Software enforcement agencies have called on dealers to help clean
up firms using illegal applications before the next round of
anti-piracy legislation is introduced.
Recent examples of corporate users being rapped on the knuckles
include global eyecare company Bausch & Lomb and
Clackmannanshire Council in Scotland, both of which agreed to pay
undisclosed sums to the Business Software Alliance (BSA).
As vendors get tough with organisations using unlicensed
applications, software regulators have identified how legislation
could lead to a greater role for resellers prepared to help
maintain software licences.
Richard Willmott, general manager for the Federation Against
Software Theft (FAST), said as vendors started to track down
illegitimate users of software, dealers should form tight
relationships with their customers.
"There is a lot of opportunity for resellers. They should be
providing legal advice and offering licensing support. Businesses
should not be scared off by a slight price increase if they avoid
the legal hassles," he argued.
Mike Newton, UK programme manager for BSA, said corporates had to
face up to the challenge of cleaning up their software: "We can't
stress enough how important it is for companies to audit their PCs
and tally up the software in use against the licences or licensing
agreements they have."
Things are destined to become even tougher for licence dodgers when
The Miller Act comes into effect later this year, placing the
responsibility of unlicensed software on company directors, not
their IT managers. Anyone found guilty of disobeying the Act could
face a ten-year prison sentence.
On another front, more regulations forming part of the Waste of
Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) legislation will be
introduced into England by 2004.