| Steep software fines for small biz
A watchdog group for big tech firms reaped $13 million in settlements from North American companies last year. Almost 90 percent of that came from small operations. Associated press WASHINGTON -- Michael Gaertner worried he could lose his company. A group called the Business Software Alliance had written him to claim that his 10-person architectural firm in Galveston, Texas, was using unlicensed software.
The letter demanded $67,000 -- most of one year's profit -- or else the BSA would seek more in court.
"It just scared the hell out of me," Gaertner said.
An analysis by the Associated Press reveals that targeting small businesses is a lucrative strategy for the Business Software Alliance, the main global copyright-enforcement watchdog for such companies as Microsoft Corp., Adobe Systems Inc.
Small business in cross hairs of software piracy crackdown
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael Gaertner worried he could lose his company. A group called the Business Software Alliance had written him to claim that his 10-person architectural firm in Galveston was using unlicensed software. The letter demanded $67,000 or else the BSA would seek more in court. That amount of money represents most of 1 year's profit at Gaertner's firm. An analysis by The Associated Press reveals that targeting small businesses is a lucrative strategy for the Business Software Alliance. That's the main global copyright-enforcement watchdog for such companies as Microsoft, Adobe Systems and Symantec. Of the $13 million that the BSA reaped in software violation settlements with North American companies last year, the AP found that almost 90% came from small businesses.
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