"This software is NOT free for commercial use"
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I've lost count of the number of times I've said this to a user. They see "Free" and assumes it means "Free Everywhere", whereas more often than not it is only free for non-commercial use.
I suspect that a lot of companies ignore this point, and use the software anyway. After all, there is nothing to stop them. I expect they are unlikely to prosecuted, as the software houses are often pretty small (compared with the likes of Adobe and Microsoft etc etc).
I'm talking about things like MalwareBytes and RealVNC that are free for home use but not for commercial use.
How do you deal with this when your bosses or your clients are wanting to use "free" software on their business PCs?
I wish there was an easier way of paying than credit card. Credit card payments aren't easy for me.
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You have to explain to management the licensing terms. You need to refuse to install it just like you would refuse to install a pirated copy of Microsoft Office.
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I've had this conversation several times with the same manager over volume licensed software and software trials. Just because we can install it doesn't mean we have a license to use it.
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Yeah, it's not really a problem for me. Users don't have admin rights and I don't take any crap from anyone. I was just wondering how widespread the use of non-commercial licences in commercial environments is (I suspect it is very common).
Also, I don't find the software companies are always that clear on their licence terms.
It is such a common model. I guess you try and get IT pros to use the software at home, and then they like it so much they pay to use it at work.
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I find it all the time when I first walk into a new client.
If they hire me, it gets removed.
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@JaredBusch said:
If they hire me, it gets removed.
Blimey. How does that usually go? Are they ok about it?
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The users do not get a choice. They usually cry about it.
But I am hired by the owners or president. So I go in with buy in for policy from the top.
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I've found pirated software installed by IT staff before. One was a remote control software http://www.intelliadmin.com/ at the County. I asked about it cause I never could find our licenses for it. He said he though it was free. I eventually found the installer files on it and a keygen & crack along side it. I removed it from our network then of course but they had been doing this for 3-5 years with this software and others.
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But yes, I've found free for home use only software and always removed it.
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Licenses like that always make me think it's a sort of challenge, where I think "try and stop me!" But I actually don't use much that isn't open source, and that's not by some sort of choice, it just ended up that way.
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Our department purchases a lot of insanely expensive one off hardware / software (medical junk). Most of the hardware vendors are really cool about licencing! Having spent 6 figures on their hardware it turns out they are very happy to let you install the software on any number of computers (despite their EULA saying this is a no go)
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@MattSpeller Most medical software vendors make me wonder how they stay in business with such crap, but then I realise it's a niche product, so...
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@Carnival-Boy said:
I'm talking about things like MalwareBytes and RealVNC that are free for home use but not for commercial use.
Quit and report them for me. I won't work for crooks and I feel it is everyone's duty to turn people in when they know that they are stealing form others. No different than telling the cops where the shoplifter ran off to.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@Carnival-Boy said:
I'm talking about things like MalwareBytes and RealVNC that are free for home use but not for commercial use.
Quit and report them for me. I won't work for crooks and I feel it is everyone's duty to turn people in when they know that they are stealing form others. No different than telling the cops where the shoplifter ran off to.
Usually I'm the shoplifter though!
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Try talking to HR about the official policy on this stuff. I bet most HR departments would say that they simply fire people caught intentionally stealing software. Talk to HR in those terms, get a policy, then enforce. I bet this works often if handled through the correct channels.
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@scottalanmiller Depends on the company, a lot of smaller ones steal software like crazy. BTW I do agree with all you said on this, I'm just being a jerk
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@MattSpeller said:
Our department purchases a lot of insanely expensive one off hardware / software (medical junk). Most of the hardware vendors are really cool about licencing! Having spent 6 figures on their hardware it turns out they are very happy to let you install the software on any number of computers (despite their EULA saying this is a no go)
ELSAG was about the same way. They charge a ton for the hardware and normally the software and upgrades but most of the time they'll just send you a zip of the new paid software for you to upgrade the computer for free if you ask them for it.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Try talking to HR about the official policy on this stuff. I bet most HR departments would say that they simply fire people caught intentionally stealing software. Talk to HR in those terms, get a policy, then enforce. I bet this works often if handled through the correct channels.
Good Luck with that when it was the Systems administrator installing pirated software.
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@tonyshowoff said:
@MattSpeller Most medical software vendors make me wonder how they stay in business with such crap, but then I realise it's a niche product, so...
Oh man, I can not possibly agree with you more. The best ones (IMHO) are the smaller niche hardware vendors that bundle software with their product. Never had such excellent support.
Worth the shout outs to:
https://www.racermateinc.com/velotron/
.... there's another one that makes an oxygen mask / bike combo that's also extremely good but I can't recall their name. Not like any of you are going out to buy this stuff but I like to point out the good vendors when I can.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Try talking to HR about the official policy on this stuff. I bet most HR departments would say that they simply fire people caught intentionally stealing software. Talk to HR in those terms, get a policy, then enforce. I bet this works often if handled through the correct channels.
Good Luck with that when it was the Systems administrator installing pirated software.
You go to HR first, don't mention products or names. You get a policy. Once you have the official policy in hand, you deal with the thieves and pirates the same no matter who they are. With a policy in hand, if it is not enforced, HR becomes responsible for the theft as well. As does management - because they don't just allow the theft, they specifically breach their own policy to do it.
It's all about the paperwork.
