Lost a contract to illegal s/w

[gt40]

Originally posted by Sasq


gt40, do what you feel needs to be done. God knows i'd castrate anyone who stole the php framework stuff I write (and used it for paying work).

I suspect karma will catch up with this guy though.

Sooner or later I think he'll get his just deserts .
I'll just let it slide this once. I may not be so nice next time.

[gt40]

Az, they've already started the work, so it's a little late.
I know the person involved and I really don't think he has the experience required to do a proper job (he used to work for me).
Hopefully the customer will realize this and keep it in mind next time.

[Jon P. Inghram]

If it's not a problem to answer, what was the software anyway? Just curious since you said it was $15k.

[gt40]

suffice to say it's a popular CAD/CAM package

[J1NG]

Uh... Don't think it's 3DMax. Pretty sure I can get that for 3K here. Roughly 7.5K for you Canadians. Autocad?

J1NG

[gt40]

LOL!
if you really want to know just google 'cad/cam cnc'
if your lucky it may be the first result

[Tjalfe]

Mastercam?

[gt40]

[Dilitante1]

i'd tell the buyer that he *needs* to verify the software's legal state. Then he'll see what class of person he is dealing with, and remind them it IS illegal for them to accept warez/copied software, and the penalties involved.

[cbman]

Yeah... even if you don't think he will do a good job I'd still follow it up... it may start as one contract now but it could become even worse...

As it is we have enough trouble with people coming in here with quotes from other businesses that are obviously not charging for the software that goes on the system... and with working on the PC's that come in and don't have a legal copy of windows... we have to hit a happy medium without breaking the rules... its always bad to turn away customers... but we have already been called in twice in 3 years by other computer stores in the area and investigated once... thank god we run a legit business... (except for our backup cds of os's and misc programs for onsite calls to prevent damage to the originals) The thing that really pisses me off the most, is we know for a fact one of the companies that called us in is a company we know builds PC's with illegal software on them. The best line ever from a customer from these guys.

"He said I didn't need the CD's because I might loose them"

If we did that for all the systems we sell we would have to open a warehouse to sort and store peoples software in

It may feel like your making yourself out to be a prick to the guy your stopping or going against but at the same time... he probably had no qualms about undercutting you to get the contract.

[gt40]

Actually I have just confirmed that I have been awarded another seperate project from the same customer. Seems the other supplier is asking questions that someone with a little more experience wouldn't

[az]

AZ

[KvHagedorn]

Good.. don't ever take that sort of thing lying down.. I would tell the guy if he ever does that again, you will call the software company and tell their lawyers to have their way with him.

[Wombat]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
I would tell the guy if he ever does that again, you will call the software company and tell their lawyers to have their way with him.

I wouldn't. That would be threats, possibly blackmail. Keep yourself clean.