Microworx streamlines
software licencing.
Software Licensing is a certificate giving you the legal right to install and use a product, usually over a number of computers. It has an additional media kit (installation CDs) that is brought separately at a nominal cost. In most cases, organizations purchase a single media kit and then purchase the number of licenses they require for their computers. Licensing is an enterprise solution for organizations, which have multiple computers, as opposed to full packaged product, which is primarily designed for home users.
Find out more Why licence?The Benefits of Licencing.
Greater Security.
Licences are printed with the name and contact details of your organisation. You no longer need to worry about missing or unlicenced software.
Cost savings.
Licenses are often 50% cheaper than the equivalent full packaged product.
Easier management.
Licence certificates are sent to you, filed by Microworx and most often available on the manufacturer's website.
Save space.
Minimizes the need to store large, boxed products. Now you only need to store your license certificate and the installation CDs.
Simplified upgrades.
License programs often provide maintenance for the term of the license, providing free upgrades for the license term, and cheaper upgrades for future renewals.
Extra support.
Some software, such as Symantec’s Norton Antivirus, also include free technical support with their licence program.
Why buy licenced software?
The following article is used with permission of the Business Software Alliance.Software piracy is a common term for the copying and use of software outside the terms of the license (usually one program = one user; or a prescribed number of users under a multiple user license) or without the permission of the copyright owner or software manufacturer. Such copying and use is illegal under the Copyright Act and carries high penalties.
Software copyright infringement can occur through:
- Individual copying of programs (eg. From friends or colleagues);
- Corporate copying at work;
- Hard-disk loading of illegal copies by unscrupulous dealers;
- Internet downloading of illegal copies (eg. From pirate sites);
- Counterfeiting which is the production of illegal copies (eg. burning CDs)
What is illegal?
- To copy software or its accompanying documentation, including programs, applications, data, codes and manuals, without permission or license from the copyright owner (generally the software developer);
- To loan software in order that a copy be made or to copy software while it is on loan – including an individual loan to a friend or colleague.
- To knowingly distribute unauthorized software;
- To run purchased software covered by copyright on two or more computers simultaneously unless the license agreement specifically allows it;
- For organisations to authorize, encourage, allow, compel or pressure employees to make or distribute illegal software copies, sourced from within the organization or within employee’s homes or at any other location on the organization’s behalf;
- To infringe the laws against unauthorized software copying because a superior, colleague or friend compels it;
- To import software into Australia for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner;
- To distribute software which has been imported into Australia without permission of the copyright owner;
- To fail to disclose knowledge to law enforcement agencies that an offense of unauthorized software has been committed.
Penalities for Software Theft
The Australian Copyright Act 1968 provides strong legal protection for the intellectual property rights of developers and licensed distributors of software.
Criminal Penalties
- A company or organization can face fines of up to $467,500 if convicted of infringing copyright in software.
- Individuals may be convicted of a criminal offence with fines of up to $93,500 and/or imprisonment for up to five years for infringing copyright in software.
- Where a person is aware that a criminal offence of software theft is occurring and fails to disclose that information to a legal enforcement agency, that person is guilty of the criminal offence of concealing a crime which itself carries severe penalties.
Civil Penalites
- Making or using illegal copies of software, for your personal use or at work, is a civil offence under the Copyright Act and offenders are liable for damages of an unlimited amount (determined by the Court) and, in many circumstances, substantial court costs. The number of civil cases conducted in Australia by the BSAA are increasing and recent settlements and damages awards have ranged from $10,000 to more than $200,000.
Directors Liabilty
- Under Corporate Law in Australia, directors of companies may also be held liable for infringements under the Copyright Act, even if they are not directly involved, and can face personal legal action.