Software License Awareness Day is April 10, 2007

Imagine your organization faces a legal risk, one that is manageable. Would you be interested in eliminating this liability? Thankfully, 'Software License Awareness Day' gives you an opportunity to do just that! The annual event is scheduled to take place on April 10, 2007.

The use of software without proper licensing is a copyright infringement. If a software publisher brings civil action against your organization you may face up to $150,000 in damages for each software program being used illegally. Also, organizations of all sizes can be held liable for employees’ actions even if management was not aware.

If your company is at risk you may feel overwhelmed. Indeed, legitimate software licensing can be costly. Spencer Ferguson, President of Wasatch Software, notes that taking some simple steps can go a long way towards fixing the problem. “If your organization faces a software piracy issue it is best to start fixing it right away, even if you must do it slowly. Many companies can obtain financing, allowing them to spread the cost of getting legit over time. Even the purchase of a few software licenses each month can make a big difference in becoming legit.”

The Business Software Alliance (BSA), an organization that helps software companies fight piracy, estimates that the United States faces a piracy rate of 21%.

Organizations of all sizes are encouraged to set aside time to evaluate their software license situation on April 10, 2007. Software license agents from Wasatch Software are available throughout ‘Software License Awareness Day’ to help you address any potential issues on a confidential basis.

Your School IT Budget: Predict and Save

As a school administrator or IT professional you are often thrust into a classic paradox:

“How can I give our students the latest technology without annihilating our IT budget?”

Thankfully, you do have options. Following are a few popular choices that Wasatch Software can help you with:

1- Microsoft School Agreement: This simple program allows you pay annually for Microsoft software that can be used throughout your school or district at one low cost. What is the benefit? First and foremost is price. Savings for most software titles, including Windows Vista, Office 2007, and even Windows Server are at a savings of greater than 50% off of Academic Open License. Each license automatically includes Software Assurance, so you can upgrade to new releases. Additionally, a Microsoft School Agreement allows you to predict your future expenses, and even gives you the ability to lock your pricing for 3 years. There are some requirements to keep in mind for this program, such as a 300 point minimum (most products are worth 1 point). Also, you are required to license all of the systems in your school for most of the products that you select.

2- Lease Computer Systems, Hardware, and Software: Using the Wasatch Software lease program you can make monthly payments for all of your IT needs. Some of these items include computers, servers, routers, software, and even services performed by a consultant of your choice. Qualifying is simple and rates are extremely competitive. Once again, the predictability of paying monthly for your IT needs makes budgeting easy.

These are just a few programs that we feel can benefit your school. You may also want to ask us about the Adobe Academic TLP program, antivirus software, and other programs. Don’t hesitate to contact our experts today!