|
|
|
14 Jan 2008
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has welcomed the court appearance of a software pirate caught selling illegal copies of his own company’s software via an internet auction site.
As reported by local paper the Derby Evening Telegraph, the pirate pleaded guilty to selling copies of Derby-based software developer AceCad’s own software, which has helped develop London’s Gherkin building and Wembley Stadium’s sliding roof.
He was discovered selling the software – worth thousands of pounds – for just £12 on eBay, by one of his own colleagues who was surfing the internet looking for a present for his girlfriend, according to the paper.
The pirate is facing a potential jail sentence of up to 10 years after Trading Standards officials from Derby City Council raided his home and discovered more than 200 pirated discs. He is due to be sentenced on 1 February.
Najeeb Kahn, vice-chair, BSA, said: “Software piracy doesn’t just affect multi-national and well-known brands – this latest case underlines the negative impact it can have on smaller specialist UK companies.
“Auctions have developed into a marketplace where sellers feel they are anonymous and out of the reach of law. This case proves them wrong.
“The BSA urges Trading Standards to take a tough stance against online sellers who deceive end users and fuel the demand for copied software,” he added. “Revenues lost to piracy - which are currently running at $1.67bn per year - are vital to the success and survival of many local developers such as AceCad.
“The Business Software Alliance works alongside businesses of all sizes to ensure that they are aware of the consequences of software piracy, but enforcement is a crucial deterrent. We fully support the actions of AceCad and the Trading Standards Authority in taking this to the courts,” Kahn added.
Further Reading:
Related articles
In this video find out about the fast-growing Chinese vendor's plans for market domination and how the channel is its route of choice
Find out what gifts Acer has in store for partners for 2012 in this exclusive roundup of its recent conference
CRN's premier networking event is back on 17 May at the Ricoh Arena
Date: Thu 17 May 2012
Channel fighters preparing to square up once more on 24 May
Date: Thu 24 May 2012
The proliferation of endpoint devices within the enterprise has highlighted the shortcomings of one of the traditional approaches to data security
This Forrester report compares the costs and benefits of legacy email and productivity software with Google Apps
Dave discovers that rozzers are seemingly living in the technology dark ages
Mark Needham, founder of distributor Widget, argues that John Browett leaves for Apple with Dixons in better shape than when he arrived
|
|
|
Do you agree?
Have your say