Can pirated software destroy a company?
polycounter lvl 18
Anyone had experience with this?
and if so how much pirated software would it take?
and what exactly happens to the workers and such when this company is discovered to be doing so?
and if so how much pirated software would it take?
and what exactly happens to the workers and such when this company is discovered to be doing so?
Replies
I would not wish this experience on anyone.
How much would it take? If a small company of around 100 employees all used the same copy of XP and Office, or they were an effects house who all used cracked copies of MAX, something like that. Then the software publisher would have to get wind of it, and in the case of around 100 people all infringing, M$ or Autodesk or Adobe might choose to make an example out of them and sic the BSA on 'em. That's usually pretty painful in the wallet, if the BSA are involved, they're like the RIAA.
I've never heard of illegal software use scuttling a company, but you have to figure that a company that endorses that sort of behavior wouldn't be doing everything else legitimately, either. So piracy would probably be like #4 on the crimes list, after embezzlement, check fraud, or even simple bad management. Something worse than software piracy would probably bring such a company down first.
You guys, don't wedgie me 'cause I gave a straight answer...
/jzero
The support rep then looks up the company's file, and sees that they only have one or two licensed copies of Max. He then does homework, and figures out that the game company employs dozens of artists. He checks out the company website, where the company actually makes a statement that they are a "Max house.", and the support guy figures out that they aren't using any other 3d software.
So... Discreet then send out a rep to "Take care of the problem." When the rep shows up, he immediately counts the artists in the studio, subtracts two from the total, then tells them "To fix your problem, you will need to buy 37 legitimate copies of the software, or we will be forced to sue you." (Not sure if it was 37, but it was something like that.) The company had to do it.
The rep that told me the story wouldn't name which company it was, but hinted a bit. The funny thing is that the next year, the suspected game company's stuff was featured prominently in Discreet's demo reel. I remember wondering "I bet Discreet didn't have to pay for any of that footage."
Even in this worst-case scenerio, the cost of the software is still less than 3 artists salaries, so it's not as huge an expense as it appears.
Did Crytek actually have pirated software tough?
[/ QUOTE ]
Nope, it was just a stupid disgruntled fired worker looking for trouble so he acussed them. heh
It's simply too much of a risk not not play by the rules, and everywhere I have worked has had IT audits of all software installed on PCs on a regular basis. I've had to prove at 2 studios that I owned the copy of Silo that I had installed.
The Crytek thing: I *BELIEVE* it was an upset former employee or aquaintance that implied the software was pirated, and they were exonerated, but only a few people know the truth.
Enix: Ubisoft are a developer as well as a publisher.
Dunno, was just a rumor.
-R
I am so confused.