Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!wuarchive!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!orca.wv.tek.com!nevermore!alanj
From: alanj@nevermore.WV.TEK.COM (Alan Jeddeloh;685-2991;61-201;292-9740;orca)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Turning someone in for software piracy
Message-ID: <10984@orca.wv.tek.com>
Date: 5 Jun 91 16:02:44 GMT
References: <9776X31w164w@spies.com>
Sender: nobody@orca.wv.tek.com
Reply-To: alanj@nevermore.WV.TEK.COM (Alan Jeddeloh)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville, OR
Lines: 34

In article <9776X31w164w@spies.com> bbs.attkcat@spies.com (the attack cat) writes:
>A friend of mine wants to 'turn in' her employer for software piracy.
>
>Some of the copied programs are WordPerfect, Pagemaker, and Harvard
>Graphics.
>
>This is a small division of a fortune-100 company (which has a published
>non-piracy policy that this division is breaking).  There's probably
>half-a-dozen computers involved.

Depends on how your friend feels about being unemployed :-(
Unfortunately, there is very little protection afforded whistle-blowers,
particularly in private industry.

A better tact might be to work within the system.

(1) Find out at what level the software piracy is being condoned.

(2) Write a memo (even anonymous if necessary) to the manager at that level,
    "expressing concern" that the unlawful activities are taking place, that
    said activities are exposing the company to expensive and embarrassing
    lawsuit.  The memo should be coached in terms of protecting the company
    *and the manager involved* from very serious trouble.

(3) Copy the memo to the manager's manager.

(4) If corporrate politics allow, copy the memo to the corporate legal staff.

(5) Wait and see what happens.

    Alan Jeddeloh      (503) 685-2991
    Tektronix Network Displays
    D/S 60-180; PO Box 1000; Wilsonville, OR 97070
    alanj@nevermore.wv.tek.com		T-minus 18 weeks and counting