Microsoft to Get Tough on License Dodgers

An anonymous reader writes "PC Advisor reports that Microsoft is going to start getting tough with certain small business customers. They are going to examine their small customer license database — any discrepancies and it will call you for an audit. If you refuse it will send in the BSA and the legal heavies. "

Comments

Gets Tough?

[Adambomb]

Initial notice, followed by three written notices prior to any intrusive action? I'm sorry but this does not seem unreasonable nor tough to me. Anyone in the small business league at present SHOULD be adhering to any and all licensing necessary for the software they are using TO PRODUCE A PROFIT. If they aren't, well they best not try to expand beyond the term small business at any time in the future...

Flames as follows:

Re:Gets Tough?

[DM9290]

"Anyone in the small business league at present SHOULD be adhering to any and all licensing necessary for the software they are using TO PRODUCE A PROFIT. If they aren't, well they best not try to expand beyond the term small business at any time in the future..."

And if they ARE adhering to any and all licensing necessary for the software they are using, should they still consent to an audit just to put Microsoft's mind at ease?

You are very presumptuous to assume that anyone who is complying with the law would not be offended at needing to PROVE it. If I am expected to trust you to examine my physical private property with nothing other than your word of honour that you aren't going to screw around with it, then you should be willing to accept my word of honour that I am not screwing around with your intellectual property.

And if you aren't willing to accept my word. then too bloody bad. Because my actual private property rights on the physical computer system TRUMP your speculative theory that it is illegal for me to buy 100 computers without buying 100 client licenses of microsoft windows. Obviously I'm using the computers for something OTHER than your software. Until such a time as the law says a person is required to buy quantities and ratios of software as decreed by microsoft, microsoft has no power to compell anyone to comply with such an audit. And threatening that a person will suffer some kind of negative consequence if they don't wave their rights to privacy is extortion, plain and simple.

Does BSA give refunds for overlicenced software?

[Anonymous Coward]

I work at a company that primarily uses Linux for all development.
But all boxes even those that have only Linux installed still have Windows license stickers on them.
Will the BSA give a refund? Perhaps the refund can go to a charity, like EFF?

Re:Cringely

[shark72]

"BTW, why is it that software is the only product where supply and demand and mass production rules don't apply? Everything else that is mass produced comes down in price, software stays the same or gets more expensive."

Lots of people don't understand the "...and demand" part. Sure, lots of us would like Adobe or Microsoft to sell software for five bucks, and perhaps many of us would only pay five bucks for the latest wares from Adobe or Microsoft. But if there is sufficient demand at a higher price, that's the price at which they will sell it.

Many folks (at least here on Slashdot) think that the ideal point on the supply/demand curve is the point where the product has the most customers. The reality is that it's at the point where the company makes the most profit. Finding this point on the curve that works for your business means understanding the market size, knowing who you want as your customer, and who you don't want as your customer.

More to the point: PhotoShop is $650. Enough people want to buy it at that price to allow Adobe to have a really nice building -- you should see their lobby! Sure, The Gimp is free. But even at free, it's not good enough for a critical mass of users. Lots of Slashdot armchair economics experts don't get this; they parrot the "supply is infinite thus value should be driven to zero" nonsense. Meanwhile, Adobe continues to do quite well selling a few bucks' worth of CDs at $650 a set, while you will have to look far and wide to find any serious designer who's foregone PhotoShop in favor of The Gimp.