On Thursday, May 29, 2003, at 04:41 PM, Arthur Moore wrote:
Wade Preston Shearer wrote:
On Thursday, May 29, 2003, at 01:59 PM, Arthur Moore wrote:
ok this has nothing to do with free software but with proprietary software. I have an ethics question. If I an employee of a company, know that my company is using licensed software illegally, what obligations am I under being an employee. Do I need to bring it to someones attention? What happens if my manager ignores my pointing this out? Mainly I'm thinking about people using educationally-licensed software for commercial use. For instance like a photoshop, or a dreamweaver.
If your employer is not aware that software is being used illegally, you absolutely should bring it to their attention.
If you employer is aware that software is being used illegally, you absolutely should remind them.
If you employer continues to and/or goes out of their way to use illegal software, then...
A1. if you can get another job
...do it.
B1. if your children are starving
...you should continue to work there, reminding your employer periodically. (and use any other free/open source alternatives that you can... if they will work for your situation)
The situation that I'm imagining is one where my co-workers bring in their educational based software, that allows them to do their job correctly/well. This puts me at a disadvantage for two reasons: My coworkers get their job done faster and better than I do, because they have the right software for the job, even though it's improperly licensed, and my employer hesitates buying the software I need with the proper licensed because I can get it cheaper at the "educational discount".
If...
A1. your coworker is using academic-priced software that is improperly licensed, even though your employer has provided them with copies of the same software (legally licensed) and your employer is aware of this
...then you should remind your employer of the laws, and encourage them to have the coworker discontinue use of the improperly licensed software.
B1. your coworker is using academic-priced software that is improperly licensed and your employer has NOT provided legal copies and your employer is aware of this
B2. your coworker is using illegally licensed academic-priced software whether the company has legal copies or not, and your employer is unaware
...then you should remind your employer of the laws, and encourage them to have the coworker discontinue use of the improperly licensed/educational software and to purchase legal copies.
C1. your employer aware that your coworker is using educational software
C2. your employer has any arrangements with your coworker that you are unaware of
C3. your coworker is a student, studying/getting a degree in the same field in which they are employed [1]
...then perhaps you might want to obtain more
information before blowing a whistle or forming a negative opinion in the event that it is not truly a case of
"improperly licensed" academic-priced software.
[1] for example...
The company that I work for own one license of Macromedia DreamWeaver 4.0. I own an academic-priced laptop, with a license of academic-priced software Macromedia DreamWeaver MX on it.
I am the only employee that uses this software so when I am not using it, no one else is.
I am a student of BYU's visual arts program getting a degree in graphic design.
I am employed at my company as a designer and web developer.
When I am sitting at my desk at work with both my work computer (running DW 4) and my laptop (running academic-priced DW MX) sitting next to each other... which one am I going to use?
I am going to use DW MX. Is this illegal or ethical? No. I have two licenses and am only using one.
What is the purposed of academic-priced software? Software manufactures offer discounts to students so that they may become familiar and used to their software so that when they go out into the market place they will either purchase it themselves or encourage their employers to purchase it.
What are the restrictions on academic-priced software? That it only be used for your education and not for your business.
So, when I use my academic-priced software at work...
1. I (or anyone else) am never using the license that my company has for the same product, when I am using academic-priced license.
(Any exceptions to this would be either a case where my
company has purchased the product and it is being shipped
or a case where I routinely remind them that their
licenses need to be updated.)
2. I am gaining an education at work (if not more than I am
at my university).
To me, this satisfies both the purpose and the restrictions of academic-priced software. Once I graduate, I will never use my academic-priced software again. Most students don't have jobs while they are in school. The ones that do, rarely have jobs doing the same thing that they are studying. I am not an intern, but truly is part of my education.
-wade
What do you guys think?
Note: This situation that I am describing is *not* Agile Studios, the company I work for. Agile purchases licenses for all software they use. It is mainly hypothetical.
Art
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It sounds as if you and I are on the same page. I really liked your comments.
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