BSA or should I say BS?

Marsikomu je jasno, da proizvajalci programske opreme kdaj pa kdaj pretiravajo z ocenami o njihovih izgubah zaradi piratstva. Ljude, ki poganjajo drage programske pakete, niso nujno pripravljeni odšteti vsote, ki jo zahteva založnik - ampak PR stroj seveda teh stvari ne upošteva in tupi svoje. Ampak to, kar je pa ušpičila BSA, pa že meji na preverznost. Ocena, da so izgube narastle za 4 milijarde dolarjev, stoji na študiji ki jo je upravil IDC - temelji pa na statistiki, ki z realnostjo nima nobene zveze.

IDC računa povzročeno škodo takole:

To derive its piracy rate, IDC estimates the average amount of software that is installed on a PC per country, using data from surveys, interviews and other studies. That figure is then reduced by the known quantity of software sold per country-a calculation in which IDC specialises. The result: a (supposed) amount of piracy per country. Multiplying that figure by the revenue from legitimate sales thus yields the retail value of the unpaid-for software. This, IDC and BSA claim, equals the amount of lost revenue.

In tako je The Economist 21. maja objavil članek z naslovom "BSA or just BS?", ki seveda to najmanj dvomljivo metodologijo napada. In uraden odgovor BSA?

SIR – Your article on software piracy was extreme, misleading and irresponsible ("BSA or just BS?", May 21st). The headline was particularly offensive. The implication that an industry would purposely inflate the rate of piracy and its impact to suit its political aims is ridiculous. The problem is real and needs no exaggeration.

Je že tako, da velja stopnjevanje - majhne laži, velike laži in statistike!