John Oliver wrote:
On Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 09:26:06AM -0700, Doug LaRue wrote:
Regarding issues trying to get Linux in our local school and library systems
and why
we may have been met with opposition to the idea:
"The director of the libraries I've working on, has been told that installing
Linux will
result in BSA audit. We did, nothing happened, obviously, but all the other
libraries
are still using Windows servers."
I've read of the BSA going after some school districts around the country a few
years
ago and when some where pushed to a complete swap to Linux and those systems
demo'ed to others, Microsoft called off the BSA.
It's always good to know what one might be up against and how to counter it.
How about tell the BSA auditors^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hthugs "No, thank you, we
aren't interested" and closing the door in their face? They aren't a
government agency. They cannot compel you to do anything. And on what
basis are they going to get law enforcement to get a warrant to force an
entry?
Then again, in the 21st century, I have no doubt that little nuances
like private property and individual liberty cannot stand between the
behemoth of government and the entities that have bought representation
in that government...
The authority for performing the audit is the End User License Agreement
(EULA) for installed software. When you install a Microsoft product you
agree to be audited. The EULA is a business contract, so it has
different rules than if someone just shows up on your doorstep and says
"let me in", especially if you are a business. I haven't heard of any
cases where an individual has been pressed for an audit, only businesses.
The biggest problem with this is the insidious nature of the agreement.
Essentially you are assumed to be using the software and have to prove
you aren't, even if you got rid of it in the distant past.
Gus
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