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Why the BSA Is Less Reviled Than the RIAA
Hugh Pickens writes "The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is a trade group established in 1988 representing a number of the world's largest software makers whose principal activity is trying to stop copyright infringement of software produced by its members, performing roughly the same function for the software industry that the RIAA performs for the music industry. Yet, as Bill Patry, author of a 7-volume treatise on US copyright law and currently Senior Copyright Counsel at Google, notes on his blog the BSA is a 'far less unpopular organization' than the RIAA because there are three key differences between the BSA's campaigns and the RIAA's. First, BSA's members have always offered their products for sale to the public, through any channel that wants to sell them. Second, BSA's members are consumer-oriented; they try to develop products that respond to consumers' needs, and not, the reverse: focusing on what they want to sell to consumers. Third, because consumers can easily purchase BSA's members products, those who copy without paying are simply scofflaws. 'I think the fact that the public does not object to BSA's campaign proves my point [that]... people do not want things for free; they are willing to pay for them,' writes Patry. 'It should not be surprising that when consumers are not treated with respect, they react negatively. That's something the software industry learned long ago, and that's why people don't object to the BSA's enforcement campaign.'"
Why should I trust you? You're not even buffer safe.
It's been a long time.
they are one of the most convincing arguments for swtiching to open source. Some people most be tied, and punished, and tortured, till they recognize the good points of switching, and the BSA does exactly that. Why people think they are evil?
Here's the thing though: when Windows XP goes off the market for good, I'll bet there'll be a lot more businesses pirating it, because Microsoft will be doing the opposite of the reasons listed in the TFA: forcing companies to buy their newest product (Windows 7) instead of allowing them to buy what they want (Windows XP).
Here's the really crazy part: Companies will "pirate" XP and then voluntarily turn themselves in to the BSA to pay the fine and have a nice legal license for the software Microsoft won't sell.
Extra humor: If Microsoft refuses to do the licensing and it goes to court, the judge will have a great laugh when the defendant says "We tried to pay, but Microsoft wouldn't accept payment."
they make acoustic strings as well.
Put the pipe down
If I take your lettuce out of your fridge, you are no longer able to eat it.
If I take a copy of an mp3 off your ipod, you can still listen to it.
That's why it is different.
I agree with the grandparent - the devil incarnate isn't as evil as the BSA.
Isn't that what Windows is supposed to enable the functionally illiterate to do?
I have a question to the Little nerd ( most likely Twitter or another Linux dweeb) that has been following me around lately and marking everything as a troll-How in the FUCK is pointing out that WinXP came out before Server 2K3 and therefor doesn't have many of the kernel improvements in 2K3 a troll?
Look, just because you can't even give your "free" OS away doesn't mean that the rest of the free world wouldn't like to discuss other things besides your Toe Cheese eating leader RMS, okay? your product is at 1%, nobody fucking wants it or cares, so either buy a Mac and STFU or go sit in the corner jerking off to your Linus and RMS autographed pics and allow the men to actually have a discussion. Now THAT is a troll, you cock slobbering moron!
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.