Business Software Alliance Launches 'Software Audit Week' to Help New Orleans Businesses Avoid Software Piracy & Protect Their Networks.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 21, 2003 Survey Reveals Local Businesses' Views on Software Use, Workplace Ethics To promote good business ethics business ethics, the study and evaluation of decision making by businesses according to moral concepts and judgments. Ethical questions range from practical, narrowly defined issues, such as a company's obligation to be honest with its customers, to broader social and educate New Orleans New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded businesses about the risks associated with unlicensed software, the Business Software Alliance (BSA 1. BSA - Business Software Alliance. 2. BSA - Bidouilleurs Sans Argent. ), a global organization that represents the leading commercial software developers, today announced the launch of Software Audit Week for area businesses. Many New Orleans businesses may not realize their employees are playing "roulette roulette (r  lĕt`), game of chance popular in gambling casinos, and in a simplified form elsewhere. In gambling houses the roulette wheel is set in an oblong table. " with their organizations' corporate
ethics and computer safety by pirating software. During Software Audit
Week, BSA urges businesses to prevent the consequences of "software
piracy The illegal copying of software for distribution within the organization, or to friends, clubs and other groups, or for duplication and resale. The software industry loses billions of dollars each year to piracy, and although it may seem innocent enough to install an application on a roulette" by conducting a software audit to ensure that all
the software programs installed on their computers are fully licensed.
BSA is offering free, downloadable tools and resources as well as a
nationwide Web seminar hosted by Internet World magazine.A recent independent survey of IT professionals and business decision makers in New Orleans(1) reveals that both audiences lack a realistic perspective about piracy at their organizations, indicating the need for more education about proper software management. While more than half of IT professionals and a quarter of business decision makers acknowledge that software piracy is at least fairly common in the workplace, only 19 percent of IT pros and 6 percent of business decision makers believe that it occurs in their own organization. In Louisiana, more than 31 percent of the software used is unlicensed. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a recent state software study, in 2002, software piracy cost the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. nearly $2 billion in revenue and resulted in a tax loss of more than $1.4 billion.(2) "Many businesses don't realize that ignoring the problem of unlicensed software can lead to substantial financial exposure as well as the risk of viruses, spyware and security breaches," said Bob Kruger, vice president of enforcement for BSA. "Every day, employees download illegal software from the Internet, over-install programs, and buy and install counterfeit or unlicensed products. The research results point to the clear solution - education. Businesses need to help their employees get smart about good software management. Software Audit Week focuses on ensuring good business ethics in the workplace by reminding businesses to conduct a software audit and acquire the necessary licenses they need to get legal." New Orleans businesses are willing to risk the consequences by playing "software piracy roulette," according to the survey. Nearly 98 percent of business decision makers agree that avoiding piracy is part of good business ethics, yet over one-third support the idea of sharing or swapping software to cut the cost. Under federal law, each software program infringed may lead to a penalty of up to $150,000, and an organization can be held liable for its employees' actions. "Software piracy is a very serious issue that not only has a significant negative impact on our local economy, but also stifles new software development," said Louisiana Technology Council president Mark Lewis. "The Council believes respecting software copyright laws and intellectual property is imperative to the industry, and we support the BSA's efforts to prevent piracy." Businesses trying to determine whether their organization is using unlicensed software can download free BSA Software Audit tools at www.bsaaudit.com or call the Software Audit Week Hotline at 877-536-4BSA for additional information. To view the New Orleans survey results, please visit www.bsaaudit.com. The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent the fastest growing industry in the world. BSA educates consumers on software management and copyright protection, cyber (1) From "cybernetics," it is a prefix attached to everyday words to add a computer, electronic or online connotation. The term is similar to "virtual," but the latter is used more frequently. See virtual. security, trade, e-commerce and other Internet-related issues. BSA members include Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Bentley Systems Bentley Systems, Incorporated, provides software for the "Design, construction and operation of the world's infrastructure". The company’s software serves the building, plant, civil, and geospatial vertical markets in the areas of architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) , Borland, CNC Software/Mastercam CNC Software/Mastercam was one of the first companies to introduce PC-based CAD/CAM software. The company was founded in Massachusetts in 1984 and currently resides in Tolland, Connecticut. Its Mastercam software is the most popular CAM program suite on the market today. , Internet Security ''This article or section is being rewritten at Internet security is the process of protecting data and privacy of devices connected to internet from information robbery, hacking, malware infection and unwanted software. Systems, Macromedia, Microsoft, Network Associates and Symantec. (1) Survey of 100 IT professionals and 50 business decision makers conducted for BSA by Ipsos Reid Public Affairs Those public information, command information, and community relations activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. Also called PA. See also command information; community relations; public information. . (2) Conducted for BSA by International Planning and Research Corporation (IPR IPR Intellectual Property Rights IPR Inprocess/Inprogress Review IPR Industrial Property Rights IPR Institute for Policy Research (Northwestern University and University of Cincinnati) IPR Institute of Public Relations ). --30--NR/
CONTACT: Business Software Alliance
Debbi Bauman, 202-530-5132
debbib@bsa.org
or
Lindsay Rubin, 202-775-1401
lindsay.rubin@dittus.com
KEYWORD: LOUISIANA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: E-COMMERCE INTERNET SOFTWARE HARDWARE EDUCATION
SOURCE: Business Software Alliance
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