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Is the BSA "Grace Period" a Scam?
An anonymous reader asks: "I work at a small non-profit that has 18 employees plus a 13 seat computer lab. We received a form letter from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) telling us to do a self audit and if we find any unlicensed software to report it during our 'Grace Period' because 'if you organization's software is not licensed, it could become to focus of a BSA investigation'. Now this is obviously a method to scare up some business for the BSA members. If we ignore this, how likely is it that we will be 'investigated'. I know that I cannot produce the original CD's and/or documentation for some of the software that we HAVE paid for."
They are just copying what Jessie Jackson does to 'help pressure' companies into handing protection money so 'bad' PR is not generated.
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First things first: any MS shop with any sense and more than 5 employees would do well to invest in an open license. An open license is an agreement between you and MS in which you are given licenses at a slightly discounted price based upon the volume and general expense of those items you purchase.
When you purchase an open license for say, an OS, you do not receive any media whatsoever. You will have to purchase a media pack that will come with a simple reg key. This is the reg key that you will can and should use on your OS installations (assuming you don't just mirror them like everyone else does).
As for the "University that got sued for millions" because they didn't have an unique license # on each machine. I don't buy that story in it's current incantation. I think you either heard it wrong or plain old don't know what you're talking about. Regardless, anyone here can find this information out on MS' Open License web page or by calling a large software reseller (CDW is friendly about this) and asking to speak to an open license rep.
Cheers,
-- RLJ
A.) Of course you don't mind posting your name and address. The BSA isn't about to come after you. What could they possibly confiscate -- your TrapperKeeper? Your dad's rusted-out pickup truck? Your mommy's diaphragm? Please. They're looking for adults, with assets...not acne-ridden children who chuckle at their Slashdot witticisms in an attempt to forget having their lunch money beaten from them at recess.
B.) A police officer "cannot" look in your trunk? Why don't you try telling him that when he tries, big fella? News flash: The law says that improperly discovered evidence may be refused admittance into a court record. It does NOT say you can do jack shit about it when Officer Soviet decides to rape your civil rights in the breakdown lane on Route 56. Sure, you can have a good laugh about it when the judge tosses your case, three months down the road...but in the meantime, you've had your car impounded, spent the night in jail, appeared in court a half-dozen times, and paid $X in lawyer's fees. Cry about it all you want. "Tough break" is what the judge'll tell you. "Dismissed!!"
C.) Just because a couple of dumbass moderators who probably play even more XBox than you decided that your witty little pseudo-rebellious bullshit was worth modding...please, don't take that as encouragement. LEARN a thing or two before you go shooting off your ignorant little lips, next time. God forbid some equally-uneducated moron reads your comment, wrongly assumes you know what the fuck you're talking about, and decides to make a belligerent ass of himself. Giving shitty advice, as you have done, at best, proves your own idiocy. At worst, it can really cause some problems for some other poor, foolish soul. Have some pity for the stupid, kid...you just may discover that you're among them.