Accused of stealing software. He chose not to fight, because the deck was stacked against him.
A few dozen unlicensed programs among 72 computers is practically nothing, especially if his estimate of 8% of the computers actually being non-compliant -- which works out to six computers. That can easily be attributed to inadvertant error.
If they were intentionally stealing software, the number of unlicensed programs and non-compliant desktops would have been much higher.
You buy a Microsoft spreadsheet program on one computer, and it gets old... Instead of deleting it on that computer, that you pass off to an employee who never ever touches that program, you install it on the new computer. You are out of compliance. That is what keeps Bill flush with cash.
You are not actually using any more copies than you bought, but you are out of compliance, and Bill's goon squad comes and gets you.
Now people have an alternative. In the immortal words of Nelson Muntz... "Ha Ha"
Being careless is not the same as intentionally stealing
How did that happen?How it happens is you get the new machine for the engineers, re-install the software on the new machine that was on the old machine, and forget to wipe it off the old machine before giving it to the clerk.We pass our old computers down. The guys in engineering need a new PC, so they get one and we pass theirs on to somebody doing clerical work. Well, if you don't wipe the hard drive on that PC, that's a violation. Even if they can tell a piece of software isn't being used, it's still a violation if it's on that hard drive.
Yes, much better to sympathize with Microsoft and their lawyers rather than small business owners who can't afford to defend themselves in court. Much better to assume that Microsoft is right and everyone else is wrong. Guilty until proven innocent and all that, right?
He didn't ask for sympathy. He got mad and then he got even. Sounds like a FR kinda guy.