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BSA's Latest Piracy Claims 'Shockingly Misleading,' Says Geist

An anonymous reader writes "This week the Business Software Alliance published a new study which purports to estimate the economic gain from a ten percent reduction in piracy of business software. For Canada, the BSA claims that the reduction would create over 6,000 new jobs and generate billions in GDP and tax revenue. But Michael Geist says the BSA claims are based on nothing more than the economic gains from a ten percent increase in proprietary software spending. The BSA now admits its estimate is based on the presumption that every dollar 'saved' by using unlicensed software would now be spent on proprietary software." Glyn Moody pointed out more flaws in the BSA's report.

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  1. Re:The Business Glass Alliance Announces by HungryHobo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Alternatively, I dig a hole in some waste ground without anyone asking me to.
    I work very hard.
    I bitch and moan about how I worked real hard and demand to be paid.
    Nobody pays me.

    Later someone else comes along and puts water in the disused hole and starts using it for a swimming pool.
    I bitch and moan that I worked very hard and since they're using it it obviously has value.
    Yet still nobody pays me.

    The moral of the story is, just because you work hard, even if what you do has value to someone that does not automatically entitle you to payment.