CNC Software is serious about protecting your software investment

Some of you may have seen our recent mailings regarding Mastercam Piracy.  If you have, please don’t take offense.  Mastercam is just trying to protect your investment and keep the playing field level.

 

CNC Software has recently joined Business Software Alliance; or the BSA.  The BSA is dedicated to educating companies about software licensing and piracy.  In addition to CNC Software, the BSA includes Microsoft, SolidWorks, AutoCAD and other top software companies among their members.  You can see the entire list of members at www.bsa.org

 

The BSA estimates that software piracy costs the US economy almost $9 Billion in lost revenues and wages and over 105,000 lost jobs annually.  From a local perspective, shops using bootleg Mastercam have an unfair advantage over someone that has paid for their software.

“Software piracy hurts not only developers like CNC Software/Mastercam, but the businesses and consumers that use our products,” said Brian Summers, vice president of CNC Software/Mastercam. “Every dollar lost to piracy is a dollar lost for the research and development of new and innovative products.”

The main reason that CNC Software continues their relationship with the BSA is YOU!  They are trying to protect shops that have a major investment in Mastercam.  Allowing Mastercam Pirates to use the same software for free, places our legitimate users at an economic disadvantage.

 

Listed below are some typical examples of companies that were found using unlicensed Mastercam.

 

  • Northeast Tire Mold, Inc., a tire mold manufacturer located in Akron, OH, paid $52,000 to the BSA after a self-audit revealed more copies of Autodesk, CNC Software/Mastercam, Microsoft and Symantec software programs on its computers than it had licenses to support.
  • Die Products Corporation, a manufacturing company headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, paid BSA $45,500 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of CNC Software/Mastercam software installed on its computers. In addition to the payment, the organization agreed to delete any unlicensed copies, purchase replacement software and strengthen its software management practices.
  • Aero Machining Company, Inc., a manufacturing company headquartered in Garden Grove, CA, paid the BSA $33,500 after a self-audit revealed more copies of Mastercam software on its computers than it had licenses to support.
  • Jedco, Inc., an engineering firm located in Grand Rapids, MI, paid BSA $30,435 after a self-audit revealed that it had unlicensed CNC Software/Mastercam, Microsoft and Symantec software on its computers.
  • Beverly Pattern, Inc., a manufacturing company headquartered in Beverly, MA, paid BSA $29,300 to settle claims that it had more copies of CNC Software/Mastercam software programs on its computers than it had licenses to support.
  • Integrated Aerospace Structures, a manufacturing company located in Santa Ana, CA, paid $12,900 to BSA after a self-audit revealed more copies of Mastercam software programs on its computers than it had licenses to support.
  • West Coast Choppers, a manufacturer of custom motorcycles and parts headquartered in Long Beach, CA, paid BSA $35,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of CNC Software/Mastercam software programs installed on its computers.  In addition to the payment, the organization agreed to delete any unlicensed copies, purchase replacement software and strengthen its software management practices.

“We are sending a clear message to businesses that copying software is more expensive than acquiring it legally in the first place,” said Bob Kruger, vice president of enforcement for the Business Software Alliance. “Many companies operate under the assumption that if they get caught with illegal software copies on their computers, the result will be like a traffic ticket. In reality, U.S. copyright law allows for up to $150,000 in damages for each work infringed.”