Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!helios!inetg1!dprrhb
From: dprrhb@inetg1.ARCO.COM (Reginald H. Beardsley)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Turning someone in for software piracy
Message-ID: <1991Jun5.134053.19749@Arco.COM>
Date: 5 Jun 91 13:40:53 GMT
References: <9776X31w164w@spies.com> <1991Jun05.060505.115653@locus.com>
Sender: dprrhb@inetg1 (Reginald H. Beardsley)
Organization: ARCO Oil & Gas Company
Lines: 33


  A minor comment on corporate reality.  It would be much better to collect
a clipping or two about the fines imposed after a raid by the software
police
(I forget who they are, but they do exist)  and forward that to the
division 
manager along with clear evidence of the violations.  If they are not
stupid, 
they will be grateful that they were told in time to fix things.  Causing a
big stink by going outside the organization can make it difficult to get 
a job in the future, in addition to making the current job untenable. 

 Find out who wrote the anti-piracy policy statement and inform them.  Or 
inform coporate counsel.  Anybody is better than the software vendors.  If
the 
person concerned has purchase authority, buy copies to cover the pirated 
copies.  No one will dare to penalize you for spending money to protect the
corporation from a substantial damage award.  They may grouse, but they'll
be 
real careful about keeping their complaints quiet.

  The evils of large corporations are the result of human frailty rather
than
intent.  Because of their immense size, the accumulated incompetence of the
employees can lead to truly bad practices.  It is management's job to 
prevent this if possible, and correct it when they fail.
 
-- 
Reginald H. Beardsley       
ARCO Information Services
Plano, TX 75075           
Phone: (214)-754-6785
Internet: dprrhb@arco.com