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Is the BSA "Grace Period" a Scam?

Posted by Cliff on from the examining-shady-practices dept.

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."

3 of 794 comments (clear)

  1. Knock, Knock... who's there? by ackthpt · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Honestly, I don't think the BSA, without some credible insider information, or digging through your garbage, has any right to come barging in. I have yet to hear of them actually doing so. For the most part businesses and organizations voluntarily grant them admitance. As it proves to be a nuisance, in the case of Arlington, VA etc. Who in their right mind would allow these clowns in, to interfer with business and potentially find software which no license can be found for? (Not that it could be proven it wasn't bought at one time.)

    If I'm clean, and I know it, I'd blow them off.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  2. Its not a scam... by some+damn+guy · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It's an idle threat!

  3. The BSA... by micro_SUXX · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ...is a scam.