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BSA Piracy Study Deeply Flawed

zbik writes "Corante reports that The Economist has blown the lid off the BSA's recent report on software piracy (covered by Slashdot), referring to their methods as 'BS'. 'They dubiously presume that each piece of software pirated equals a direct loss of revenue to software firms.' The BSA has complained that the article is offensive but does not dispute their analysis. Score one for common sense."

26 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. Of course their methods are BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    BSA is the 'BS' Association.

    1. Re:Of course their methods are BS by mangu · · Score: 4, Funny
      BSA is the 'BS' Association


      And the rebuttal they sent was signed by a Beth Scott. It's BS all the way...

  2. OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your Rights Online: The Sun is Hot
    Your Rights Online: Osama Bin Laden Not a Nice Man
    Your Rights Online: Some Politicians May Be Influenced By Money

    1. Re:OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Funny
      Some Politicians May Be Influenced By Money
      Okay, that WOULD be news - I was under the impression it was ALL politicians are influenced by money. Or booze. Or drugs. Or cheap hookers. Or all of the above.

      If you've managed to find some that aren't yet, quick - post their names here. There's bound to be a few lobbyists willing to try their luck in virgin territory.

    2. Re:OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by ErikTheRed · · Score: 5, Funny
      Okay, that WOULD be news - I was under the impression it was ALL politicians are influenced by money. Or booze. Or drugs. Or cheap hookers. Or all of the above.
      Oh yeah? Well, I'm going to make my own political party! With blackjack! And hookers!

      On second thought, forget about the political party and the blackjack!
      --

      Help save the critically endangered Blue Iguana
    3. Re:OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by eh2o · · Score: 4, Funny

      In other news today, the BSA announced they are beginning an audit of The Economist.

    4. Re:OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by Darby · · Score: 2, Funny

      ... his voting record sounds suspiciously like he's a Canadian agent ... :-)

      Wisconsin. Close enough ;-)
      He is actually one of the *very* few members of Congress who wouldn't be a better person with a bullet hole where his face used to be.

    5. Re:OTHER HEADLINES TODAY by tomhudson · · Score: 2, Funny
      Normally, there are not cheap, there are very expensive and they are called "escorts"...

      The thing is: what is more lucrative, to be an escort or to be a politician?
      Politician ... the hooker stops fucking you once you're dead ..
  3. Boy Scouts of America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    But I thought "trustworthy" was one of the parts of the scout law! Was I mistaken? Is there some sort of mix-up here?

    I'm so disillusioned just now...

  4. Why does The Economist hate America? by disposable60 · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you prove the antipiracy studies' use of bogus assumptions, the pirates WIN!

    --
    You're looking for quotes? See my journal.
    1. Re:Why does The Economist hate America? by Raul654 · · Score: 3, Funny

      If you prove the antipiracy studies' use of bogus assumptions, the pirates WIN!

      No no! The pirates are really a front for terrorists. For every pirated copy of Office/Windows/etc, Osama Bin Laden gets $10.

      --


      To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
      --E.C. Stanton
    2. Re:Why does The Economist hate America? by Raul654 · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Something to think about while the gov is pushing for prison for downloading Britney with one hand, while pushing for globalization with the other."

      Going to prison for downloading Britney Spears? You make it sound as if that's a bad thing...

      --


      To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
      --E.C. Stanton
    3. Re:Why does The Economist hate America? by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 2, Funny
      For every pirated copy of Office/Windows/etc, Osama Bin Laden gets $10.

      Shit! Add that to all the money Osama is getting from all the weed I buy and I can understand why the gov cant find him in Iraq.

      He's proably got enough cash to buy his own pocket Universe.

      --

      My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

  5. indeed bs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    if all those people couldn't have found a .torrent of photoshop cs 2, i'm sure they would have bought it...

  6. BSA Acronym by alexhs · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Economist has blown the lid off the BSA's recent report on software piracy, referring to their methods as 'BS'.

    BSA = 'BS' Analysis ?

    --
    I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of killer sig, which this margin is too narrow to contain.
  7. Re:BSA PSed off by Stanistani · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dear Madam:

    The 'BS' in the headline was simply referring to your initials...

    No harm done.

    The use of the word 'Madam' in our letter, on the other hand, is deliberate.

    Sincerely,

    The Economist

  8. Re:BSA PSed off by SirSlud · · Score: 3, Funny

    > The implication that an industry would purposely inflate the rate of piracy and its impact to suit its political aims is ridiculous.

    You're right, to propose that they inflate the rate of piracy and its impact to suit political aims is rediculous. We do it to increase profits!

    --
    "Old man yells at systemd"
  9. Yeah, *RIGHT* by mister_llah · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh come on, like this is even a believable article! Next they'll tell us the RIAA inflates their claims in the same fashion!

    --
    MoM++ - A Classic Expanded - [Master of Magic 1.5]
    http://mompp.sourceforge.net/
  10. A funny scene just came to mind by futuresheep · · Score: 3, Funny
    Bilbo What have I got on my PC?

    Gollum Not fair! It isn't fair, my precious, is it, to ask us what it's got in its nassty little PeeCeessssssesss?

    Bilbo What have I got in my pocket?

    Gollum Sssssss. It must give us three guesseses, my preciouss-three guesseses.

    Bilbo Very well! Guess away!

    Gollum Photoshop!

    Bilbo Wrong! Guess again!

    Gollum Sssssss. Autocad!

    Bilbo Wrong! Last guess!

    Gollum Sssssss

    Bilbo Time's up!

    Gollum DOOMIII!-or nothing!

    BilboBoth wrong!

  11. Re:Does not dispute?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    No it isn't. It's just a contradiction.

    Look, I came here for a good argument.

    http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/sn-python.htm l

  12. Re:BSA PSed off by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > > SIR - Your article on software piracy was extreme, misleading and irresponsible ("BSA or just BS?", May 21st). The headline was particularly offensive. The implication that an industry would purposely inflate the rate of piracy and its impact to suit its political aims is ridiculous. The problem is real and needs no exaggeration.
    > >
    > > Beth Scott
    > > Business Software Alliance
    > > London
    >
    > Dear Madam:
    >
    > The 'BS' in the headline was simply referring to your initials...
    > No harm done.
    > The use of the word 'Madam' in our letter, on the other hand, is deliberate.
    >
    >Sincerely,
    > The Economist

    Dear Economist:

    Your reply to my earlier letter was extreme, misleading and irresponsible ("Madam", June 14th). The deliberate choice of the word "Madam" was particularly offensive. The implication that an industry would purposely inflate the rate of piracy and its impact to suit its political aims is ridiculous. Whether you refer to unpaid sex acts as "open source", "trying it before you buy", or "blocking the auto-updating daemon with a heavy-ass firewall" the threats posed by individuals slutting around, living together, and the signing of marriage contracts are real and need no exaggeration!

    Beth S., Madam
    Bunnyranch Sex-worker's Alliance
    Nevada

  13. Some piracy can lead to direct sales by eric76 · · Score: 3, Funny

    About 15 years ago, I lived in the Nasa area south of Houston for a few years.

    One day I was in a computer store near NASA looking for a software package, but they were all sold out. When I asked why, the salesman said that every time any of the local NASA contractors had a software audit, everyone would rush out to buy legal copies of everything on their machines.

  14. Bullshit? by craXORjack · · Score: 2, Funny
    The Economist has blown the lid off the BSA's recent report on software piracy (covered by Slashdot), referring to their methods as 'BS'.

    Somebody alert Penn and Teller!

    --
    Liberals call everyone Nazis yet they are the closest thing to it.
  15. BSA COSTING LINUS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS! by typical · · Score: 5, Funny

    The BSA's fraudulent activities cost Linus Torvalds over $300 billion dollars yearly in the United States alone.

    Their bogus numbers have caused people to be frightened away from Linux, which Linus *could* potentially be selling for $1000. The fact that he is making *no money* from each copy of Linux used is due to the fact that the BSA has damaged the perception of Linux so much. As a product technically superior to Windows, it should have taken over by now. That's $1000 per person. There are ~300 million people in the United States, counting every man, woman, and child. (We all know that GNOME is simple enough for a baby to use, so counting babies is perfectly legitimate.) Since Linux is upgraded so frequently, people would buy a new copy about annually.

    As you can see, since the BSA is COSTING LINUS TORVALDS OVER $300 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE UNITED STATES THIS YEAR ALONE, we desperately need laws to protect the starving open source software authors that are being victimized by the criminal activity of the BSA. It is crucial that we receive laws to protect these authors -- all companies choosing a non-open-source software product over an open-source software product should be required to annually submit a report with cost estimates and associated usability/compatibility testing as to why they choose not to use open source software.

    No, it's just not the same. We need whatever PR people the BSA has.

    --
    Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
  16. Re:Boy Scouts of Hong Kong... by Drishmung · · Score: 2, Funny
    actually, the Boy Scouts of Hong Kong are now being encouraged to become anti-pirates:

    -- okay, now back to the fallout shelter.

    If a pirate and an anti-priate meet, do they annihilate each other with a release of energy = mc^2?

    I hope your fallout shelter is really deep.

    OTOH, maybe we have (briefly) a wonderful new energy source...

    --
    Protoplasm. Quiet Protoplasm. I like quiet protoplasm.
  17. Re:And so is their letter to the Economist by poopdeville · · Score: 3, Funny

    Mod this guy up. That post was really inciteful.

    --
    After all, I am strangely colored.