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Time:
09:29 EST/14:29 GMT | News Source:
CNET |
Posted By: Robert Stein |
Sterling Ball, a jovial, plain-talking businessman, is CEO of Ernie Ball, the world's leading maker of premium guitar strings endorsed by generations of artists ranging from the likes of Eric Clapton to the dudes from Metallica.
But since jettisoning all of Microsoft products three years ago, Ernie Ball has also gained notoriety as a company that dumped most of its proprietary software--and still lived to tell the tale.
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#1 By
442 (65.33.167.139)
at
8/20/2003 9:55:51 AM
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That's fine and all that now they use Linux and are happy. However, not using Apple because MS is a stickholder is pretty silly. MS is as much an owner of Apple as I am. They are only stockholders...and non-voting stockholders to boot. Mr. Ball should have done a little more research. Mac OS X would have probably worked even better for them.
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#2 By
8273 (4.47.72.198)
at
8/20/2003 12:04:35 PM
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"We won't do business with someone who treats us poorly."
In other words: We will steal from them, but once they call us on it, we will no longer work with them.
This is funny, this guy's company is stealing software, but then C|Net makes them out to be a hero. Of course, should I expect anything more from C|Net, the OS propiganda machine?
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#3 By
8273 (207.46.225.252)
at
8/20/2003 1:27:56 PM
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#5: OK, so as long as I steal only 8% of what a bank has in it's vaults, then I should not get arrested.
If somebody were to steal 8% of his inventory, don't you think that he would be a little upset? Instead, this guy is complaining because he steals something and MS was not nice to him. What should MS do, pat him on the head, give him a lollipop, and say that it is perfectly fine to steal their software?
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#4 By
8273 (207.46.228.31)
at
8/20/2003 2:22:49 PM
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OK, there is no law, you should be able to take whatever you want and not be responsible for anything you do - except if you are MS, then the law can be bent and applied to you in any way that anybody sees fit. This guy is the victim, he did not bring anything upon himself, and should be worshipped as a hero.
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#5 By
3339 (66.219.95.6)
at
8/20/2003 2:36:22 PM
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"so it may have been things such as CAD type software or logistical software or osmething else"
Huh? What CAD, or logistical software does MS make? Yes, the BSA represents others, but his position is directed at MS.
I'd bet it was quite specifically Windows and Office.
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#6 By
1845 (12.209.152.69)
at
8/20/2003 2:59:29 PM
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"a few dozen unlicensed copies of programs"
That sounds like more than just a couple apps to me.
Anyway, how does BSA do a raid without the company's consent? Do they have a search warrant or something? I don't care how much someone hems and haws at me, they don't get through my door to inspect my stuff without a warrant.
Aside from that, this is an old story. AW posted it about four or five months ago. It sounded rediculous then. It still sounds rediculous now.
I wonder...would Red Hat behave similarly if he had a few dozen unlicensed copies of RH Advanced Server?
This post was edited by BobSmith on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at 15:01.
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#7 By
37 (66.82.20.150)
at
8/20/2003 4:31:17 PM
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Parker: Great facts. Thanks for the links.
chozsun: 8%! Yes. $90,000 would easily make the news and involve the authorities. Court order my friend.
SodaJerk: Microsoft's CAD *like* program owned by many: Visio. Visio has been used by some companies for their CAD drawings. Not to mention Visio's ability to import CAD drawings and manipulate them. Visio contains the legal symbols and drawing object for CAD drawings as well.
This post was edited by AWBrian on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at 16:45.
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#8 By
3653 (209.149.57.116)
at
8/20/2003 11:48:45 PM
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gg - "It isn't clear wether this company was really consciously stealing or not"
Consciousness doesn't matter. This isn't an unexperienced home user. THIS IS A BUSINESS. It is their responsibility to maintain the proper licensing for their software. Its also their responsibility to pay for intellectual property of others, pay their taxes, not discriminate with hiring, and obtain a business license. But somehow they are not "conscious" enough to do all those things?
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#9 By
135 (208.186.90.91)
at
8/21/2003 1:22:15 AM
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I wonder what they replaced AutoCAD with on their Linux desktops?
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#10 By
37 (66.82.20.150)
at
8/21/2003 10:17:05 AM
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gg,
Yes, it is. There is an area of Visio than can be used to import CAD drawings and manipulate them as well as perform and output CAD drawings using the legal objects required to build and inspect. I would recommend you actually TRY to use it as a CAD like program and import and manipulate CAD drawings before you spew out inaccurate information.
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