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US Military Settles Software Piracy Claims For $50M

Posted by timothy on from the where's-the-bsa-when-you-need-'em? dept.

Rambo Tribble writes "The BBC reports that the U. S. government has agreed to pay software maker Apptricity $50 million to settle claims that the U.S. Army pirated thousands of copies of the firm's provisioning software. The report indicates 500 licensed copies were sold, but it came to light an army official had mentioned that 'thousands' of devices were running the software." $50 million in tax money could have paid for a whole lot of open source software development, instead.

2 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. ha? by superwiz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    $50 million in tax money could have paid for a whole lot of open source software development, instead.

    How would that not be spending tax dollars to compete with private industry? What kind of an ass backwards priority system does this poster have? Take money away from honest citizens at gun point and give this money to their competition? How is this even remotely ethical?

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  2. Re:Oh man by Goody · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think timothy added the FOSS douchebag statement, not the submitter.

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