Last week we wrote about OpenOffice’s new sales technique: “Your copy of Microsoft Office might not be legitimate, rather than risk a BSA audit, switch to OpenOffice to be safe.” Well, it appears that wasn’t far from the truth…
Computer World – May 08, 2006:
It’s bad enough when Microsoft strong-arms other software vendors into submission as a means of thwarting competition. But when it engages in underhanded tactics to intimidate users in order to land a software deal, we have a very disturbing situation on our hands. And someone needs to have the guts to speak out about it.
Fortunately, someone has. Last week, Dale Frantz, CIO at Auto Warehousing Co., brought to my attention an alarming business practice that shows Microsoft at its shoddy and arrogant worst.
AWC was contacted several weeks ago by Janet Lawless, a software asset management engagement manager at Microsoft, who claimed that “a preliminary review of [AWC’s software licensing] information indicates that your company may not be licensed properly.” Lawless urged AWC to “understand that the potential inconsistency in licensing is an urgent matter and needs immediate attention.” She wanted to send a consultant to AWC to conduct an inventory of its installed software.
The fact is, if Microsoft really has reason to believe that a company is using unlicensed copies of its software, it sics the Business Software Alliance on the company. It doesn’t turn the matter over to one of its sales managers.
This is exactly the type of behavior that made Ernie Ball switch to Open Source software!
If a business doesn’t invest in the software it requires to make money then it is only appropriate that they receive a fine. The BSA are usually tipped off by disgruntled ex-employees, either that or the pirated copies are allowed to phone home with an IP address, so it is most likely they have a good reason to investigate in most cases. Microsoft, as much as I dislike them, have taken a zero tolerance approach to dealing with piracy which is understandable. The fact that it is motivating businesses to use open source software is absolutely fantastic!
Mac or Linux, Windows is just a sophisticated virus compared.
How does the BSA get to audit a company?
AB CD — don’t you know how to Google anything?
Reminds me of Gates famous letter to the Homebrewed Computer Club over DOS. There is no reason for a copy of Office costing nearly $500. That’s why there is so much piracy. To long has MS driven the market, it’s time for the market to drive them. These large corps should collectively tell MS what they will pay, and be willing to ditch them if they balk. Office has a monopoly that needs to be broken.
RTaylor, No company of much size is paying $500 for a copy of office. When you negotiate a licensing contract with Microsoft you pay much, much less.
dD, The problem is if a company “invests” in a Windows license for every desktop but an MS-Office licence for only half, using the free OpenOffice on the others, Microsoft assumes you are piriting MS-Office on half of your computers because your Windows licenses don’t match your Office licenses. The point is Microsoft is using the threat of an audit to get companies to buy software they don’t need and don’t want. I call that extortion.
The Gates complaints were about MS-BASIC NOT DOS!
Ben, fair point didn’t read into it like that… I agree with you about the extortion aspect. Businesses should move over to Linux anyway, Vista look set to be a catastrophy in terms of basic system requirements. If you’re administering databases, doing emails and writting letters, you should not need an SLI rig with 4 gigs of ram. If yu really need eye candy, use OS X (which I personally use and highly reccommend) but Linux is probably a better choice for businesses.
“I couldn’t have grown my business without Microsoft,” he said. “Now I can’t run my business with Microsoft.”
Micro$oft is cutting off its nose to spite its face. Vista will sell, but not as well as if M$ acted in a more consumer friendly manner.