back to article BSA nabs Chester MS software pirate

A label company near Chester has handed over £24,800 after it was caught by the Business Software Alliance using unlicensed copies of Microsoft Office. The BSA was contacted by a whistleblower who asked them to investigate the company. Disgruntled ex-employees are a common source of BSA tip-offs. System Labelling Limited was …

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  1. Hayden Clark Silver badge
    FAIL

    Let me be the first to say

    ... LibreOffice! (or OpenOffice, which would have been the current version at the time of the cock-up)

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Why Agree

    Despite the fact that they send letters phrased as though they were the FBI, the BSA have no right to come onto your premises without permission.

    So if you are *knowingly* using unlicensed software, WTF would you let them conduct their audit?

    1. OSC
      Linux

      IANAL either

      If an organisation has reasonable suspicion that you have counterfeit goods on the premises (e.g., a whistleblower) then they can talk to Trading Standards.

      And Trading Standards do have right of entry

      Personally I'd take the Ernie Ball route: http://news.cnet.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html

  3. Mike Shepherd
    FAIL

    False economy

    "Michala Wardell, Chair, BSA UK Committee, said the case showed that using unlicensed software was a false economy".

    It's not clear that the case demonstrates this. Most who people who use "unlicensed" software get away with it, so the question of whether or not it's "economical" to do so rests on the advantage of not paying against the possible cost of getting caught.

    Wardell's statement is little more than an advertisement for her organisation.

  4. James Pickett

    Registration?

    Excuse the naivety, but doesn't Office 'phone home' to register itself? Perhaps the EU could insist on an 'Office choice' icon to list the alternatives...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @James Pickett

      MS Office isn't free and it isn't bundled with Windows, so there would be no requirement to offer any alternatives.

      I know you tend to get a 60 day taster but that is not quite the same thing as what happened regarding browsers.

  5. exexpat

    They can use an Anton Piller order to raid a premises without warning

    The BSA have used this before

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Piller_order

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