Waging War on Business

[Derek Neighbors]

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On Sun, 2003-03-02 at 21:44, der.hans wrote:
> Am 12. Feb, 2003 schw=E4tzte Voltage Spike so:
>=20
> > If I were to run a business, why should I have to expend significant
> > amounts of money to track my software purchases?  If <company> wants to
>=20
> Because that's the price of using them. Why should a transit spend lots o=
f
> money on gas for their busses? Because they don't work without fuel. When
> dealing with proprietary software vendors tracking the software is part o=
f
> the cost of administration. You need to track it anyway for tax purposes.

In a similar way, to build on another analogy.  Why should you have to
expend tons of hours to ride on airplanes?

> > prosecute me for copyright violations, shouldn't the burden be on
> > <company> to provide proof of my wrongdoing?
>=20
> Yes, it should be. Software licenses tend to include the customer giving
> away that right. It's like making a plea bargain agreement before committ=
ing
> a crime.

Why should you subjegate you self to having your vehicle, your person
and your personable luggage searched and possibly seized when you have
done nothing wrong or even shown signs that you have done soemthing
wrong?  Just to travel on an airplane. ;)

Again, like Hans states.  No one forces you to ride on airplanes.=20
Likewise no one forces companies to enter into unfavorable EULA
agreements that have them surrender their rights.  Those that do, have
no right to complain.

> > Suppose I run a tight ship and follow every procedure that the BSA
> > requires.  Do you honestly think that a BSA is going to be free?  First=
,
> > you must determine if you trust the BSA enough to allow them access to
> > your computers, networks, and probably very confidential data.  If a
> > customer's private data leaks out as a result of the audit, who do you
> > think is going to be sued?  Second, there is obviously going to be some

Agreeing to most EULA's now a days gives vendors access to your
coputers, network and confidenital data.  The BSA likely is the least of
your concerns in this regard.  Those are the breaks when you can't see
the code. ;)


> > downtime while the audit takes place.  If nothing else, you are going t=
o
> > have to dedicate employees to working with the BSA contractors.
>=20
> Yup. Part of the cost of using software under those licensing terms.

It really boils down to 'no one is forcing business to use this
software'.  I think the BSA might be one of the greatest allies Free
Software has seen.  I wish they would bust every business that currently
is infringing on copyright.  It would wake a lot of people up.

--=20
Derek Neighbors
GNU Enterprise
http://www.gnuenterprise.org
derek@gnue.org

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