Temple University Pays $100,000 to Settle Software Claims.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2000

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) today announced that Temple University paid the BSA $100,000 to settle claims related to unlicensed software programs on its computers.

In addition to the settlement, Temple University has agreed to destroy all unlicensed software, purchase replacement software and strengthen its software management policies.

"Universities need to be especially diligent when it comes to protecting intellectual property rights and managing their software," said Bob Kruger, vice-president of enforcement for the BSA, a software industry watchdog group. "At a time when a good number of the IP violators -- whether it's computer hackers or Internet pirates -- are university students, it is particularly important for universities to set the example to their students that intellectual property rights, including software licenses, are to be respected."

Like most BSA investigations, the unlicensed software at Temple University was brought to the attention of the BSA by a phone call to its anti-piracy hotline: 888-NO PIRACY. After being contacted by the BSA, Temple conducted a software audit on its computers. The investigation revealed that there were more copies of Adobe, Autodesk, Corel, Microsoft and Symantec software than the university had licenses to support.

"We have a strong respect for the need to protect intellectual property rights," said George Ingram, Temple's associate vice president for university relations. "Like many universities, Temple has a decentralized workforce that interacts with students, faculty and others. We are now implementing new procedures to document our software compliance in the future."

College campuses and universities around the country have become a hotbed for on-line piracy. Recently, a student at the University of Oregon became the first person criminally charged under the Net Act for software piracy violations over the Internet. As copyright owners and law enforcement officials step up their efforts to protect intellectual property, colleges and universities will need to take precautions against infringement among employees and students.

Pennsylvania is one of the top ten states for BSA software piracy settlements with more than $2 million collected since 1993. Nationally, the BSA has collected over $47 million during the last seven years.

In 1998, illegal copying of software resulted in losses of more than $2.9 billion in the U.S. alone (a). This has a significant impact on the U.S. economy. In 1998, software piracy cost the U.S. 109,000 jobs, $4.5 billion in lost wages and nearly $1 billion in lost tax revenue (b).

(a) -- "1998 Global Software Piracy Report" conducted by the International Planning and Research Corp.

(b) -- "Forecasting a Robust Future" conducted by Nathan Associates

Since 1988, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has been the voice of the world's leading Software developers before governments and with consumers in the international marketplace. Its members represent the fastest growing industry in the world. BSA educates computer users on software copyright; advocates public policy that fosters innovation and expands trade opportunities; and fights software piracy. BSA worldwide members include Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Corel Corporation, Macromedia, Microsoft, Network Associates, and Symantec. BSA Web sites: www.bsa.org; www.nopiracy.com.