Business Software Alliance announces biggest settlement

Source: Exec Digital UK

Date :03/10/2008 11:34:03

BSA has settled with three companies using illegal software, and filed a court order against a fourth.

Today, the Business Software Alliance, an organisation which counts Apple, Adobe, Siemens and Microsoft among its members, has announced details of four different enforcements against businesses using pirated and unregistered software.

A northern-based travel company which used unlicensed versions of SQL Server, Visio, Project, Office and Windows Server, has had to pay a six-figure sum, as well as paying for legal versions of the software, costing an additional £100,000.

In addition, BSA has revealed details of its actions against three other companies in the UK with unlicensed software. One collection services company, alleged to be using pirated copies of Adobe and Microsoft programmes on over 100 PCs, faces court proceedings after failing to respond to a software audit request from the BSA.

Unlicensed software

“We hope these cases serve as an example to businesses that BSA will continue to reinforce the importance of managing their software. The IT industry takes the protection of intellectual property rights very seriously and companies that continue to neglect this area of their business need to be reminded that unlicensed software is not a viable option,” said Najeeb Khan, Vice Chair of BSA’s UK Country Committee.

According to research house the IDC, around 26 percent of software in the UK is unlicensed and therefore illegal. Beyond the penalties that could be incurred if caught, businesses using illegal software will not receive the same support, services and upgrades as licensed software.

Khan stated that the cases illustrate “the high consequences of running unlicensed software to cut costs – clearly a false economy. Not only do the settlements take significant chunks out of the companies’ profit margins, they also send negative messages to staff and customers that these firms are willing to resort to unscrupulous measures to save money.”