The danish newspaper Boersen has a story today about a company which has been fined 1,2 mill. DKK for using pirated softwaere for several years. The company – Bjarne Ingels Group – has about 70 architects drawing all kinds of neat things – using illegally installed software. The company had no restrictions on who could install what on the company computers and there has been no management of the softwarelicenses. What makes me wonder is how anyone can be so blind that they do not consider whether a CD-rom without label or authentic packaging is legal? Bjarne Ingells says the the company has been living in a state of blissful anarchy which has stimulated creativity – also when it comes to installing new software.Â
Bjarne Ingels urges his colleagues to go thru their licensed to ensure that they do not end up in the other end of a call from the BSA.Â
I remember that I once saw a product pamphlet at work describing how Deloitte could help companies getting their IP in order and I thought: Who doesn´t keep track of their software licenses….thats a basic thing. Well now I know who.Â