Wait a minute. It looks like maybe we’re having a direct impact on the enforcement industry. Since we started communicating with one another and working to PROACTIVELY maintain software license compliance, both of the independent enforcement groups in the U.S. have begun offering rewards "for information leading to…yadda-yadda”.

Now, in the latest instance of “let’s sue ‘em into submission”, the American softare police have  upped their rewards--for the third time in less than 30 months--to a ludicrous $1,000,000! So? Is this the thanks that the software industry is giving American businesses for having some of the lowest piracy figures in the world? Does anyone out there, besides me, think that this enforcement game is getting entirely out of hand?

Very interesting, Mr. & Ms. Software Publisher Enforcement Company. You're giving away up to a million dollars? This must be a pretty profitable “not-for-profit” business you’re in if you can spare this kind of pocket change for whistle-blowers. Then again--you really aren't actually giving away that $1M unscheduled bonus, now are you? Could it be that the strategic compliance assurance information that we are sharing with business technology consumers is having a solid impact on your bottom line? Do you really have to resort to bribing people with insane reward offers to drum up enough business to pay that D.C. rent?

Let me ask this business intelligence question: As a consumer, if you buy business technology products, why in the world would you even remotely consider purchasing ANY products developed by a company that condones this kind of customer relationship activity? Let’s see… Should I buy product “A” from a smaller software publisher that treats me as a valued customer, or should I buy product “B” from a company that regularly sues its customers?

Keep in mind—I'm not talking about the criminal element that intentionally steals software—I'm referring to the normal business people who make every-day licensing mistakes and are being treated as criminals. (Something like that honor roll 11 year old criminal master-mind music copyright crook who lives just down the street from you.)

I sincerely apologize to any of you who are not fully familiar with the proactive software license compliance assurance programs that I teach. Unfortunately, it seems that my favorite quote appears to be becoming more accurate every day: “When it comes to some members of the software industry, their motto should be ‘Pay me now, pay me later, pay me more, pay me again, pay my friends.’ "

Take a look at the press releases: BSA.org  and SIIA.net

Thanks, Rita Bowman, from SoftwareManagers.org for discussing the topic online. THIS is how we should ALL work together to communicate and change this industry.