My previous employer allowed his companies to pirate software

[Deja Q]

And I looked at his website, he puts up a lot of logos.

He is for-profit, which means most of those companies would want royalties to show their logos or pics of their products.

Should I send the dogs after him?

(it's been a few years since I worked for that company though... but he did allow his bigger clients, like insurance companies, to buy one license and pirate it by linking the executables on the networked drive to the 30+ workstations. :spank: )

[UTUSN]

1. Is It Neil Shrub?

Poppy said, "These boys have a right to make a living!"

[getoffmytrain]

2. Don't be a snitch.

[Deja Q]

3. Last I recall, his biz wasn't doing any good.

Hiring unqualified people, making them work 10-70 hour weeks (no overtime), no benefits... I hope he's learned since I left. I could have socked it to him on that level.

I won't snitch.

Somebody else will do it, if he hasn't changed. (he's a DINO too, BTW.)

[getoffmytrain]

4. "Last I recall, his biz wasn't going any good"

Bingo! The world has a way of taking care of people like this... karma?

[Lefty48197]

5. If he's a right winger, then turn him in

Since you haven't worked there in a few years, then they probably won't even follow up on your accusation though.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. I am not sure...

But I believe that the Business Software Alliance(A pack of quasi-official assholes if there ever was one...) pays a bounty on these sorts of things.

Check that out, then the decision is yours. Remember: Karma works both ways. There is no free lunch in the universe.

[miss_kitty]

7. Send the URL to the companies. all of them

either via snail mail or through a proxy, if you want your involvement to stop early. Thieves cost everyone money. If you tell the companies who are directly impacted, THEY WILL HANDLE IT, PRONTO. Plus-it'll stop an exploiter of human resources from doing so. He is costing honest people business, and honest people jobs and money. I understand not wanting to snitch. This isn't snitching-it is letting someone know they are a victim of a crime.

You'd want to know if a neighbour was coming over and siphoning gas out of your car every night, or had tapped into your utilities, so you were paying the bill for their electricity and water. Would you consider someone telling you "Joe is siphoning your gasoline and running his house off your utilities" a snitch?

[Radius]

8. I haven't paid for software or music for personal use...

in years. I buy games that I like after I download them and try them to support the coders.

But when I have done contract work for people I always use legal software. I will not install illegal software for a business or person and take money for it.

I work for a large company as a SA and do not tolerate software theft. It will earn you instant termination at most companies.

Some products allow you to link to a network install legally, most do not. When you run a business you are responsible for following the rules. He is exposing his clients and himself to legal action. Adobe, Microsoft, and other business software tools are very specific in their agreements.

Fuck him, BSA will give him time to comply and buy the software. If he does not comply they will sue him. They will not break your fingers.