How is development financed?

[sarek]

I read somewhere on your site that daemon-tools keeps many people busy full-time so I was just curious on how you finance the development when daemon-tools is free.

I know it's not free for commercial use but my guess is that a lot of companies disregard this fact unless they're forced to register (like trial software and the alike), which is really sorry and sad but probably a fact, right?

Sarek

[LocutusofBorg]

you're right. But for a better control we must drop the free version of
Daemon Tools, and therefore we must life with this problem. On the other
hand the BSA checks companies on a regular basis, as well as ex-employees
of companys could send us tips (this happened indeed in the past).
We then decide from case to case what to do, from next version on, we will
for sure inform our lawyers and BSA to kick the butts of those companies

[NetSoerfer]

And rightfully so. For $15.95 a copy, a company should be able to legally license Daemon Tools if they want to use it. And if they figure it's too expensive for them to get a site license, what the heck, they just shouldn't use it... Cannot be that much of a loss for them then, right?

[coolsaggu]

Well i think its right to kick the butts of those companies..............

They should pay for the hard work for the developers of this great software................

Even if they are helping, by giving tips, it is not sufficient....................

they should help more

[jprc]

"Companies"

Talking about good/bad companies is a bit simplistic. It is a bit considering that there is a conspiracy around all of us
I do not talk about little companies, those with 10 or 20 people, but big and large enterprises, public and private.

[jprc]

a company is not made of ghosts...

(I explain myself
Very few computers, if not directly a slave workstation, are 100% controlled by a central I.T/I.S. department. It requires too much centralization, and is way too costly for most decentralized companies/organizations. There are always a lot of semi-stand-alone computers...
MOST of the companies, Ministries and International Organizations (I work in all 3, abroad...) have no consistent policies for I.T.! Oh! They do have nice "White Papers", and other bla bla stuff, and I even contribute writing some of them (not totally in English... fortunately for the readers), but it is like any law: there is the text, and there is the true life. It is not because it is written down into a thick report that it is enforced and controlled.
In other words, since MS Office must be validated and Windows is controlled for genuine installation, and new big software are now requiring online validation, most pirated versions are NOT installed by the companies but directly by the people who works in this company/organization! I mean: no one, at the Steering Committee, or in the Board will say: copy me this 1000 times. But an individual or a group of individuals inside this company will do it. As it is not considered as a crime by 99.99% of the people (be honest: how many of you, using daemon-tool, have 100% of registered software on their computer?? - I say 100, not 99.99 ...), the company/organization wont care much. Only a few internal I.T. guys and the legal or contentious department might express their concern, but, believe me, no one will be fired because she/he used a Thai-Pantip version of Adobe Pro on her/his computer. Auditors are also not much concerned about it. Right where I am now, the auditors KPMG had to audit a Ministry. I supervised their findings regarding I.S.. Minimum 50% of the software installed and used IS illegally duplicated (I am currently in Mozambique 8) ). New computers are even delivered new with duplicated software! Every one knows this. But the Auditors, in spite belonging to an international audit firm DO NOT CARE! Not a single line about it into their 2003 and 2004 audit. Dont worry if you work for KPMG, Deloitte did it also, and even worst :evil:
... and the World does not end at your door step...

What do I mean?
Except for those who are jobless, those who are rich enough, or bad enough, or clever enough for not working and enjoying good or dirty money, we ALL work in a company! WE are the company!
If a company/organization/ministry can use duplicated/pirated software, it is simply because we, as part of the system allow it.
It is better to place responsibilities on you, me, us, and not on the company :wink:


(I am a senior anti-corruption officer, specialist in I.S., and, going through some posts, I have lots of fun! )