[Bush2000]

Probably because the software in question was all Microsoft software?

Reread the article. It wasn't Microsoft that showed up on Ball's doorstep. It was the BSA -- and he immediately leaps to the conclusion that it's Microsoft.

[justlurking]

Reread the article. It wasn't Microsoft that showed up on Ball's doorstep. It was the BSA -- and he immediately leaps to the conclusion that it's Microsoft.

If the unlicensed software remaining on those 6 systems were all Microsoft products, there isn't much point in blaming the other members of the BSA for the way he was treated.

[InfraRed]

It wasn't Microsoft that showed up on Ball's doorstep. It was the BSA -- and he immediately leaps to the conclusion that it's Microsoft.

By purchasing computers with a Microsoft OS on them, Mr. Ball helped fund the BSA. The BSA, acting upon an anonymous tip, raided his company (on behalf of Microsoft & others), costing his company $65,000 in fines plus $35,000 in legal expenses.

Had Mr. Ball's company been running Linux and OSS software all along, they could have avoided the $100,000 in fines and legal expenses, plus they could have avoided the expense of licensing the 92% of their software which had been properly licensed.

It would even be cheaper to pay SCO's extortion money ($700 x 72 computers = $50,400), and not have to worry about employee incompetence or pirated application software.

Mr. Ball learned a lesson alright -- his company will never again purchase Microsoft software. More Microsoft customers need to be taught this lesson. Keep it up.