A trade group representing some of the world's largest software
manufacturers launched a programme this month intended to rid
corporate desktops of unlicensed software without the use of legal
action.
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is encouraging companies in
five major US cities to audit their computer systems and identify
any unlicensed software running on their machines. Companies able
to obtain licences on illegal versions of software by the end of
the month will not face any penalties. Penalties for each violation
can typically cost as much as $150,000 (£106,300), the group said.
Called the "software truce" programme, the industry watchdog group
is targeting companies in Atlanta, Portland, Oregon; Kansas City,
Missouri; New York, and Oklahoma City. Bob Kruger, the group's vice
president of enforcement, says the BSA is looking for disgruntled
employees to identify possible infringements and turn in their
employers.
The BSA has launched several investigations into companies that are
suspected of using illegal copies of software programs, often
concluding with costly penalties. A Florida-based aviation
manufacturer called Dayton Granger last week agreed to pay $120,000
to settle claims with the BSA that it was running unlicensed
versions of software from Adobe, Autodesk, Microsoft and Symantec
on its computers.
The BSA contacted Dayton Granger about its possible software
infringements. The company then conducted a self-audit on its
computer system and confirmed it had more copies of software than
it had supporting licences, the BSA said. After settling on a
penalty fee, the company also agreed to delete any unlicensed
copies, purchase replacement software and to strengthen its
software management practices.
The BSA, along with many of the software companies it represents,
such as Microsoft, has aggressively targeted corporations that use
unlicensed software. Software piracy of this kind contributed to
worldwide industry losses of more than $2.6bn last year, the group
said.
The July Truce programme is the fifth campaign of its kind to take
place in the US The first took place in August 2000. The programme
has also been launched in other countries, including Mexico,
Thailand, the UK and Denmark.
To ease the process of identifying unlicensed software, the BSA
makes available on its Web site a free downloadable set of software
tools to audit corporate computer systems.
"If an organisation is not already under investigation by the BSA,
they should take advantage of this," said Debbi Bauman, a BSA
spokeswoman.