[Fsf-india] Time to start another flame

[Khuzaima A. Lakdawala]

On Tue, 12 Mar 2002 12:18:18 +0530, CK Raju <ckraju@zyberway.com> wrote:

> I have never obtained the figures, even for that matter from NASSCOM.

There is no reason why NASSCOM, which is hand-in-glove with the BSA,
would provide figures which could be used to hurt the interests of its
proprietary software industry counterparts in the west.

While on the topic of the NASSCOM-BSA nexus, let us bring up the
issue of a prominent advertisement recently brought out by this duo,
warning businesses about the dangers of using "pirated" software and
threatening them with the "legal risks associated with pirated
software." I am sure everyone in our community would find such
advertisements very amusing. But, besides just using it for a good
laugh, we should leverage such ads and come up with our own
parodies. Such ads make for very effective parody targets.

For instance, the above ad says (in bold print), "Save your
business. Use genuine software." This can be easily parodied by saying
"Save your business. Use free software."

At the end, the ad patronizingly states "Don't jeopardize your
business. Act now!" to which we simply need to add "Switch to free
software."

It's very simple really. Maybe when FSF-I is a legal entity and has
some funds we can bring out parodies like these lampooning NASSCOM /
BSA and in the process drive home our message. Just a thought.

And BTW, the aforementioned ad also asks people to "Call BSA/NASSCOM
Software Anti Piracy Toll Free Line" promising a "reward of upto
Rs. 50,000 (Terms and conditions apply)". i.e. they encourage people
to snitch on their neighbours, friends, colleagues, employers et al.

It's quite amazing that ads like these don't raise any eyebrows in the
"mainstream" and are accepted as valid business-furthering and
profit-protection measures rather than as freedom-threatening
ones. Amazing.

-- 
Khuzaima A. Lakdawala