MPs and IT users angered by the strong-arm tactics of
the Business Software Alliance and the Federation Against Software
Theft have called for an independent body to handle software
licensing and compliance issues.
Liberal Democrat MP and IT spokesman Richard Allan called for a
single, independent body to referee disputes between suppliers and
users. He said users should be able to go to the body with
compliance issues without the fear of being named and shamed.
"That requires a level of independence," said Allan. "It is
difficult when you have industry bodies that are effectively
supplier alliances because they will follow the suppliers'
agendas."
David Roberts, chief executive of the Corporate IT Forum, Tif,
said, "There is a real need for a body that can be seen to be
representative of both the corporate users and the supplier
community."
Roberts said users were "very conscious" of compliance as an issue
but the absence of an effective representative body meant they
ended up trying to do everything themselves.
Last week, the BSA caused outrage in the industry when it claimed
that 26% of business software used in the UK is illegal.
David Rippon, chairman of the British Computer Society's Elite IT
directors group called for the BSA to reveal the research methods
its software piracy figures are based on.
Roberts accused the BSA of "grossly unprofessional" and
"heavy-handed" behaviour. "All it is doing is increasing the divide
between users and the suppliers. It just doesn't help the
relationship," he said.
The BSA, whose members are mainly large software suppliers such as
Adobe, Apple and Microsoft, has a controversial "name and shame"
approach for companies it finds using unlicensed software and
offers cash rewards for employees who snitch on their
employers.
However, BSA chairman Mark Floisand defended his organisation's
figures and its approach. "When an organisation comes to the BSA,
we have a 'no prosecution' rule and we will provide compliance
help. Come forward, put your hands up and you won't be prosecuted,"
he said.
Earlier in the year, IT user groups criticised rival organisation
the Federation Against Software Theft for using scare tactics to
get company board members to attend its events.
Computer Weekly comment: It is time for a new
approach
The Business Software Alliance and the Federation Against
Software Theft have become an anachronism for most IT users, who
are tired of being called software pirates while being sold
poor-quality, difficult-to-manage software by licensing body
members.
No one will deny that software licensing and compliance are
serious issues but it is hard to see how these two bodies will ever
improve matters with the current breakdown of trust on both
sides.
Earlier this year both Fast and the BSA were criticised for
sending users correspondence claiming they might be non-compliant
and warning company directors that they faced up to 10 years in
prison and unlimited fines if their firms were found to be using
illegal software.
The BSA also "names and shames" companies it finds using
unlicensed software and offers cash rewards for employees who
snitch on their employers.
In fact, neither body has any legal powers and organisations
such as Tif advise users to ignore any correspondence from
them.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the two bodies do
not recognise one another, so working towards accreditation by one
will still leave you open to accusations from the other.
Ultimately, if the BSA and Fast really want to improve the
situation they should step aside and support the creation of a
single, independent body that represents users as well as suppliers
in a constructive manner. Fear, uncertainty and doubt tinged with
harsh recrimination has been proved not to work - it is time for a
new approach.