E.g.thecaseofletterofintentabovementioned.D.electroniccontract(电子合同形式)Therecentdevelopmentofe-commercea.thestandardbusinessmessagethatarebeingdevelopedforbothnationalandinternationaltrade.b.standardprocedurebein