The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has fined Scottish engineering
company Norson Power £12,000 for using unlicensed software.
The company was reported to the BSA hotline and subsequently found
to be using unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk and Microsoft
software.
Bill Bell, managing director of Norson Power, said, "Rapid growth
and a change in corporate structure meant that our licensing
arrangements weren't given the priority they deserved.
"Having worked with BSA to rectify the situation, we can now say
that we're fully licensed and have set up good software asset
management practices."
The person who provided the information to the BSA is to receive a
£1,200 reward.
Announcing its latest "naming and shaming", the BSA urged
businesses to take a series of basic software management measures
to avoid falling foul of the law. These include:
- Setting up an effective software purchase procedure
- Taking inventory of your software assets
- Comparing software used to the licences you possess, deleting
software you do not have a licence for, then writing a formal list
of software available to employees
- Monitoring your software by performing periodic checks and
conducting an annual inventory
The BSA urged any organisation with doubts about its legal position
to contact them.
David Strang, head of commercial and IT law at Barlow Lyde &
Gilbert, insisted it was important that organisations take software
licensing seriously and he backed the BSA's list of software
management measures.
However, he cautioned users against approaching the anti-piracy
organisation. "Why would you voluntarily admit you are in breach of
contract?" he asked. Organisations should sort out their licensing
situation, but did not have to "put their hands up", Strang added.