Companys that use warez or illegal copies of software.

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

daniel1113

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2003
6,448
0
0
All legit at my company, especially since we do get audited. I can't say that every computer is 100% legal, however, we in the IT department have done as much as possible to curb illegal software. Employess do not keep any copies of software, etc. So, the only way to get company software is if an IT employee installs it. Seems to be working so far.
 

Mani

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2001
4,808
1
0
All legit. And with Microsoft software, since we use and ship so damn much of it, we have an open license with them.
 

Gravity

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2003
5,685
0
0
We have schools so nearly all our software is so discounted it's a mere annoyance to get legal. We like being legal, there's always that disgruntled asshat that will turn you in for anything. Now that we have domains and security, no one can install NOTHING!!!

But there's the trade offf,,,,getting those calls, "I can't remember my password or login."

Nice.
 
Dec 13, 2003
80
0
0
The last company I worked with had legal copies of everything, even Windows and Office (which _everyone_ pirates). They were using Linux on a bunch of machines, though, so license compliance on those is kind of a given.

I do tech support for a local church (sort of a volunteer thing), and they warez everything except for one piece of software (a poorly-written VB / Access app that contains their membership database). They have a warez copy of 2000 datacenter server and Citrix Metaframe XP on a central server (wonder how that got there, considering that I set it up for them? :) ). They can't exactly afford to pay for the software, though, so I don't hold it against them.

Personally, my philosophy is that if I use the software to make money, I'll buy it. Otherwise, I usually download it. One of the reasons that I do this is that the cost of buying every app that I used a few times and uninstalled because of { poor UI design | missing features | crashy | doesn't do what I need it to do } would approximate the GDP of a small Slavic nation. When I do look into buying software, I try to go for the educational version, as I'm a college student and don't have much disposable income (Example: Maya 5 Unlimited, which I currently use, is $5999 per seat retail, $899 educational. Pixar's Renderman Artist Tools (PRman, MTOR [Maya to Renderman], slim, it, alfred, irma) is $2000 per seat retail, $500 educational).
 

bernse

Diamond Member
Aug 29, 2000
3,229
0
0
My company makes damn sure everything is on the up and up. When I wanted to install my own (legit) copy of office on my work PC they forbid me to do it because of licensing issues.

Straight as an arrow here.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Finally, someone got fired and they tipped off the BSA. All of the sudden, it was a huge priority to make sure we were compliant.

lol yea, just takes one disgruntled employee to turn you in, and get u huge fines:)
 

Kenazo

Lifer
Sep 15, 2000
10,429
1
81
Originally posted by: DerMonkeyhauser
The last company I worked with had legal copies of everything, even Windows and Office (which _everyone_ pirates). They were using Linux on a bunch of machines, though, so license compliance on those is kind of a given.

I do tech support for a local church (sort of a volunteer thing), and they warez everything except for one piece of software (a poorly-written VB / Access app that contains their membership database). They have a warez copy of 2000 datacenter server and Citrix Metaframe XP on a central server (wonder how that got there, considering that I set it up for them? :) ). They can't exactly afford to pay for the software, though, so I don't hold it against them.


Jesus loves it when you steal..... Don't churches qualify for a not for profit discount on a lot of software? this must be a massive church, or why the heck does a church need Citrix?
 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
3,114
1
0
i worked for one place that thru around autocad like it was free. after i got fired somehow they got busted. ;)

my last company i worked for bought everything. if i thought i needed a program i could just buy it, no req. forms or anything.

JB
 

Rufio

Banned
Mar 18, 2003
4,638
0
0
my old company taht i hate has all illegal software...

how should i bust them?
AHAHAHHA
 

kermalou

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2001
6,237
0
0
before, office and windows was pirated in my office, but with the microsoft partner program, surprisingly everyting here is now licensed.
 

Barrak

Guest
Jan 8, 2001
710
0
81
I worked at a small ISP that had lots of it. They did web development as well and all the software for that was pirated. I now work at a school, it is 100% legit, and we bust people that try and install things they are not supposed to.
 

Ynog

Golden Member
Oct 9, 2002
1,782
1
0
I find it amusing that some companies use illegal software.

Its very expensive for companies to be caught with illegal software
on systems. And the reason most of them are turned in is because
of disgruntled employees. I've yet to meet a company that doesn't
have atleast one disgruntled former employee.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
one of my ex employers is running a tech net sub as a production web shop. If we decide to sue them (breach of contract and Visa law violations) this will be one ace up our sleeves. If it were up to me they'd be roasting now, but my wife is a little more compassionate than I am.

Å
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
6,061
0
0
Sorry for the slightly OT humour...

According to SCO, anyone with Linux. grinning, ducking, running
 

DT4K

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2002
6,944
3
81
Our IT people do their best, but no guarantees.
We do have volume licenses for Windows, Office, etc.
 
Dec 13, 2003
80
0
0
Jesus loves it when you steal..... Don't churches qualify for a not for profit discount on a lot of software? this must be a massive church, or why the heck does a church need Citrix?

Their computers mostly consisted of P100s and P133s running Windows 95 with 32 mb of RAM (64 if you're lucky). One Athlon with a gig of RAM as a Citrix server, and the client running on their computers, is a lot faster - and was cheaper than upgrading 6 or 8 machines. They also get centralized backups (they had NO backups, now they have an Exabyte 8mm tape drive and a daily rotating set), a RAID1 driveset to put everything on, a centralized (and secured) internet connection, and some other miscellania. They couldn't be happier with the way it works.

They had NO IT infrastructure whatsoever when I was called in to set up a network (run the cat5, install NICs, get them on the net). I have since become the sole point of contact for support for the whole church, and help them with all of it - hardware, software, and networking. I don't mind, though. They're great people, and well above the average computer user; I only have to fix something once a month or less.