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BSA's Tactics and Motives Questioned

Posted by kdawson on from the shakedown-artist-is-still-an-artist dept.

_Hellfire_ sends us over to Baseline Magazine for a longish article entitled After 20 Years, Critics Question the BSA's Real Motives, which paints the Business Software Alliance in the same colors as the RIAA. "A recent Associated Press story highlighted the fact that 90 percent of the $13 million collected by the BSA in 2006 came from small businesses. Since 1993 the group has collected an estimated $89 million in damages from businesses on behalf of its members, every penny of which it keeps. 'I don't know of a business where you can get away with raiding a customer with armed marshals and expect them to continue to do business with you...' said [Sterling] Ball, who shifted his company to open source software after the raid."

3 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. Re:BSA? by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Their position on homosexual Scoutmasters.

    I mean, this story wasn't about the Boy Scouts, but *when* /.ers are interested in *that* BSA, that's why.

    (To errant mods that have been targeting me for downmods: please have mercy. I will pay your tribute. Just cut it out.)

    --
    Apology to Ubuntu forum.
  2. Re:adversaries by jorghis · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Is there any other realm where the manufacturer demonizes the very people that buy the products that pay the rent? Thats the problem though, they arent buying it, they are pirating it. This whole slogan about sueing "their customers" whenever talking about a big company that owns intellectual property of whatever type seems silly to me. Obviously they arent their customers or the guy getting sued would have paid for the item and not gotten sued.

    And I am pretty sure that if you stole a tv from best buy they would be demonizing you too. :)
  3. Sexist tag by smokejive · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    "bunchofcunts" Wow, holy sexist tag. What gives? Sorry this is offtopic, but it had to be sent. Holy crap. So, I'm to take it that BSA tactics are like those of vaginas? They bleed once a month and are otherwise generally warm and inviting? Oh, but I'm guessing that you meant "cunt" as a derogatory word for a woman. Good job people. Oh, but it was not used in that context? I see. So I can just as well substitute "bunchofcunts" with "bunchoffags" or "bunchofjews" ? Good to know. Keep up the amazing work.