Software licensing
Software licensing can be a contentious and complex area for IT managers, but is essential to getting value from your software investments. While new models such as software as a service (SaaS), open source and freeware offer new ways to source software, auditing and compliance for your existing software estate remain an important part of IT governance. We analyse the latest trends in this important field.
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News
30 Apr 2025
FCA wants ‘safe place’ for finance firms to test artificial intelligence
Financial services regulator proposes artificial intelligence testing environment as part of its AI Lab Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2025
Fujitsu UK staff will get bonus despite Post Office scandal fallout
Employees will receive bonuses as Fujitsu UK reaches sales target - suggesting that its pause on bidding for public sector business has had limited impact Continue Reading
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Photo Story
23 Dec 2013
IT at the WWF Living Planet Centre
WWF’s Living Planet Centre is one of the greenest buildings in the UK and aims to demonstrate to the public using technology how it is possible for people to live in harmony with nature Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Dec 2013
User acceptance testing needs real training, not just a short course
In spite of its importance, user acceptance testing (UAT) is often chaotic, problematic and ineffective Continue Reading
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Photo Story
16 Dec 2013
System Mechanic 12 Review
Computer Weekly reviews the System Mechanic 12 designed to keep your PC running at top speed and free from unwanted files. Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2013
700,000 benefit claimants miss out on Universal Credit deadline
The secretary for work and pensions has admitted the Universal Credit benefit scheme will miss its 2017 deadline Continue Reading
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News
04 Dec 2013
Microsoft changes its licensing terms
Microsoft is offering a single Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) to simplify its volume licensing agreements. But what does it mean to SAM? Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Nov 2013
Software testing and code quality
In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide looks at software testing and code quality, and examines how to test effectively when using agile development. We find out about the latest techniques to defeat SQL injection attacks – a method of hacking that has remained undefeated for 15 years. And we talk to two European financial services firms about how they have used data analytics to improve customer response. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2013
Software licensing: SAP terms and conditions are not above European law
The district court of Hamburg has ruled against SAP over its case against a German second-user software reseller Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2013
Software licences drive Oracle revenue, but hardware takes a hit
A drop in hardware sales dragged down Oracle’s revenue in its Q1 financial results, but software revenue increased Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2013
CW Enterprise Software case studies
Brian McKenna presents 6 case studies on enterprise software drawn from the winners of Computer Weekly's European User Awards. Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2013
A CW buyer's guide to software asset management
Computer Weekly looks at best practice for software asset management in this 10-page buyer's guide. Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2013
SAP user groups welcome 'partial termination' licensing changes
SAP customers can now partially terminate licenses and will not be required to pay maintenance on unused licenses Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jul 2013
Best practices in software asset management for a flexible, resilient IT
Managing software assets is vital in order to maintain a highly flexible and up-to-date IT platform and more importantly remain compliant Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2013
Interview: Government CTO Liam Maxwell
Government CTO Liam Maxwell has driven Whitehall’s IT agenda for years, previously as deputy government CIO and director of ICT futures Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2013
Adobe moves to cloud-based subscription model
Adobe has announced that it is to introduce a cloud-based subscription model for popular applications, including Photoshop Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2013
Microsoft reports strong quarterly results for all divisions
Microsoft reported profit of $6bn for the past quarter, up 17% from a year ago, despite a mixed response to Windows 8 and a decline in PC sales Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2013
IT rationalisation must be combined with layoffs for long-term savings
Long-term IT cost reduction requires more than just server consolidation and cuts to software licences, says Gartner Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Apr 2013
Windows XP end of support: What to do next
CIOs may not wish to carry on running a 12-year-old desktop OS, but thousands of incompatible applications leave many with no choice Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2013
World-Class EA: The Agile Enterprise
Agile is about more than software development, it's a mindset. This report from the Open Group explains how to apply agile techniques and best practices to the enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2013
Are software audits good for your health?
The Business Software Alliance's claim that 90% of all audit letters sent in 2012 were the result of tips from whistle-blowers is a wake-up call to CIOs Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2013
Barclays' Linux programme not a snub to suppliers
Barclays says it is not snubbing any supplier by developing a private cloud infrastructure and using Linux to cut software development costs by 90%. Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2012
Mott MacDonald rolls out Microsoft software globally
Engineering firm Mott MacDonald is rolling out Microsoft products globally over the next year as it moves towards a Microsoft-centric business strategy Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2012
Citrix buys corporate MDM tool company Zenprise
Citrix has bought mobile device management (MDM) company Zenprise for an undisclosed sum to boost its corporate mobile tools portfolio Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2012
Government dips toe in water for single ERP
The government is to test the feasibility of moving to a single enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform across Whitehall Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2012
Case study: End of BMC sponsorship a blessing for Toyota Motorsport IT
Toyota Motorsport went to the market for a new ITSM system when a sponsorship deal with BMC came to an end, and has been reaping the benefits ever since Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2012
Ten killer questions for choosing an HR IT system
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) chose a cloud-based HR system, to manage its 3,700 disparate global staff, on the basis of 10 killer questions Continue Reading
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Photo Story
04 Sep 2012
Windows Server 2012: inside Microsoft's Enterprise Server OS
Tim Anderson takes a look at Microsoft Server 2012, to see whether it is worth upgrading Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2012
Outsourcing IT services: goals and negotiations
Tactical and strategic negotiations are important to businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to the largest enterprises Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Jul 2012
EU court legalises second-hand software
In a landmark decision, the European Union Court of Justice ruled that the reselling of used software licences is legal. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2012
The future of software development: The FT's view.
Jagdeep Singh Bhambra, head of software development at the FT, gives his views on the future of software development, in this presentation for Computer Weekly's 500 Club for IT leaders. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2012
Government slashes SAP and Microsoft spend by £150m
The government expects to slash licence and maintenance spend with Microsoft and SAP up to £150m by 2015, via a framework renegotiation. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2012
Oracle reports strong profit growth
Oracle reported an 8% increase in profits on a 1% increase in sales for the fourth quarter of its 2012 financial year Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2012
Microsoft publishes its response to government open standards consultation
Microsoft has become the first major IT supplier to publish its submission to the government's consultation on the use of open standards. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2012
Microsoft softens July licence blow
Microsoft has lowered the price hike planned for July, but businesses still face paying up to 25% more for their software. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2012
Global software piracy increasing rapidly, study shows
Global software piracy is increasing rapidly in the absence of any effective deterrence, a survey has revealed. Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2012
CW Buyer's Guide: IT Tools
This Computer Weekly buyer’s guide to IT tools shows how you can use software and systems to improve the running of your IT department. Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2012
European copyright ruling good for IT innovation, say lawyers
The top European court's ruling on copyright is good news for innovation, say lawyers Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Apr 2012
Open standards are about the business model, not the technology
Software companies, abuzz with lobbyists and patent lawyers over government open standards, are similar to the record industry 10 years ago. Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2012
Government unaware how much it pays for e-mail services
Government departments do not know how much they are spending on e-mail services, according to research by Computer Weekly. Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2012
BSA fines Coverteam UK £6,000 for unlicensed Microsoft and Adobe software
The BSA has fined power conversion company Converteam UK £6,000 for using unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Adobe software Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2012
NHS trusts to be freed from CSC contract commitments
The Department of Health has proposed a deal with CSC to release trusts in the National Programme for IT from their contractual obligations to use software from the troubled supplier. Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2012
Government launches CloudStore and names G-Cloud suppliers
The government has launched its CloudStore, a catalogue of 1,700 cloud-based, pre-approved IT services now available for the public sector to buy. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2012
Government takes on proprietary software lobby in open standards battle
The government wants to push through open standards against vested interests keen to maintain the dominance of proprietary systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Feb 2012
When X.509 security certificates fail, servers break
Why are X.509 certificates causing computers to stop dead? Continue Reading
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News
30 Jan 2012
Oracle and SAP worst for government ERP cost differences
Oracle and SAP have been singled out as having the most inconsistent prices for ERP systems across government departments. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2012
Software licensing and subscription
This research from Freeform Dynamics identifies the challenges faced by IT departments and suppliers on software licensing, and offers advice. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2010
Government scraps £80m Microsoft licensing deal with NHS
The government has scrapped the long-running NHS Connecting for Health (CfH) enterprise agreement (EA) software licensing deal with Microsoft after deciding there was no business case or budget to renew it. Continue Reading
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News
20 Mar 2007
Symantec says fixing licensing portal top priority
Company officials say help is on the way as fallout continues from the merger of Symantec and Veritas ordering systems last November. Continue Reading