roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) (03/18/89)
The place where I work has a problem with pirating of software.
The semi-official word is that it's OK to not only covet your neighbor's
software but to copy it. This goes as far as my being told that we simply
will not buy multiple copies of software for our multiple "public"
Macintoshes. I would estimate that the ratio of purchased to pirated
copies of most commonly used programs is at least 5 to 1.
Anyway, I need advice on two matters. First is what sort of
arguments might I use to convince the administration that pirating is bad?
Arguments of "it's illegal" usually result in "but I don't see what's
*wrong* with it" or "I don't think it violates the spirit of copyright if I
just make a copy to use on my Mac at home", or "we'll never get caught". I
have been asked to set up peoples' new Macintoshes and told, regarding the
software, "no, we're not going to buy a copy, but you won't have to be
directly involved in the copying so don't worry about it".
Of course, the software suppliers don't really make my life easier.
I have attempted to work out academic site licenses with several suppliers,
but either the cost for site licenses are astronomical, or simply not
available. So the pirating goes on.
Second, I would like to convince the administration to issue a
policy statement on this subject. I'm not planning on becoming some sort
of software policeman, inspecting people's disks to find hot copies of
programs, but I think it is not unreasonable for an institution to make it
a clear written policy that software piracy, even if it's not actively
prevented, is certainly not officially condoned. Along those lines, I
would be interested in reading any similar policy statements currently
issued by other places (preferably academic institutions like ourselves).
On the other hand, if people feel that I'm getting all bent out of
shape about something which is not only beyond my control, but beyond my
legal or ethical responsibility to worry about, feel free to tell me that
too (but please be nice about it).
--
Roy Smith, System Administrator
Public Health Research Institute
{allegra,philabs,cmcl2,rutgers,hombre}!phri!roy -or- roy@phri.nyu.edu
"The connector is the network"cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (03/19/89)
In article <3720@phri.UUCP> roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) writes: } } The place where I work has a problem with pirating of software. }The semi-official word is that it's OK to not only covet your neighbor's }software but to copy it. This goes as far as my being told that we simply }will not buy multiple copies of software for our multiple "public" }Macintoshes. ... } } Anyway, I need advice on two matters. First is what sort of }arguments might I use to convince the administration that pirating is bad? }Arguments of "it's illegal" usually result in "but I don't see what's }*wrong* with it" or "I don't think it violates the spirit of copyright if I }just make a copy to use on my Mac at home", or "we'll never get caught". I }have been asked to set up peoples' new Macintoshes and told, regarding the }software, "no, we're not going to buy a copy, but you won't have to be }directly involved in the copying so don't worry about it". The simple answer is that NO argument I've ever seen works even a little bit. Except one: Call Microsoft, or whoever it is that publishes Excel or anyone, and have *their*lawyers* call one of the VPs at your company. Threat of a lawsuit works *real* fast! My experience is the corporate executives are VERY short on the ethics-for-the-sake-of-ethics gene, but "better stop or we'll sue your shorts off" DOES get tehir attention! } } On the other hand, if people feel that I'm getting all bent out of }shape about something which is not only beyond my control, but beyond my }legal or ethical responsibility to worry about, feel free to tell me that }too (but please be nice about it). Well, I'm not all that well liked on this kind of score here at BBN, but I think that being a pain in the ass is, in the large, the better position. I, for one, can't abide the "see no evil" stance. Depending on your relationship with the powers-that-be, you might not have to actually "turn them in": you could, instead, simply *threaten* to, and point out the consequences [that is usually the position I can get away with at BBN, 'cause I'm pretty good friends with enough of the "suits" to be able to get my voice heard... especially if it is warning them away froma lawsuit! :-) __ / ) Bernie Cosell /--< _ __ __ o _ BBN Sys & Tech, Cambridge, MA 02238 /___/_(<_/ (_/) )_(_(<_ cosell@bbn.com
leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) (03/21/89)
In article <3720@phri.UUCP> roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) writes:
< The place where I work has a problem with pirating of software.
<The semi-official word is that it's OK to not only covet your neighbor's
<software but to copy it. This goes as far as my being told that we simply
<will not buy multiple copies of software for our multiple "public"
<Macintoshes. I would estimate that the ratio of purchased to pirated
<copies of most commonly used programs is at least 5 to 1.
<
< Anyway, I need advice on two matters. First is what sort of
<arguments might I use to convince the administration that pirating is bad?
<Arguments of "it's illegal" usually result in "but I don't see what's
<*wrong* with it" or "I don't think it violates the spirit of copyright if I
<just make a copy to use on my Mac at home", or "we'll never get caught". I
<have been asked to set up peoples' new Macintoshes and told, regarding the
<software, "no, we're not going to buy a copy, but you won't have to be
<directly involved in the copying so don't worry about it".
<
< Second, I would like to convince the administration to issue a
<policy statement on this subject. I'm not planning on becoming some sort
<of software policeman, inspecting people's disks to find hot copies of
<programs, but I think it is not unreasonable for an institution to make it
<a clear written policy that software piracy, even if it's not actively
<prevented, is certainly not officially condoned. Along those lines, I
<would be interested in reading any similar policy statements currently
<issued by other places (preferably academic institutions like ourselves).
I've run into the same problem but we *are* planning to do something
about it. What exactly we will do is still being decided. At most
companies that have a policy about this it tends to be of the "illegal
copies of software is grounds for suspension/termination" sort.
There are good reasons to be this strict. If you are caught it is the
*letter* of the law, not the spirit, that wiill be invoked. And since
penalties can run as high as $250,000 for *each* violation you are
guaranteeed to be "dead meat" if caught. And it isn't all *that* hard
to get caught, is it?
--
Leonard Erickson ...!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!leonard
CIS: [70465,203]
"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools.
Let's start with typewriters." -- Solomon Shortjbn@glacier.STANFORD.EDU (John B. Nagle) (03/23/89)
The Software Publisher's Association has a piracy-suppression program.
They will send posters and literature if requested. (No, I don't have the
address handy.)
Lotus is noted for an especially agressive piracy-suppression operation.
On one occasion, a major Wall-Street financial-services firm was raided by
Federal marshals searching for illegal copies of 1-2-3. They found many.
All were confiscated, and Lotus wouldn't sell them replacements. Ground
their operation to a stop for a while. Written up in the Wall Street
Journal at that time, about three or four years ago.
Others with very strong efforts in this area include Microsoft and
Autodesk. A recent effort by these companies to pressure the State
Department into pressuring Brazil into ending legal software piracy
there was successful; piracy is now illegal in Brazil. Taiwan and
Hong Kong are being worked on.
With any of these companies, any advertisement that actually indicates
pirated copies of their product for sale will result in major unpleasantness
rather quickly. Not just threatening letters, either.
John Nagle