The Business Software Alliance

February 7, 2001 12:22 PM

The Business Software Alliance is trying to spook everyone here in Chicago (and other cities) with a major radio ad campaign and mailing. I don't have a problem with their goal, but I do with their scare tactics. Additionally their radio ads, as well as their web site, encourage disgruntled employees to anonymously blow the whistle on their current or former employers. Do we need to encourage unhappy employment at a time in this society when disgruntled employees can easily become violent? Do we need to emphasize disgruntled employees? Or is this a good way to let off the steam before your kettle blows?
posted by Sal Amander (7 comments total)

The ads are quite annoying. Not only do I get to listen to those, but I also received a pamphlet in the mail from Microsoft today basically parroting the BSA's claim.

But I'll say that it's a heck of scare tactic.
posted by hijinx at 12:32 PM on February 7, 2001

This post may not sound as good as it should because Explorer crashed when I tried the "Spell Check" button before. That's the last tyme I tri that.

When I was in Britain in the Summer of '97 I saw posters in London's Underground trumpeting 2500 pound rewards for reporting software piracy. At the time I thought it was strange I never saw something so blatant in America, since that's where most software is sold. But I guessed they were just trying out easy markets first or something. Or maybe the British pirate alot of software? I wonder why it took so long to make it back across the pond.
posted by redleaf at 1:04 PM on February 7, 2001

I hope they don't start going after schools. I know some that rely entirely on pirating to teach their kids in graphic design...
posted by sonofsamiam at 1:06 PM on February 7, 2001

I dunno. It's a little ridiculously overboard like that mock poster: "When you use Napster, you're downloading ... communism!" But I think not paying for software is unprofessional. I had a client I was putting in a new server for, and they whined about buying a license for NT Server. "But we already owwwwwwwn it!" The hilarious thing is, they're lawyers.
posted by dhartung at 1:53 PM on February 7, 2001

Ya for business I wouldn't f**k around. They'll come in and fine you a fortune for each infraction, poke around, and use other Gestapo tactics I can only imagine to bring your business to the brink of bankruptcy if not in it. For personal stuff I think don't it's that big of a deal, even everything on your hard drive came through your modem. They're not going to bother if they can't get any money for the bother. As a matter of personal ethics (?) if I'm making money off using the software I pay for it.
posted by redleaf at 2:04 PM on February 7, 2001

If software wasn't so expensive, people wouldn't have to steal it. If people didn't steal software, it wouldn't be so expensive.

Lather rinse repeat
posted by jennyb at 2:23 PM on February 7, 2001

I've signed more than one contract in which we had to attest (and document) that every piece of software to be used was fully and properly licensed, and in one case they checked up on our documentation with one of the IT guys at that company. As far as I know that's quite normal when the clients are large businesses.
posted by mikel at 2:37 PM on February 7, 2001