Waging War on Business

[David Mandala]

If Microsoft had made it possible for a business to control what was
installed on a computer system I would agree with you. However since it
is only the recent versions of their OS that begin to allow a business
the ability to control what is installed by the users I would contend
that Microsoft is as much at fault as the employees that install
packages that the business has no idea are installed.

Yes some businesses do the wrong thing, some do the right, but
regardless all it takes is a single employee to install software that is
not licensed and the business takes the hit even if in all other ways
they did the right thing.

Given that what the BSA does should be illegal and may be in some areas.
Extortion and threats are not good business.

Cheers,

Davidm

On Tue, 2003-02-11 at 17:04, Darrell Shandrow wrote:
> Hi William,
> 
> In some ways, this practice does not seem overly unreasonable to me.  After
> all, stealing is stealing.  Its one thing for home users to do this, but it
> is quite another more serious matter for a business to be using stolen
> software as tools to make money!  If a business is doing the right thing
> with respect to its software use, then there should be no need for amnesty
> or for worries about what a disgruntled employee might say.  Just my $.02...
> 
> Darrell Shandrow - Shandrow Communications!
> Technology consultant/instructor, network/systems administrator!
> A+, CCNA, Network+!
> Check out high quality telecommunications services at http://ld.net/?nu7i
> My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the astronauts lost in
> the 2/1/03 space shuttle explosion!
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "William Lindley" <wlindley@wlindley.com>
> To: "Phoenix Linux Users Group" <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 4:53 PM
> Subject: Waging War on Business
> 
> 
> > How do you spell extortion? BSA, RIAA, DMCA
> > (InfoWorld)  By Tom  Yager January 31, 2003
> >
> > In Dallas , the Business Software Alliance (BSA) is running radio ads
> > offering amnesty to businesses. Confess your companywide software piracy
> > before the end of February, the announcer gently offers, and you'll only
> > have to pay your overdue license fees. That seems reasonable enough, but
> > then the ad turns dark. If you have just one disgruntled ex-employee out
> > there, a BSA spokesperson intones, his call to the BSA could cost you
> > $150,000 for each user it deems unlicensed. One disgruntled ex-employee,
> > one competitor, one vendor that couldn't sell you a license renewal -- a
> > tip's a tip.
> >
> > Rest of the story --
> >
> > http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/01/31/05estrat_1.html?business
> >
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-- 
David IS Mandala
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