AfterDawn: News

FAST recovers £1.4 million in July

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has set a new record by recovering £1.4 million in July 2006. FAST is an anti-piracy enforcement body that recovers lost revenue (due to piracy) on behalf of UK software firms. The figure brings the federation's total to £7.3 million over the past six years. FAST represents 160 members from across the software industry.

The organisation has encouraged every country to take a tough stance against software piracy. "The record amount already recovered this year is symptomatic of the ongoing battle we face, one that is not going away no matter what level of education we undertake, and despite the legal ramifications of illegal software use." said Director general John Lovelock.



He added though that the organisation is increasing seeing businesses taking action "to put their software assets in order". This was "an integral part of the growth in awareness of corporate governance and the impact of compliance within both the public and private sectors", he said.

In the United States last month, Microsoft filed 26 separate lawsuits against companies it claims to have pirated software or to have been involved in "hard-disc loading" which is selling unlicensed software along with computer hardware (usually fully built PCs).

Source:
BusinessWeekly

Written by: James Delahunty @ 8 Aug 2006 20:25

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• 2 comments

• borhan9

  All I have to say is what else is new. It amazes me that Microsoft can afford to file so many lawsuits and still make profits.
  
  And they say they don't have a monopoly :) Thats laughable :P

  9.8.2006 13:20 #1

• duckNrun

  What's laughable is that SOME of the MS lawsuits are not based on actual piracy but upon the fact that some sites are not selling AUTHENTIC MS software the way that MS desires it to be sold. For instance CD Only, OEM Discs, etc.
  
  MS states that 'authentic' MS retail software ALWAYS comes with a box and paperwork as it is required by their EULA. Therefore sites like edirectsoftware.com have been sued for 'piracy' because they are selling holographic authentic discs (no box no manual) that were 'designated' by MS as not being able to be sold en masse to the general public.
  
  Unfortunatley current law states that when you buy something you have an imminent right to sell it. So when they are purchasing these volume disc (regardless of the fact that MS wishes these discs to only be used by Dell, Gateway etc) they have a RIGHT to sell them and YOU have a right to BUY them.
  
  Sorry Billy Boy but as long as you keep your s/w overpriced people will find ways to get it at a discount, even if that means no manuals or box!
  

  10.8.2006 09:32 #2