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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.

7 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Government Development by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    $50 million could have paid for a whole lot of private sector open source software development.

    If the military had spent the money on development, they might have finished the request for proposals before running out of funding...

  2. Open Source Troll much? by Mitsoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    it could have also paid for the software... and probably be a lot cheaper then $50 million on open source...

    I only say this because there is an obvious 'zomg go open source' vibe to the post... Obviously, it would be nice id governments threw money at open source software development, but then o then taxpayers would probably complain since it doesn't directly benefit them in a way their minds can comprehend

    1. Re:Open Source Troll much? by sjwt · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Spoken like someone who has never dealt with one Government department, let alone two.

      Its *much* worse when you let them get involved in the development, Billions of $ wasted on programs that don't do what they should.

      Here is a nice list of Billions $ in failed software projects.

      http://defense.about.com/od/prodinnovate/a/Government-Software-Project-Failures.htm

      And a nice little one close to home for me, 8 years and 1.25 Billion $ on payroll software.. Thanks IBM

      http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/health-payroll-costs-to-hit-125-billion-20120606-1zvub.html

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  3. Simply not true by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Informative

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

    Bullshit. A government designed website cost over $600 million, for $50 million you only get the committee that argues about the design, and only for a year or so.

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

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

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  6. Consistency would be great by aiadot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Random teenager downloads enough music CDs to fill his iPod -> millions in damage representing the sum of the full price of each song

    US government downloads software on more devices it's licensed to -> get's a 90% discount in the fine and not even a warning