Business Software Alliance?

cosgrove80

I got a letter today from the Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) asking me to fill out a "Software Asset Review Form" which in turn will entitle us to a "BSA Certificate of Recognition".

The BSA is backed/sponsored by most the major software companies and their purpose seems to be to find and prosecute people using unlicensed software.

Now I have no problem filling out the form but am I right to assume we have no obligation to do so?
I have no interest in getting one of their certificates and I don't see what business it is of there’s what software we own.

They seem to be using fear tactics to try and get people to fill out the form. It doesn’t say they are working on behalf of the Government but the language used could mislead people.

My only concern would be that not returning the form could be perceived as an admission of guilt.

Has anyone else received one? According to the IOL news site there's a big push on at the moment
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=163266736&p=y63z6744z

Have you any suggestions on what action to take? Is it just unsolicited mail and best to ignore them or do I fill it in?

Thanks

jayok

Basically, you are correct it is a fear tactic that they are using to get people to return the information. The ask some questions like how many employees you have and then how many copies or Word, Excel, etc. Did you notice the primary driver was for MS software? Check the primary sponsor.

Anyhow, the BSA actually has no authority over you with regard to software licensing or usage. There is a legal requirement for the Directors / Owners to ensure softare compliance but unless the BSA has proof of a breach of law they cannot step a foot on your premises or do anything about it. To do anything they would need proof as this needs to be presented to a Judge who them issues a summons for the Gardai, inconjunction with the BSA to do an Audit and find any compliance issues.

How do I know this? Been through this racket with the BSA already. I work in IT and a number of customers of mine were receiving these letters and panicked. After I checked it out all of them discarded the letter and have heard nothing since.

Interestingly, once customer has about €10 million is software assets. They invited in the BSA to do an audit for compliance check and the BSA found that the compliance was out by about €6,000 worth of licensing. Fair enough (as a percentage this represented (0.006%), the BSA throw a wobbler and threated legal action, etc, unless resolved immediately!! The customer was shocked by the response, bought the licenses and threw the BSA off-site. Needless to say they haven't stepped foot there since.

To sum up, discard the letter. If you get any further calls from them say "if you want information from me, get a court order."

OfflerCrocGod

cosgrove80 wrote:

Now I have no problem filling out the form but am I right to assume we have no obligation to do so?

True. They have no authority.

cosgrove80 wrote:

They seem to be using fear tactics to try and get people to fill out the form. It doesn’t say they are working on behalf of the Government but the language used could mislead people.

That's exactly how they work.

cosgrove80 wrote:

Have you any suggestions on what action to take?

Trow it out.

cosgrove80

Thanks very much for the replies. They've put my mind at ease.

dahamsta

I always stick a Linux sticker on mine, then send it back using the prepaid envelope. Might as well cost the duplicitous scumbags a few pence.

adam