Softline has joined the Business Software Alliance (BSA) in its effort to curb software piracy and copyright infringement. The membership extends to all Softline group companies, including Pastel Software, Brilliant Business Systems, VIP Personnel and Payroll Systems, Lorge Consulting and Pilot Software.
"We have joined the fight against software piracy to protect our intellectual property and our paying customers' right for quality products," says Steven Cohen, chief operating officer of Softline. "Software piracy not only robs the IT industry of thousands of jobs and revenue, but also hampers future product developments and upgrades."
"Users who pirate software or buy pirated software from unreputable resellers, place the blame on us when the product does not deliver on their expectations. We want to protect current and future customers from this disappointment and ensure that licence holders get the best service and products we can offer.
"Protecting intellectual property and getting people to register and use legal software is not only in line with the current trend towards licensing software, but also creates a relationship of trust between the customer and the developer," adds Cohen. "Software developers aim to deliver high-quality products to a loyal and paying customer year after year. Piracy breaks this relationship and hampers the IT industry's objective to create a software licensing-based sales model."
Softline will join local BSA members Adobe, Autodesk, Corel Corporation, Lotus, Macromedia, Microsoft and Symantec. The membership will see the BSA investigating any possible piracy lead relating to Softline group companies' products, while also giving Softline group companies access to the BSA's legal advice and assistance needed to protect their copyright.
"A recent independent study highlights the serious impact of copyright infringement with piracy losses exceeding $11.7 billion worldwide in 2000," comments Mark Reynolds, chairman of the BSA. "The software piracy estimates indicate that more than one in every three business software applications was pirated in 2000."
The current piracy rate in SA is 45%, indicating that software piracy continues to pose challenges for the IT industry and our economy. "Softline's commitment will assist us in reducing the high piracy rate," concludes Reynolds.
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Softline Limited (JSE: SFT) is a global software and services group, focused on the development, implementation and marketing of mission-critical accounting, payroll and e-commerce software applications.
Softline is the largest accounting and payroll software vendor in SA, the second largest in Canada and one of the largest in Australia, with over 335 000 businesses using its applications worldwide. Softline has operations covering SA, US, Canada and Asia. Research and development is core to Softline's business and a core investment.
The group maintains sole ownership of its software, which is continuously being developed to deliver optimum functionality to the user. For more information about Softline and its operations, visit http://www.softline.co.za.
BSA
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is the voice of the world's leading software developers. BSA educates computer users on software copyrights; advocates public policy that fosters innovation and expands trade opportunity; and fights software piracy. Local members include: Adobe, Autodesk, Corel Corporation, Lotus, Macromedia, Microsoft, Pastel and Symantec.
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