A Look Inside the BSA

die_jack_die writes: "SFGate is running this article about the Business Software Alliance. I'm sure the BSA loves when they get scary stories of their tactics into the press, but this piece does quote the EFF's Fred Von Lohman making the point that companies who don't want to deal with the BSA can always use Open Source software. Most telling quote: 'every cent of those massive settlements stays within the BSA -- member software organizations receive only the licensing fees.'"

Comments

Re:Man...

[PovRayMan]

Back in high school several years ago I over heard a conversation that went something like this:

Guy One: Hey man I heard this IRC channel got raided by the BSA!

Guy Two: What the hell? NO WAY!

Guy One: Yeah totally, like 10 boxes were taken away.

Guy Two: WTF, How can the boy scouts do that?

I couldn't help but laugh histerically at those 9th graders. I was a mean guy :)

Re:mad at the BSA

[Cyno]

But but but... when I break the law I have to break it in front of a cop before they'll ticket me. Does the BSA have to get a court order to "raid" a legitimate business or do they already have the full support of my government to "raid" anyone they choose based on their secret evidence? Secret evidence is good enough for the US government. It doesn't make sense to me that software companies breaking the law get fined instead of completely shutdown. If breaking the law is really so bad then shouldn't the punishment fit the crime? Why should stealing lying corporations be allowed to exist? Why, then, when Microsoft is called a Monopoly and Monopolies are illegal, does Microsoft get to use services like the BSA and US Marshalls to punish other businesses breaking laws that are just as illegal?
Why?
Can you answer me that?
Why?
Fuck! Everything's against the law, as long as its YOUR law, isn't it?!?!. I hate Americans! God gave them a brain but they just don't think.

I applaud the work of the BSA

[markj02]

Not only do they expose the true costs of proprietary software, their annoying and intrusive tactics actually impose an additional cost on users of Microsoft products.

The BSA should conduct as many audits as possible. If you suspect that someone is using Microsoft products without the proper licenses, I encourage you to report them to the BSA. That's the best thing you can do for open source software. Companies that are 100% base on open source software have a very simple response to the BSA.

Re:Or, vice-versa...

[Pig Hogger]

Aside from the fact that we had to spend money to prove we were good, there is the fundamental constitutional issue. In a US court of law, the burden is on the accuser to prove our guilt. I hate that the BSA's strong-arm tactics have cowed not just companies, but the US citizens working at those companies, who apparently don't understand their own rights. The burden of proof should be on the accuser.

Since when does the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution apply to croporations?

You yankees are so much suckers to the idea that the State is bad simply forgot to take constitutional and legal safeguards against abuse by nongovernmemental entities.

You only get what you deserve.

Re:Entertainment at the expense of the BSA

[rtaylor]

Yeah well... Did you pay Fraunhoffer the money for using the certain opensource mp3 encoders(can't remember which -- my info may be way out of date).

Can you ensure no-one has modified GPL'd code?

Anyway, I only touch (modify) BSD stuff for fear of the opensource BSA which is named Slashdot. Although I don't sell or even distribute any software, strictly in house stuff at home -- but who knows when I'll accidentally send someone a compiled binary and get FSFs BSA equivelent pounding at my door.