If you have IT asset management software deployed within your organization (particularly if it’s Express Software Manager!), be sure to participate in the ITAM Review’s 2010 Tools Census, an independent analysis of ITAM technologies.  It takes less than 5 minutes to complete:

Take the 2010 Tools Census Now

According to Martin Thompson, creator of the survey, “Published results will be anonymised–individual responses will be in the strictest confidence.”

You can view early results of the census here.

When the global economy first sank into recession, dozens of reports were published in which technology analysts speculated that software vendors would rely more heavily on software audits—and the resulting financial settlements—to compensate for lower revenues.  In tandem with this, organizations targeted by vendor audits were expected to have a higher rate of non-compliance because software asset management initiatives would be back-burnered—along with the true-ups that frequently come as a result—until budgets were once again secure.

So did these predictions bear themselves out?  From a philosophical standpoint, one could just as easily argue that software companies have a lot more to lose during uncertain economic times by terrorizing their customers.  But the answer would appear to be “yes,” at least in the United Kingdom, where a fair amount of research has been conducted on the topic. (I have yet to come across any specific research suggesting a US or overall global increase in vendor audits.)

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Great news…  Express Software Manager has once again been chosen by the Software and Information Industry (SIIA) as a 2010 CODiE Award Finalist in the Best Asset Management Solution category. The SIIA CODiE Awards have been the leading honor among software products and services worldwide since 1985; the Best Asset Management Solution category was introduced in 2005.  Express Metrix has been a finalist every year since the category was added, and having won the CODiE award in 2008, we’re excited to have once again made the short list.

Joining us as finalists are BDNA’s Insight and Sassafrass Software’s K2. The judging criteria are: (more…)

An article featured in a South Africa technology portal popped up in one of my feeds today, and I couldn’t help but take the bait. The column, entitled “Open Source Against Piracy,” contends that open source software developers should consider becoming members of the BSA.  As I best understand it, the reasons given are twofold:  

1. The BSA perpetuates a belief that anyone who copies or gives away software is a pirate; open source developers, as BSA members, could persuade the organization to change its definition of piracy and ensure the terms of FOSS agreements are being upheld.
2. Users pirate software not because they are “criminals” but because the software they wish to use is cost-prohibitive; if producers of open source software can convince the BSA to be more aggressive in their pursuit of software pirates, illegal users will flock to free open source alternatives.

Frankly, I find these arguments rather curious and a bit thin on logic.  First, the goal of persuading the BSA to conduct audits and enforce open source license agreements would be nothing short of futile, given the relative permissiveness of open source EULAs, the characteristic lack of paper trail, the absence of financial motivation, and the difficulty determining where, when, and by whom violations have occurred. How would the BSA even begin compiling its list of targets?  It’s not that the BSA doesn’t understand the fundamental difference between commercial and open source EULAs, as the author claims—it’s simply that the entity isn’t set up or, perhaps more importantly, intended to enforce the latter. 

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Express Metrix now has profiles in LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Connect with us via your favorite web app(s) to stay current on company and product news, technical advice, and industry developments related to IT asset management.  You can also ask questions, post discussions, and submit feedback about our products and services.  Join us by clicking on the icons below!   

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