While you are probably not in violation of any criminal laws(IANAL), it
sounds as though you may be involved with a violation of the software
licensing. This can only be determined for sure by examining the software
license. Some software companies allow for multiple server licenses for
production, development, and backup. Others charge for each copy.
Workstation software such as EDI mapping tools are almost always licensed
per copy. That is, one license is required for each desktop the software is
used on. Whether or not this software may be used commercially to create
maps for other corporate entities will be spelled out in the license.
As an independent consultant, I own no EDI mapping software. I expect and
have always received what I believed to be a legal copy of the required
software for the duration of the contract. I have never maintained such
software on my hard drive after a contract ended. After all, I make my
living partially by writing software and I can't see using someone else's
software without paying for it. This would be definitely immoral as well as
illegal but probably not criminal. Duplicating and selling unlicensed
software is criminal. Using unlicensed software would most likely only
subject the offender to civil penalties, i.e., money.
Jim Divoky
EC Solutions
2304 North Ridge Drive
Jefferson City, TN 37760-5320
Providing SAP EDI/EC Consulting and Contracting
Home 865-471-5529 TN
Office 330-678-6091 OH
Mobile 330-606-6826
Pager 877-282-3426 tollfree
Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To send email to mobile phone, use "Phonemail" as subject.
160 chars text only.
Web Page http://jim.divoky.home.att.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Sidney James <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 12:05 PM
Subject: Potential EDI Moral Delima
> I need to solicit the gracious and timely advice of the List Service
> Community. I am sure that this will potentially have a lot of responses
so
> please only share something if you can authoriatively speak to the
subject.
> I am sure this will pertain to many individuals and will hopefully serve
as
> a wake up call.
>
> I am an indepent consultant that does work for various consulting firms in
> the South. One of the firms I do most of my work for doesn't own any of
the
> software that it uses. What they have us tell our cleints is that "we
need
> a copy of your software to replicate your working environement off site."
>
> I do not know what the laws are concerning this, but when I talked with
the
> owner of the company, he is convinced that we are not guilty of breaking
any
> copyright laws since we are "developers" and provide "support". The
problem
> is, the software that is obtained from company A is also used to develop
> maps for company B. I am sure we could get company B to "let us replicate
> their system" but as far as company B knows, we have our own software.
>
> Is there some type of special consideration I do not know about since we
are
> "developers" and "tech support"? I would like to give this guy the
benefit
> of the doubt. If any laws are being broken I do not want to have any part
> of this.
>
> If we are in violation of any laws, please let me know which ones, and if
> you could site any cases along with any possible criminal consequences, I
> will see to it that the situation is taken care of. Also, I am guilty of
> anything? I confronted the situation and was told everything was okay.
>
> THanks in advance.
>
> Sidny James
> EDI Consultant,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
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