Before we get to reader comments about the Business Software Alliance, what I like to call the Bully Software Alliance  (see: The software protection racket, Part 1 & Part 2), let me highlight what Microsoft had to say about proving your software legal. When Microsoft cancelled - with two hours notice - a phone interview with an executive coordinating with the BSA, the company tried to blow more smoke: "We understand the importance of dated documents for customers, but believe that the BSA does not use a receipt as a proof of license." Wrong according to what the BSA told me directly. Receipts are demanded by the BSA during audits or they rule the software illegal, and they say that is based on instructions from Microsoft.

Now for your comments. One regular theme, not surprisingly, is an increased desire for less license hassle by using Open Source Software (OSS). Reader Brandon says, "Move to open source ASAP. Reasonable companies will adopt this new model (check out Novell, for example) and hopefully the crooks will go find some other scam. Google, SugarCRM, Open Office, Firefox .... you get the idea."

The next reader didn't leave a name, but the e-mail address is "Nerd." He or she gets more graphic than Brandon about the possibilities: "So the BSA says that even though I have paid full price for all the software I use, from reputable, official dealers (such as Dell), that I am still guilty of being a software pirate? Why then should I even try anymore? Why not buy from the street corner guy for $5 a disk? The end result, being found guilty, is the same, and getting actually pirated versions would save me tens of thousands per year. My actual solution now has become clearer: accelerate the move to open source for all my clients. Proprietary software companies have crossed the line; when they begin to interfere with and threaten businesses it is time to ‘just say no.’ Echoes of Nancy Reagan seem to fit, since the BSA acts like the violent drug dealers seen in movies when someone tries to push into their illegal action.”

An anonymous reader from Thailand, where piracy runs rampant, sends this long note: ”We operate in Thailand and have assisted a number of customers negotiate with the BSA after they had been raided. The BSA does not send any warning letters here. One day you see an army of people at your door, with a search warrant. The police are there together with a legal representative of the BSA and their Raid coordinator (no kidding, this is the title the guy who runs the show has on his business card).

James Gaskin writes books (16 so far), articles and jokes about technology and real life from his home office in the Dallas area.