Software Audits

Apple has enjoyed an undeniable stranglehold over the $100+ portable media player market for years now—it's pretty much been iPods and also-rans. The budget realm, however, has never been Apple's strong suit, and SanDisk and other manufacturers make players that outperform the iPod Nano and iPod shuffle. The Sansa Fuze+, an update to 2008's Sansa Fuze ($130), comes in 4GB ($79), 8GB ($89), and 16GB ($119) flavors. One of the Fuze +'s key features: video playback. Design Measuring 3.1 by 1.9...Read Full Story

One of the most controversial tactics the BSA uses when calculating its settlement demands is its practice of unbundling software suites such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. Unbundling occurs when the target of a BSA audit is unable to provide acceptable proof of purchase for one or more installation of a software suite. The effect of unbundling is to dramatically and artificially inflate the monetary component of a BSA settlement because the BSA calculates its fine based upon...Read Full Story

In the universe of software-copyright enforcement programs, Autodesk's may be the most active and vigorous. All businesses - even those not running Autodesk software - should take steps early and regularly to identify and eliminate any software-compliance gaps associated with Autodesk and other software installations. It is common for businesses owners to be surprised by the presence of software on their company computers that not only was unauthorized by company management but also...Read Full Story

One of the most controversial tactics the BSA uses when calculating its settlement demands is its practice of unbundling software suites such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. Unbundling occurs when the target of a BSA audit is unable to provide acceptable proof of purchase for one or more installation of a software suite. The effect of unbundling is to dramatically and artificially inflate the monetary component of a BSA settlement because the BSA calculates its fine based upon...Read Full Story

The Business Software Alliance ("BSA") and Software Industry & Information Association ("SIIA") work on behalf of their members (the lists of which include Microsoft (for the BSA), Adobe, and Autodesk, among others) to enforce copyrights and the terms of end user license agreements ("EULAs") pertaining to those members' software products. The BSA and SIIA typically initiate software audits against companies in a stated effort to determine whether the software installed on those...Read Full Story