Archive for Finding software
Cheap software always a deal?
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Many of us habitually look for the best deal when we’re shopping, but in the land of software, sometimes the best deal bites.
If you find a “great deal,” be very careful… that great deal might be pirated software, even if the seller claims it’s legal.
(This happened to me, btw. I bought a perfectly legitimate-looking piece of software, got it registered, and used it for awhile. But lo and behold, one day when I had to reinstall it, the manufacturer refused to give me the access code. Seems more than 10 other people had the exact same “unique” product ID.)
Do not knowingly or negligently use pirated software
Aside from the fact that it’s unethical, it can cost you, too. Here are just two recent announcements from BSA.org:
- Florida-Based Insurance Company Settles With BSA for Unlicensed Software Installations, Agrees to Pay $70,000
- New York-Based Data Collection Company Settles With BSA For Unlicensed Software Use, Agrees to Pay Over $62,000
Who is BSA? BSA is the Business Software Alliance, which “…is the voice of the world’s software industry and its hardware partners on a wide range of business and policy affairs.”
They reward people who turn in businesses that use software illegally.
One of the ads on the BSA site.
Have any unhappy former employees who would love to know about this?
Software sellers can be crooks and still look completely legitimate, appearing to provide the real thing. But BSA catches up with some of them, too.
The headline: BSA Wins $210,000 Judgment Against Delaware Man for Illegal Online Software Sales
The details: “The Business Software Alliance (BSA), which represents the world’s commercial software industry, announced today that its members have won a $210,563 judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Matthew Miller of Newark, Del., who sold illegal copies of software through an Internet auction site.”
So that’s just a “heads up” for you – be careful out there!
Photo credit: Stuck in Customs
Don’t let the box tell you what you need.
Posted by: | CommentsAfter you have
- Assessed your business environment (see How to Find Good Business Software, Part 2)
- Completed at least the first round of figuring out requirements (see 3 Simple Steps to Figuring Out Your Software Needs), and
- Actually begun poking around for software (see 6 Places to Begin Your Small Business Software Search)
You may find software with seemingly miraculous capabilities.
"Our software makes the sun rise AND set!"
Sometimes, when you read the package you have the feeling you’re reading the advertising on side of the box of the latest and greatest laundry detergent. You think, “Wow, there’s nothing that this product won’t do!”
All software has wonderful statements about everything it will do for you. The trap is these claims can begin “leading your thinking,” in the sense that in your mind the claims can displace some important things you discovered in the first three exercises.
The draw of some less-necessary-but-really-cool-sounding features is tempting, and you can lose sight of what’s most relevant to your business needs.
These claims can begin leading your thinking…
Don’t let the box tell you what you need.
I’m not saying “don’t ever change your list of requirements.” In fact, this is an iterative process: as you research, you learn; as you learn, you refine your list of desired features and functionality. BUT… always keep your priorities in order.
Remember all the things your key staff said were important, and remember all the things they said were not quite so important. If you think you’ve found the Holy Grail, something that no one anticipated, don’t just buy it! Go back to the staff and ask them what they think. Please!
Photo credit: Brian Morris
